Karman Space & Defense is a leader in the rapid design, development, and production of critical, next-generation system solutions that align with the U.S. Department of War and its allies' core mission priorities, and meet the accelerating demand for access to space. Building on nearly 50 years of success, we deliver Payload & Protection Systems, Aero/Hydrodynamic Interstage Systems, and Propulsion & Launch Systems to more than 80 prime contractors supporting over 130 space and defense programs.
This role leads day‑to‑day execution of Karman's enterprise information‑technology program portfolio, converting IT strategy and technology priorities into coordinated, executable plans. It supports cross‑functional alignment across Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Business Systems, Data, Infrastructure, and business stakeholders while maintaining governance, managing dependencies, and driving timely delivery of complex technology programs. The Senior Program Manager ensures risks, decisions, and business impacts are clearly surfaced to leadership and advances integrated roadmap execution across a diverse technical environment.
Responsibilities
- Leads execution of the enterprise IT technology roadmap across concurrent technology programs and infrastructure initiatives.
- Translates IT strategy, technology priorities, and governance requirements into integrated program plans with milestones, workstreams, dependencies, and readiness criteria.
- Coordinates program execution across Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Business Systems, Infrastructure, AI, business stakeholders, vendors, and advisors.
- Maintains integrated project plans for large‑scale technology initiatives, including enterprise resource planning (ERP) deployments, cybersecurity programs, and network transformations.
- Runs program‑management‑office (PMO) governance including workstream reviews, milestone tracking, RAID management, dependency management, and executive reporting.
- Drives accountability by ensuring IT leaders maintain clear deliverables, dates, resource needs, risks, and escalation paths.
- Identifies resource conflicts, technical dependencies, and implementation risks, coordinating mitigation actions with IT leadership.
- Leads go‑live and operational‑readiness planning across testing, user acceptance, training, process changes, compliance, and cutover activities.
- Prepares concise, executive‑ready reporting on program health, milestone performance, risks, dependencies, and progress toward intended capabilities.
- Tracks program budgets, capital expenditures, vendor contracts, risk reduction, and return‑on‑investment (ROI) in partnership with Finance and IT leadership.
- Applies and continuously improves PMO standards, playbooks, governance gates, templates, agile methodologies, and repeatable project‑management practices.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in information technology, computer science, business, engineering, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Minimum 8 years of experience in IT program management, enterprise technology transformation, program‑management‑office operations, or related disciplines.
- Track record of independently leading complex cross‑functional technology programs involving multiple technical domains, sites, vendors, and stakeholders.
- Demonstrated experience driving large‑scale IT implementations such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM) systems, cybersecurity frameworks, infrastructure upgrades, or cloud migrations.
- Experience managing integrated program plans, roadmaps, dependency maps, RAID logs, go‑live readiness assessments, and executive reporting.
- Ability to lead technical resources through influence and drive accountability across cross‑functional IT and business teams.
- Strong understanding of the software development lifecycle (SDLC), IT service management (ITSM), and project methodologies including Waterfall, Agile, and Hybrid.
- Strong business and financial acumen including project costing, expense planning, vendor management, and business‑case development.
- Excellent communication, stakeholder‑management, and problem‑solving skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent IT priorities in ambiguity.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in aerospace, defense, manufacturing, engineering, or another regulated multi‑site environment.
- Experience within an enterprise IT program‑management office, transformation office, or similar centralized program‑leadership function.
- Familiarity with Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 800‑171, Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), controlled unclassified information (CUI), Sarbanes‑Oxley (SOX) IT general controls (ITGC), export controls, or other compliance‑driven IT environments.
- Advanced experience with Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, Jira, Azure DevOps, ServiceNow, Power BI, or similar project‑management tools.
- Project Management Professional (PMP), Program Management Professional (PgMP), Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI‑ACP), Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), or related certification.
This position requires U.S. person status under U.S. export control laws, including U.S. citizens and nationals, lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylees.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) with company match
- Paid time off
- Health Savings Account (HSA) with company contribution
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
- Company‑paid life and AD\&D insurance
- Short‑ and long‑term disability coverage
- Tuition reimbursement
Karman Space and Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.