JOB SUMMARY

The Program Manager serves as the central operational leader responsible for the flawless execution, tactical tracking, and strategic delivery of multi-layered aerospace and defense manufacturing programs. This position sits at the intersection of technical engineering demands, business administration, and hands-on production floor operations. It requires a highly analytical, deeply math-proficient individual capable of calculating manufacturing variances, evaluating cost structures, managing tight margins, and translating raw data into actionable schedules. The Program Manager acts as the ultimate owner of the program's profit and loss (P&L), schedule health, and compliance framework, and ensuring complete organizational alignment.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead aerospace end-to-end program lifecycle ownership projects completely from contract award, initial engineering kickoff, and raw material or forging procurement, through manufacturing operations, non-destructive testing (NDT), quality qualification (AS9100 standards), and final shipping documentation.
• Utilize advanced mathematical, financial, and statistical calculations daily to monitor standard vs. actual job costing. Analyze manufacturing scrap rates, calculate machine-hour efficiencies, measure labor yield variances, and evaluate multi-layered project budgets to protect the company's gross profit margins.
• Partner intimately with Production Control, Master Schedulers, Tooling Engineers, and Machine Shop Leads to construct and maintain live, detailed project networks. Proactively balance factory capacity with customer demand, modifying schedules dynamically to account for raw material lead times or machine downtime.
• As the customer account manager, you will serve as the primary point of contact for premier aerospace tier-1 and OEM accounts. Lead regular Program Status Reviews (PSRs), manage technical Engineering Change Orders (ECOs), clarify geometric and dimensional anomalies, and resolve scope creep through detailed cost impact calculations.
• Conduct ongoing failure mode effect analyses (FMEA) across the supply chain and production floor. You will be expected to spearhead and bottleneck all resolutions. Deploy data-driven, risk mitigation, troubleshooting and quantitative modeling to resolve bottlenecks, minimize schedule slip, and ensure an on-time delivery (OTD) rate exceeding 98%.
• Perform inventory regularly, detailed math audits on manufacturing routing instructions and complex multi-level Bills of Materials (BOM) auditing to eliminate material discrepancies and verify material traceability records.
• Use statistical process control (SPC) data and cycle-time math to identify process variability, continuous improvement, Lean/six sigma support, collaborating with Manufacturing Engineers to streamline tooling setups and optimize machining throughput.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related technical discipline is highly preferred.
• Experience: 3+ years of project or program management experience specifically within an Aerospace, Defense, or complex precision manufacturing environment.
• Mathematical Proficiency: Must possess advanced math and analytical skills with a proven capability to interpret complex geometric dimensions, manipulate multi-layered financial data spreadsheets, perform cost-variance calculations, and audit machining yield matrices.
• Technical Skills: Strong proficiency working within ERP/MRP manufacturing databases, MS Project, and advanced Excel applications (including pivot tables, data modeling formulas, and macro auditing).
• Communication & Leadership: Superior relationship management skills with a demonstrated ability to hold cross-functional team members accountable to strict production timelines.
• ITAR Requirement: Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident (Green Card Holder) to comply with ITAR and defense manufacturing data regulations.