Director of Programs

Eleven Recruiting is searching for a Director of Programs on behalf of a confidential aerospace and defense composites manufacturer in the Spokane, WA area. Founded in 1979, the company has built a four-decade reputation for precision composite manufacturing — complex lamination assemblies, multi-axis CNC machining, hand layup, and filament winding — serving the defense, space, and aviation markets, with a customer base of major prime contractors and U.S. government agencies. As a business unit of a growing multi-site aerospace and defense composites platform, the company is positioned for significant growth.

About the role

The Director of Programs is a senior leadership role owning the strategic direction, execution health, and growth of the program portfolio — leading Integrated Product Teams (IPTs), driving customer relationships, and partnering with engineering and operations to deliver mission-critical composite hardware on cost and on schedule.

Responsibilities

• Direct all aspects of program execution across the composite portfolio, ensuring cost, schedule, and technical performance objectives are consistently met.
• Provide strategic, technical, and business leadership across Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) supporting defense, space, and aviation programs.
• Monitor and evaluate program performance; implement corrective actions to maintain IPT execution health.
• Maintain full accountability for financial, schedule, and technical outcomes across the division and its IPTs.
• Plan, justify, and manage procurement and allocation of resources required to support the program portfolio.
• Cultivate a high-performance, inclusive environment that maximizes engagement and productivity within program IPTs.
• Align personnel skills and technical expertise with program needs across IPT disciplines; ensure balanced workloads and effective staff utilization.
• Lead workforce planning — hiring, performance management, and professional development — and drive career growth through mentoring and targeted training.
• Drive growth through active business development across composite structures, defense platforms, space systems, and uncrewed programs.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers, including prime contractors and government agencies.
• Oversee development of, and serve as responsible signatory for, high-quality, compliant, and financially sound proposals.
• Collaborate with enterprise leadership to identify and pursue growth in defense, space, and adjacent composite markets.
• Partner with internal departments and platform business units to deliver integrated composite solutions.
• Support enterprise-wide initiatives, proposals, and operational improvements.
• Contribute to organizational processes, tools, and infrastructure that enhance IPT program execution.
• Manage and maintain division budgets in alignment with company objectives.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Manufacturing, or a related technical field.
• 10+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, or advanced composite manufacturing.
• Proven ability to lead, plan, and execute programs valued at $50M or greater.
• Demonstrated success leading multi-discipline IPTs in a composite or advanced manufacturing environment.
• Experience managing customer relationships with prime contractors and U.S. government agencies.
• Strong working knowledge of composite manufacturing processes — hand layup, autoclave curing, filament winding, multi-axis machining, and NDI/NDT.
• Familiarity with AS9100, ITAR, and applicable defense manufacturing standards.
• U.S. citizenship required; must be able to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master of Science in Engineering or an MBA.
• Earned Value Management (EVM) experience — CPI/SPI reporting, variance analysis, and EAC forecasting on government contracts.
• Experience supporting DoD, NASA, or space/defense prime programs in a composite or structures manufacturing environment.
• Background in Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and value stream management.
• Experience managing subcontract and supply chain activity on government contracts.
• Familiarity with NRE, cost-to-complete, or program financial management.
• PMP certification.

Pay

$185,000 - $205,000