Principal / Senior Principal Project Management

Relocation assistance may be available. This role requires a Secret clearance and is 100% on-site in Redondo Beach, CA or Palmdale, CA.

About the Role

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage, and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity, and bringing your whole self to work.

The F-35 Principal Project Management / Sr Principal Project Management role leads and supports cross-functional initiatives within the F-35 Program Operations & Integration team. This position requires strong project management and business acumen to bridge strategy and execution, along with the discretion to handle highly visible initiatives. The selected individual will communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders, including senior executives, customers, and suppliers, ensuring alignment with broader enterprise goals.

Strategic Business Initiatives

The individual will dedicate a significant portion of their time to supporting enterprise-level strategic initiatives across the broader F-35 business unit. These initiatives may span operational efficiency, improvement plans, customer engagements, and executive-level priorities. This aspect of the role offers high visibility and the opportunity to build trusted relationships across the business, ideal for a driven individual looking to demonstrate leadership and create impact beyond immediate project scope.

Responsibilities

• Lead project planning, execution, and delivery across multiple functional areas to ensure alignment with program goals, development objectives, and business strategies.
• Support the assigned Operating Unit (OU) Program Manager and their leadership team in achieving precise, time-sensitive deliverables, metrics, and presentations.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned initiatives, engaging with senior executives, customers, suppliers, and internal teams to meet OU objectives.
• Proactively manage the organizational rhythm to maintain preparedness for program and customer deadlines.
• Prepare, integrate, and coordinate executive reviews (e.g., Monthly Program Manager’s Meeting), including scheduling, agenda setting, leadership messaging, and stakeholder input collection.
• Ensure accurate input and reporting of contractual performance metrics in the Intranet Program Review System (IPRS).
• Facilitate and track risks, issues, and opportunities within the Tracking Risks, Issues, and Opportunities (TRIO) tool to drive actions to closure.
• Monitor progress, assess project issues, and drive timely resolution.
• Aggregate, synthesize, analyze, and communicate data to support decision-making, executive briefings, and stakeholder presentations.
• Organize knowledge sharing and continuous improvement activities, including SharePoint enhancements, engagement events (e.g., lunch and learns, recognition), and organizational highlights.
• Communicate and align initiatives to broader enterprise goals with discretion and strong business acumen.
• Support chief of staff duties as necessary for executive leaders, such as managing strategic initiatives, coordinating cross-functional projects, and enhancing operational efficiency.
• Support broader business unit initiatives, contributing to the development and execution of high-impact strategies that require trust, discretion, and cross-functional collaboration.

Requirements

• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.

Qualifications

Principal Level

• Bachelor’s Degree with 5 years of experience, Master’s Degree with 3 years, PhD with 1 year, or High School Diploma/Equivalent with 9 years of experience.
• Experience in one or more of the following: Project Management, Business Strategy, Finance, Proposals and/or Capture Efforts, Resource Planning, Accounting, Program Management, Program Scheduling, Program Cost Analysis, Subcontracts Administration, Procurement, Business Management, or Contracts.

Sr Principal Level

• Bachelor’s Degree with 8 years of experience, Master’s Degree with 6 years, PhD with 4 years, or High School Diploma/Equivalent with 12 years of experience.
• Experience in one or more of the following: Project Management, Business Strategy, Finance, Proposals and/or Capture Efforts, Resource Planning, Accounting, Program Management, Program Scheduling, Program Cost Analysis, Subcontracts Administration, Procurement, Business Management, or Contracts.

Preferred Qualifications

• Aerospace/defense experience.
• Consulting background.
• Supply chain, financial management, business strategy, and/or contracts experience in aerospace/defense.
• Familiarity with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program.
• Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel skills (e.g., pivot tables, lookups, conditional formatting, and dashboards).
• Control Account Management (CAM) experience.

Pay

Principal Level: $94,200 - $141,200 per year.

Sr Principal Level: $117,500 - $176,300 per year.

The salary range represents a general guideline; Northrop Grumman considers factors such as scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s experience, education, skills, and current market conditions when determining base salary offers. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage.
• Life and disability insurance.
• Savings plan.
• Company-paid holidays.
• Paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.