Program Manager

About the role

At Marotta Controls, a New Jersey Top Workplace three years running, we deliver cutting‑edge control systems for the Aerospace & Defense industry. We empower employees to push boundaries while delivering top‑tier solutions and foster a fun, collaborative culture where creativity and technical excellence thrive. The Program Manager leads multiple, concurrent development programs from proposal through volume production, coordinates internal engineering, operations, business development, finance and contracts teams, and serves as the primary customer advocate and point of contact.

Responsibilities

• Initiate and drive activities to satisfy customer contract/statement of work.
• Proactively drive achievement of major milestones and high customer satisfaction.
• Recognize and preemptively address technical, cost, and schedule risk using industry experience.
• Act as primary point of contact for assigned customers.
• Create and release project Work Breakdown Structure with approved budgets.
• Maintain project Integrated Master Schedule.
• Facilitate IPD Process compliance by completing required Initiating Activities, Design Reviews, and Gate Review requirements.
• Conduct internal and customer weekly meetings/telecons, document minutes, and maintain Action Item Lists.
• Create Monthly Program Review materials and present to Executive Leadership.
• Provide Program Management support for new business proposals: create PM deliverables for the management volume and manage bids for new or follow‑on business.
• Achieve NRE Cost, Design to Cost, and Schedule performance against budget for assigned projects.
• Review and create material and/or labor plans and cost reports.
• Resolve and coordinate project cost, schedule, and technical performance issues.
• Monitor and control project scope; escalate issues or risks that cannot be resolved at the project team level.
• Maintain high customer satisfaction for assigned projects.
• Identify opportunities to grow business content with associated projects and customers.
• Support significant proposals with related PMO inputs; initiate and scrub proposal Bases of Estimates and Schedules.
• Expected achievements: keep project expenditures within 10% of budget; deliver major milestones within 2 weeks of baseline; maintain the highest level of customer satisfaction; detect and mitigate risks early; uphold the highest ethical standards.
• Lead infrastructure upgrades and bring initiatives to closure through effective internal and external interactions.
• Maintain and develop relationships with Business Development, Engineering, Operations, Customer Service and other company facets.
• Mentor other Program Managers as needed.
• Abide by all safety, quality, and company policies/procedures to ensure compliance with regulatory and internal system requirements.
• Contribute to a positive and cooperative work environment through effective communication at all levels.
• Participate in team meetings and improvement initiatives to provide constructive recommendations and initiate actions supporting company goals.
• Demonstrate commitment to company values; keep management informed of area activities and significant problems.
• Assume responsibility for related duties as required or assigned; complete special projects and miscellaneous assignments as required.

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering preferred.
• 4–7 years of program management experience.
• PMP certification preferred.
• Experience working within aerospace or a similar technical field preferred.
• Experience with Additive Manufacturing technologies is a plus.
• Highly analytical and detail‑oriented.
• Advanced Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint) and MS Project expertise.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Intimate knowledge of people management skills, particularly influence management and conflict resolution.
• General knowledge of operations, including scheduling, procurement, manufacturing, test engineering, and quality systems.
• Exemplary verbal/written communication skills required for multi‑faceted interactions with all levels of personnel and external agents.
• Strong attention to detail and follow‑up.
• Eligibility to obtain and maintain a security clearance; must be a US Citizen.

Work Environment

This role operates in both a professional office environment and a manufacturing/machine shop environment, using standard office equipment and appropriate safety gear as required. Travel is limited to 10–15%. This is a full‑time position based at our Parsippany, NJ office.