Program Manager II

Position Summary

We're partnering with a rapidly growing manufacturer supporting some of the most innovative launch vehicle and satellite programs in the commercial aerospace industry and are seeking a highly driven Program Manager to lead critical customer-facing initiatives. This is not a traditional program management role. We're looking for a leader who thrives in fast-paced environments, embraces ambiguity, and can drive execution across complex, high-visibility programs.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the central point of coordination between customers, leadership, engineering, operations, and manufacturing teams, ensuring programs remain on track while navigating evolving priorities and aggressive timelines.
• Bring a strong ownership mentality and a proven ability to transform complex challenges into structured execution plans.
• Manage program scope, schedules, risks, and cross-functional activities while maintaining clear communication with both internal stakeholders and customers.
• Initiate and manage programs throughout the product realization process, including engineering requests of all types.
• Utilize the open issues matrix which includes risk mitigation plan.
• Develop and manage the program budget and report updates to management as required.
• Develop and drive program timing with internal milestones, e.g., design reviews, tooling, PRP gate reviews, and external milestones.
• Manage multiple discipline engineering teams to meet internal and customer requirements such as TS16494, APQP, and AIAG.
• Support the Business Unit or Regional Strategic Plan, facilitating activity execution and communicating to stakeholders as required.
• Manage experimental process development activities as needed.
• Manage new tooling engineering requests and program launches throughout the product realization process.
• Present required phase-gate reviews to management.
• Participate in DVP&R, DFMEA, and PFMEA development meetings.
• Support APQP and VA/VE activities.
• Supervise Quality Engineers, along with other functional Engineers as requested.
• Conduct timely and meaningful performance evaluations for direct reports, and provide input into the performance evaluations of associates reporting under your indirect supervision.
• Assess current and future development needs for direct reports and take steps to mentor and develop them accordingly.
• Set the direction for team members and hold individuals accountable to performance standards and strategic objectives.
• Identify and train a back-up(s) to manage key tasks when absent.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will bring a strong ownership mentality and a proven ability to transform complex challenges into structured execution plans. They should thrive in fast-paced environments, embrace ambiguity, and have the ability to drive execution across complex, high-visibility programs.