Sr. Manager, BD & Program Operations

About the role

The Senior Manager, Business Development & Program Operations serves as the operational leader responsible for customer growth, program execution, and commercial performance across the business. Reporting to the Director of Business Development & Programs, this role bridges business development activities and program management execution to ensure customer satisfaction, profitable growth, and successful delivery of customer commitments. The position provides leadership and oversight to the Program Management organization through direct management of the Program Management Manager while partnering closely with Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, and Finance to drive business results. This role is responsible for supporting new business pursuits, developing customer relationships, managing commercial performance, overseeing program execution, and ensuring alignment between customer expectations and operational capabilities.

Who we are

Founded in 1849, Ducommun is the oldest company in California. Starting as a hardware supply store during the California Gold Rush and eventually assisted in the birth of the aerospace industry in Southern California by providing aircraft aluminum to early aerospace pioneers like Lindbergh, Douglas and Lockheed. Today Ducommun is a global provider of innovative manufacturing solutions for customers in the aerospace, defense and industrial markets. We specialize in electronic and structural systems, producing complex products and components for commercial aircraft platforms, mission-critical military and space programs, and sophisticated industrial applications. Our Performance Center in Carson, CA is the Engineered Products Group site for our Human Machine Interface, Motion Control Device, and Radio Frequency (RF) product lines.

Responsibilities

Business Development & Customer Growth

• Support the execution of business development strategies to achieve revenue growth and market expansion objectives.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with existing and prospective customers.
• Identify and evaluate new business opportunities within aerospace, defense, and adjacent markets.
• Partner with the Director of Business Development & Programs on strategic account planning and growth initiatives.
• Support customer visits, business reviews, trade shows, and industry networking activities.
• Coordinate and lead cross-functional proposal and quotation activities.
• Ensure timely and competitive responses to customer RFQs and business opportunities.
• Monitor market trends, customer requirements, and competitive activity.

Program Management Leadership

• Provide leadership and direction to the Program Management Manager and Program Management organization.
• Establish program management standards, processes, and performance expectations.
• Review program performance metrics including schedule adherence, margin performance, delivery performance, and customer satisfaction.
• Ensure effective communication and coordination across customer programs.
• Escalate and resolve program risks and issues impacting customer commitments or business performance.
• Drive accountability for program execution and customer deliverables.

Commercial & Operational Leadership

• Serve as a key liaison between customers and internal functional teams.
• Support contract review, change management, and customer negotiations.
• Monitor bookings, backlog, revenue performance, and program profitability.
• Collaborate with Operations and Supply Chain teams to align customer demand with operational capacity.
• Support forecasting, sales planning, and business reporting activities.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance customer experience and operational efficiency.

Leadership & Team Development

• Coach, mentor, and develop the Program Management Manager and broader Program Management team.
• Foster a culture of accountability, customer focus, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Support talent development, succession planning, and organizational capability building.
• Promote strong cross-functional relationships throughout the organization.

Required experience and education

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations Management, or related field required.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in business development, program management, account management, or commercial operations within manufacturing, aerospace, or defense environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading customer-facing programs and cross-functional teams.
• Prior people leadership experience required.
• Experience managing complex customer relationships and commercial activities.
• Experience with aerospace, defense, or highly regulated manufacturing environments strongly preferred.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

• Strong business acumen and commercial mindset.
• Ability to balance customer needs with operational capabilities and business objectives.
• Excellent leadership, coaching, and team development skills.
• Strong project and program management capabilities.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to influence across functions and organizational levels.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency with ERP systems, CRM platforms, and Microsoft Office applications.

Key performance indicators

• Revenue growth
• Bookings and backlog growth
• Customer satisfaction and retention
• On-time delivery performance
• Program margin performance
• Quote turnaround and win rates
• Program execution metrics
• Team engagement and development
• Strategic account growth

Travel requirements

Approximately 20-30% travel, including customer visits, industry events, supplier meetings, and business reviews.