Director SF 5X Platform Programs

Cirrus Aircraft • Duluth, MN

32d

About The Position

Platform project initiating, planning, executing, monitoring/controlling, and closing with primary focus on project scope, schedule and program budget, product bill of materials budget for the assigned aircraft platform's projects simultaneously. The Platform Director must be able to manage multiple projects using a deliverable and task Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) methodology, MS Project scheduling and MS PowerBI. This role is responsible to work with a cross-functional Integrated Project Team (IPT) in driving, coordinating, scheduling and measuring activities to obtain desired project or program results. This position requires a high degree of interaction and communication with multiple departments as well as internal/external stakeholders for success and therefore communication skills are critical. The Platform Director should be seen as the program visionary leader for the overall platform execution. This role will report directly to the VP of Platform Programs.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree (B.A. or B.S.) from four-year college or university, and 12 years of project management experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Must have previous department leadership of direct reports
• Good organizational skills and the ability to coordinate between disparate tasks.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Timely completion of scheduled work.
• Strong business finance understanding and strong MS Excel skills (ability to synthesize data into pivot table summaries and graphical/visual chart
• Excellent and professional communication skills in all forms and formats (public speaking, team meetings, PowerPoint, memos, emails, charters, internal/external, etc.).
• Ability to assess root cause of problems, obtain consensus for solutions and drive solutions
• Exceptional facilitation skills to bring a cross-functional team together to accomplish tasks and goals.
• Good problem-solving skills with knowledge of six-sigma or lean office tools.
• To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of ERP, UltiPro, MS Project tools, MS Excel, database management; internet software; and spreadsheet, presentation, project management and word processing software. The job also requires proficiency using company web/video/audio conferencing services (currently Skype for Business, WebEx, Microsoft Teams and LifeSize).

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree preferred.
• PMP certification is preferred

Responsibilities

• Supervises assigned program and project managers.
• Uses Cirrus New Product Introduction System (NPIS) and phased gating system methodology, applies PMBOK standards, Cirrus standards, and continuously improves program management tools to manage multiple projects with competing timelines and resources for predictable results.
• Drives transparency of program execution health through quantitative execution/deliverable measurement week by week, month by month, quarter by quarter.
• Effectively uses and trains project teams on Cirrus Program Management tools and standards.
• Responsible for delivering projects individually or as part of a program to the approved scope, timeline, and budget.
• Uses Program Management tools regularly (e.g., IPT, Rolling Action Item List (RAIL), Integrated Master Schedule (IMS), Project Charter, Risk Management Tools).
• Works with teams to implement PM standards and support continuous improvement based on PMBOK standards.
• May develop and deliver training content or courses.
• Facilitates all aspects of a project charter to final state, including professional presentations and coordination of facts and data for business plans and financial models.
• Facilitates new project proposals, driving decision-making with business information from cross-functional teams.
• Works with finance on business model templates for consistency and planning, drafting business cases as needed.
• On product development projects, collaborates closely with the Platform Chief Engineer (CE) and Platform Product Line Manager (PLM) as core team members, ensuring Integrated Project Team (IPT) collaboration.
• Supports development and measurement against business plans, Market Requirements & Objectives (MR&O), and Design Requirements & Objectives (DR&O), potentially including Business Requirements & Objectives (BR&O).
• Drives project and program decisions and ensures alignment with strategic goals.
• Leads strategy development and implementation for current projects to achieve deliverables.
• Acts as a bridge between cross-functional departments, ensuring inputs/outputs and lead time requirements are integrated into project plans.
• Oversees program-level oversight to ensure goals are met by supporting project activities with broader decision-making capacity.
• Develops project work breakdown structures, estimates costs/resources, and maps dependencies to achieve goals.
• Provides insight on risk, issues, requirements, and design to effectively manage projects and dependencies.
• Maintains a 36-month platform program plan, resource management, and product roadmap, addressing issues and prioritizing needs.
• Balances needs and constraints collectively with other Project and Program managers.
• Develops project deliverable metrics and schedules using MS Project, considering strategic objectives for milestone completion.
• Performs critical path analyses, change impact assessments, and risk management, developing mitigation plans.
• Organizes data, supports process flow exercises, and ensures accuracy in estimating and tracking project metrics.
• Tracks progress to plans, supports project budgets, and manages expenses while maintaining accurate cost records.
• Articulates program goals and impacts on the business and team.
• Communicates effectively with project teams to resolve constraints and escalates issues appropriately.
• Demonstrates excellent facilitation and leadership, fostering team collaboration and maintaining team performance.
• Ensures Integrated Project Team (IPT) roles, responsibilities, and communication needs are clear.
• Skilled in using web conferencing tools to include offsite members.
• Presents professional, concise project updates with clear analyses of performance metrics.
• Maintains professionalism and leads by example in speaking, presenting, and communicating with team members and executives.
• Plans and strategizes communication to achieve desired results, actively mitigating unintended consequences.
• Exhibits a positive outlook and demeanor, promoting positive outcomes even in critical situations.
• Manages multiple projects with extreme attention to detail.
• Demonstrates punctuality and preparedness for meetings as a leader by example.

Benefits

• 401(k) Plan: Dollar-for-dollar match up to 5% after 90 days, with 100% vesting.
• Employer-Paid Coverages: Group term life, short- and long-term disability insurance.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, vision, dental, with additional dependent coverage options.
• Free Health Tracking: With rewards for meeting health goals.
• Generous PTO: 200 hours accrued within the first year.
• Employee Referral Bonus: For referring talented candidates.
• Career Development: Tuition reimbursement and professional growth opportunities.
• Exclusive Discounts: Access to partner and marketplace discounts.
• Community & Engagement: Company and employee clubs at various locations.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Industry: Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees