Director, Strategic Initiatives

Element U.S. Space & Defense • Fullerton, CA

6d • $138,000 - $155,000 • Remote

About The Position

Element U.S. Space & Defense (EUSSD) is a premier provider of independent test and evaluation services to the US defense, aerospace, and space industries. We are investing heavily in future growth and seek a Director of Strategic Initiatives to manage execution of key projects. This role reports to senior leadership and serves as a key integrator across business units and functions.

The Director of Strategic Initiatives is responsible for leading and delivering high‑impact strategic growth programs across the enterprise. This role operates at the intersection of strategy, operations, finance, and functional leadership to translate corporate priorities into executable initiatives within existing operations. The role requires an enterprise mindset, balancing near‑term execution with long‑term value creation.

This position requires exceptional project management capability, strong cross‑functional leadership, and the ability to manage complex, multi‑stakeholder programs from concept through completion. The Director will own end‑to‑end execution of strategic initiatives, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and in alignment with business objectives, while effectively managing internal teams and external subcontractors. The Director is accountable for outcomes, realization, and sustained operational adoption of delivered initiatives.

The ideal candidate is a disciplined executor with strong business judgment, excellent communication skills, and proven experience driving results through influence rather than authority.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Operations, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience leading complex, cross‑functional projects or programs within a corporate or operational environment.
• Demonstrated success delivering large, multi‑stakeholder initiatives on time and on budget.
• Proven experience managing subcontractors or external partners, including development and enforcement of SOWs.
• Advanced proficiency with project management tools and Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Project).
• Extensive background check and US Citizenship will be required
• Remote , approximately 30% travel

Nice To Haves

• MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Experience leading strategic initiatives in operations‑heavy, engineering‑driven, or regulated environments.
• Formal project management training or certification (PMP, PgMP, etc.).
• Experience supporting growth initiatives, integrations, or large capital programs.
• Experience working in compliance‑driven or regulated environments (e.g., DoD, aerospace, or defense contracting).
• Familiarity with government contracting concepts, including cost structures, compliance expectations, and customer interfaces.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross‑functional teams to implement strategic growth initiatives within existing operations, including operational expansion, process transformation, capability development, and market‑driven programs.
• Translate enterprise strategy and leadership priorities into clearly defined, executable programs with measurable outcomes, milestones, and success metrics.
• Serve as the central point of accountability for assigned strategic initiatives from inception through completion.
• Partner with Finance to develop business cases, investment justifications, and ROI analyses for strategic initiatives.
• Track financial performance against approved budgets and forecasts; drive corrective actions where variances occur.
• Define and track key performance indicators and benefits‑realization metrics to ensure initiatives deliver expected business value.
• Support enterprise growth objectives including market expansion, capacity scaling, and organic and inorganic growth initiatives as applicable.
• Manage complex, multi‑phase projects end‑to‑end, ensuring on‑time, on‑budget delivery while meeting defined scope, quality, and performance objectives.
• Develop and maintain detailed project plans, schedules, budgets, risk registers, and executive‑level status reporting.
• Proactively identify risks, dependencies, and resource constraints; drive mitigation plans and escalation as needed.
• Establish and enforce disciplined project governance, change control, and decision‑making processes.
• Drive formal change‑management activities, including stakeholder readiness, communication planning, and adoption tracking.
• Partner closely with functional leaders (Operations, Engineering, Finance, IT, etc.) to align resources and priorities.
• Facilitate effective decision‑making across competing interests while maintaining momentum and accountability.
• Drive alignment between strategic intent and operational reality, ensuring initiatives are practical, scalable, and sustainable.
• Navigate complex organizational dynamics while maintaining neutrality, credibility, and trust across functions.
• Manage external subcontractors and consultants in support of strategic initiatives.
• Develop clear, tightly scoped Statements of Work (SOWs) with defined deliverables, timelines, performance criteria, and commercial terms.
• Hold subcontractors accountable for meeting contractual commitments related to scope, schedule, cost, and quality.
• Actively manage vendor performance, change requests, and issue resolution through project completion.
• Ensure vendor engagements comply with internal procurement, legal, ITAR/EAR, and information‑security requirements.
• Provide concise, high‑quality updates to senior leadership, including progress, risks, decisions required, and outcomes achieved.
• Prepare executive‑level materials such as business cases, presentations, dashboards, and post‑implementation reviews.
• Represent strategic initiatives with credibility and clarity to internal and external stakeholders.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Short- and Long-Term Disability, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts
• Seven (7) paid holidays and four (4) paid floating holidays, depending on your hire date
• Paid Time Off (PTO), accrued biweekly
• 401k with employer match
• Twelve (12) hours of Paid Volunteer Time Off (PVTO) each year
• Tuition reimbursement and other employee programs
• Flexible schedules offered at some of our labs
• Monthly Lab Bonus plans (Based on position)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director