Lead Program Manager

STR•Arlington, VA

About The Position

The Subsea and Seabed Systems (SSS) Group in STR’s Sensors Division is seeking a Lead Program Manager with a highly technical undersea warfare background to manage a portfolio of future undersea systems programs. The portfolio spans concept generation and prototype development, with the goal of continuing into low-rate initial production (LRIP) or production. The role calls for experience across technology readiness levels and the ability to scale processes appropriately. The Lead Program Manager leads small, highly capable, multidisciplinary teams of researchers, scientists, and engineers across STR campuses. The role coordinates electrical and mechanical design, software development, system construction, integration, testing, and field execution to meet cost, schedule, and performance objectives on complex national security programs. A key focus is financial planning and execution, including credible budgets and resource plans, current forecasts, and timely cost, schedule, and staffing decisions as technical priorities evolve. The position also involves creating and executing programmatic baselines for personnel, deliverables, and subcontractor and contract-manufacturer plans; anticipating risks; resolving resource, security, and contracting challenges; and managing customer, sponsor, and leadership expectations. The successful candidate has significant recent experience managing programs that build fieldable systems and working knowledge in several relevant technical areas. They are expected to lead teams, brief senior leadership, foster collaborative work environments, and apply strong program management, communication, mentorship, and peer-leadership skills. STR describes this as an opportunity to help develop advanced undersea systems for undersea defense alongside a collaborative, technically focused team. The position is full-time, with a salary range of $147,000–$200,000. STR is an equal opportunity employer. Positions require employees to obtain national security clearances and comply with export-control and other applicable laws.

Requirements

Active current TS/SSBI clearance; ability to gain and maintain SCI/SAP accreditations. U.S. citizenship is required by the U.S. government.
Technical degree and 8+ years of relevant experience in government contracting, research and development (R&D), or advanced technology production; equivalent experience will be considered.
Program manager or control account manager experience on a design-and-development and/or build contract, including work breakdown structure definition, schedule generation, financial analysis and reporting, and resource management.
Demonstrated experience planning and executing finances for fast-paced, complex programs, including budget development, resource planning, financial forecasting, cost and variance analysis, and timely corrective action to meet objectives within available funding.
Experience in proposal management, including planning and cost estimation.
Experience managing projects larger than $10 million for the Department of War.
Experience leading small, multidisciplinary teams executing advanced-technology programs spanning electrical and mechanical design, software development, system construction, integration, test, and field execution.
Demonstrated ability to coordinate interdependent engineering disciplines and drive systems from design and build through integration, readiness, and successful execution in operationally relevant environments.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Strong presentation and organizational skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience with advanced undersea warfare system concepts, signal processing, underwater acoustics, and ocean engineering.
Experience with sonar systems.
Experience preparing, planning, and executing testing and fielding of advanced undersea systems and vehicles, including developing test objectives, coordinating personnel and resources, test readiness activities, at-sea execution, and post-test assessment.
Experience conducting operationally representative testing of advanced undersea systems in realistic maritime environments; working with operators, engineers, and government sponsors to translate mission needs and operating conditions into test scenarios and performance measures; and using results to inform system design, performance improvements, operational employment, and transition toward fieldable capability.
Work experience in government, an FFRDC, or defense-industry companies and sponsors.
Earned value management system (EVMS) experience.
Contract manufacturing experience.
Risk and opportunity management experience.
Experience managing research and development programs.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Microsoft Project, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

Execute multiple fast-paced, complex programs against cost, schedule, and technical objectives, with accountability for financial planning and performance.
Develop and maintain program budgets, time-phased spending plans, staffing and resource allocations, and estimates to complete and at completion across labor, materials, travel, subcontractors, and contract manufacturers.
Review actual costs and commitments, monitor burn rates and funding availability, analyze variances, and update forecasts as program needs change.
Work with technical leads, finance, and contracts to assess cost and schedule tradeoffs, implement corrective actions, and communicate financial risks and resource needs to leadership and sponsors.
Lead proposal development and ensure adherence to a gated capture process.
Create subcontractor statements of work and manage and track subcontractors to ensure proper execution.
Work with contract manufacturers to build up to LRIP and meet LRIP milestones with high quality.
Lead multidisciplinary teams through design, build, integration, test readiness, and field execution, coordinating interdependent engineering activities to deliver fieldable systems.
Oversee preparation, planning, and execution of advanced undersea system testing, including test objectives, personnel and resource coordination, readiness activities, at-sea execution, and post-test assessment.
Provide regular program briefings to group and division leadership.
Foster team collaboration by providing clear direction and constructive feedback.
Monitor progress against goals, anticipate risks, resolve issues, and initiate corrective actions as appropriate.