Manager (Program Planning & Controls)

AIRBUS U.S. Space & Defense•Merritt Island, FL

About The Position

The Manager, Program Planning & Controls leads integrated scheduling and risk management for Airbus U.S. satellite programs. The role establishes, develops, and governs program planning practices, Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) discipline, and enterprise Risk & Opportunity (R&O) management. It ensures cost, schedule, and risk baselines are established, maintained, and accurately reported to support predictable execution in a complex aerospace and defense environment. The manager provides leadership and functional oversight to a team of three Program Schedulers and one Risk Manager, ensuring consistent application of IMS and R&O processes across hardware, software, and IRAD efforts. The position reports to the Vice President - Space Program Management. The work location is Merritt Island, Florida; fully remote candidates located within the U.S. will also be considered. Periodic travel of 20–30% to Airbus U.S. facilities or partner companies is required. U.S. citizenship is required, as is the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in engineering, project management, business, or a related field.
Demonstrated leadership managing scheduling and/or risk functions.
Proficiency developing Integrated Master Schedules in Microsoft Project or equivalent scheduling tools.
Strong understanding of risk identification, scoring, and mitigation in a technical program environment.
Ability to interpret technical schedules, manage dependencies, and communicate impacts clearly.
Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
Excellent cross-functional communication and facilitation skills.
Ability to lead through influence and drive organizational discipline.
High attention to detail and ability to translate complex program data into actionable insights.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 and data/reporting tools.
U.S. citizenship.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance.

Nice To Haves

Eight or more years of direct experience in program planning, scheduling, or program controls within aerospace, defense, or complex engineering environments (recommended).
Experience with satellite development, space systems, or mission-critical manufacturing programs.
Familiarity with Earned Value Management (EVM), WBS structuring, and cost account alignment.
Knowledge of U.S. defense regulatory frameworks, including ITAR, DFARS, and CUI/CMMC.
PMI-SP, PMP, or PMI-RMP certification.

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, and develop a Program Planning & Controls team consisting of three Program Schedulers and one Risk Manager.
Define standards for schedule development, schedule maintenance, and Risk & Opportunity processes, and promote accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.
Oversee the development, maintenance, and quality of Integrated Master Schedules in accordance with Airbus U.S. scheduling policy and IMS process guidance.
Ensure schedules accurately represent scope, Work Breakdown Structures, dependencies, risks, resources, and contractual requirements.
Enforce scheduling best practices, including critical path analysis, logic integrity, baseline control, and periodic schedule health assessments.
Partner with Program Managers to keep the IMS aligned with execution strategies and useful as a decision-support tool.
Support schedule inputs to Earned Value Management, Estimate at Completion, major reviews, and customer-facing deliverables.
Lead the Risk Manager functionally and oversee standardized R&O processes in accordance with Airbus U.S. policy.
Ensure risks and opportunities are identified, assessed, scored, tracked, and mitigated across satellite programs and IRAD activities.
Facilitate cross-functional risk boards and ensure mitigation plans are actionable and linked to schedule and cost impacts.
Report R&O information to program leadership, including exposure summaries, trend analysis, and escalation of critical risks.
Integrate R&O outputs into scheduling, planning, EAC development, and program decision-making.
Establish and maintain processes, templates, tools, and governance for schedule management, baseline control, and R&O.
Support compliance with contractual requirements, internal audits, and lifecycle maturity gate reviews.
Provide PMO leadership with regular performance reporting, including schedule metrics, risk exposure, and integrated controls insights.
Collaborate with Program Managers, Chief Engineers, Finance, Contracts, and Operations on integrated planning and execution.
Present planning and risk insights to senior leadership with clear, accurate, data-driven recommendations.
Contribute to organizational learning and continuous improvement in planning, scheduling, analytics, and risk culture.
Travel periodically (20–30%) to Airbus U.S. facilities or partner companies as required.