Manager (Program Planning & Controls)

AIRBUS U.S. Space & Defense, Inc.•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, matures, and enforces best-practice program planning, Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) discipline, and enterprise-wide Risk & Opportunity (R&O) Management. It ensures cost, schedule, and risk baselines are developed, maintained, and accurately reported to enable predictable execution in a complex aerospace and defense environment. The manager provides leadership, process governance, 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 position is based in 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.
Eight or more years of direct experience in program planning, scheduling, or program controls within aerospace, defense, or complex engineering environments is recommended.
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 processes 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

Experience with satellite development, space systems, or mission-critical manufacturing programs.
Familiarity with Earned Value Management, Work Breakdown Structure 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 of practice for schedule development, schedule maintenance, and Risk & Opportunity processes.
Promote accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement in planning and controls.
Oversee the creation, 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.
Uphold scheduling best practices, including critical path analysis, logic integrity, baseline control, and periodic schedule health assessments.
Partner with Program Managers so the IMS supports decisions and aligns with program execution strategies.
Support schedule inputs for Earned Value Management, Estimate at Completion, major reviews, and customer-facing deliverables.
Provide functional leadership to the Risk Manager and oversee implementation of standardized Risk & Opportunity processes.
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 connected to schedule and cost impacts.
Drive Risk & Opportunity reporting to program leadership, including exposure summaries, trend analysis, and escalation of critical risks.
Integrate Risk & Opportunity outputs into scheduling, planning, Estimate at Completion development, and program decision-making.
Establish and maintain standard processes, templates, tools, and governance mechanisms for schedule management, baseline control, and Risk & Opportunity.
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.