Principal, Program Management
About The Position
The Chief of Staff will serve as a strategic partner and trusted advisor to the Vice President & General Manager of the Acoustics and Imaging Division, supporting the leadership of a distributed portfolio encompassing Submarine and Surface Navy Systems. This role will act as a force multiplier for the VP/GM, driving strategic initiatives, ensuring organizational alignment, and enabling operational excellence across multiple sites and mission areas. Operating as an extension of the VP/GM's office, the Chief of Staff will coordinate across engineering, operations, program management, and sector functions to translate strategy into execution. This position requires a sophisticated understanding of defense business operations, exceptional judgment, and the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, matrixed environment supporting a division with ~800 employees across seven locations.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, or related technical discipline required and 12 years of related experience or Graduate Degree and 10 years of related experience. In lieu of a degree, a minimum of 16 years of prior related experience.
- Minimum 10–15 years of progressive experience in the defense or aerospace industry
- Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, business operations, or program management roles
- Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in complex, matrixed organizations with multiple stakeholders
- Ability to travel 10-15% of the time
- Ability to obtain a US Security Clearance
Nice To Haves
- Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and decision-support capabilities
- Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level presentation development
- MBA or advanced degree in relevant field
- Active Secret clearance preferred
- Prior Chief of Staff, strategy, or business operations leadership experience
- Strong understanding of defense acquisition processes, US Navy stakeholders, and maritime/undersea mission areas
- Experience supporting P&L leadership in multi-site defense business units
Responsibilities
- Partner with the VP/GM to develop, refine, and execute the division's multi-year strategic plan focused on mission relevance, customer alignment, and sustainable growth across acoustic systems, seabed warfare, imaging, and multi-domain integration
- Lead strategic planning processes including annual operating plans, quarterly business reviews, and long-range planning cycles; track and drive accountability for strategic initiatives and key performance indicators
- Serve as a key integrator across the division's seven locations, ensuring alignment between engineering, operations, program management, and functional teams on complex operational and organizational challenges
- Prepare executive communications, presentations, and briefings for senior leadership
- Support financial performance management including monthly/quarterly business reviews, forecast processes, and program health monitoring across the portfolio
- Partner with sector functions (Finance, Supply Chain, Engineering, Operations, HR) to drive affordability, compliance, and execution velocity
- Support major capture and proposal efforts by coordinating resources, facilitating decision-making, and tracking business development pipeline alignment with enterprise growth priorities
- Lead or support special projects, transformation initiatives, and process improvements that enhance organizational effectiveness and cultural accountability
Benefits
- health and disability insurance
- 401(k) match
- flexible spending accounts
- EAP
- education assistance
- parental leave
- paid time off
- company-paid holidays
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Principal
