Principal Program Manager- Power Conversion

Leonardo DRS, Inc.•Danbury, CT

About The Position

The Principal Program Manager leads a portfolio of high-value, technically complex defense programs within the Power Conversion product line, from contract award through delivery and closeout. This role owns cost, schedule, technical, and quality performance across assigned programs; serves as the senior customer interface; and acts as a mentor and execution standard-setter for other program managers in the product line. The Principal PM partners with the Product Line Lead on capture strategy, proposal development, and portfolio health, driving cross-functional collaboration across Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and Finance to deliver power conversion solutions for mission-critical Navy and defense applications.

Requirements

Minimum of 10 years of progressive defense program management experience, including cost and schedule accountability for complex development and production programs.
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Project Management or related field
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Defense security clearance
Strong leadership and management skills, prior people leadership experience is preferred
Experience throughout the program lifecycle from development through sustainment to include: proposal development, requirements decomposition, generation of system and subsystem statements of work and subcontracts
Demonstrated success in risk management and continuous improvement, including cost reduction and performance improvement initiatives
Proficiency in earned value management (EVM), cost accounting, and reporting, including metrics for assessing program progress, productivity, and variance analysis
Experience in finance, contracting, export regulations (ITAR/EAR), engineering, logistics, manufacturing and supply chain management
Strong problem-solving skills
Strong oral and written communication skills
U.S. Citizenship required. This position may require an active DOD security clearance or the ability to obtain such clearance within a reasonable time after commencement of employment.

Nice To Haves

Project Management Professional (PMP) or equivalent program management certification preferred
Experience with Navy/maritime power systems and NAVSEA or prime shipbuilder customers preferred

Responsibilities

Own execution of a portfolio of assigned programs across the full lifecycle, delivering to contractual cost, schedule, technical, and quality baselines.
Lead proposal development, basis-of-estimate (BOE) generation, contract negotiation support, and program startup for follow-on and new business within the product line.
Serve as the primary customer interface, managing contractual commitments, issue resolution, and ongoing customer relationships.
Maintain credible budgets, estimates at completion (EACs), forecasts, and cash flow projections; deliver complete, on-time program review packages in accordance with the business rhythm.
Own the program risk and opportunity register; drive mitigation plans and corrective actions to closure.
Analyze and report program performance, including schedule, cost, and earned value metrics; present results and recovery plans to senior leadership.
Ensure compliance with contractual requirements, government regulations, and company policies and procedures.
Provide leadership to cross-functional teams, fostering collaboration across Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, and Contracts.
Drive material execution and resource planning; lead program closeout, including contract closure and lessons-learned capture.
Represent the organization in customer meetings, program reviews, and executive briefings.
Mentor and develop program managers within the product line, promoting consistent execution standards and supporting PM onboarding.
Act as delegate for Director of Program in program reviews and customer engagements as required.
Manage contract baseline changes, including identification of out-of-scope work and recovery through contract modification.