Principal Project Manager

Northrop Grumman • Commerce, CA

8d • $114,000 - $171,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman is seeking a Principal Project Manager to provide leadership for the Program Management organization supporting the Propulsion portfolio in the Mission Enabling Products (MEP) Business Unit, within the Intelligence Systems Division. The role is based at the Northrop Grumman site in Commerce, California, and is 100% on-site. MEP designs, produces, and supplies spacecraft components, including propulsion tanks, spacecraft panels, bus structures, precision optical structures, deployable systems and mechanisms, solar arrays, and antenna reflectors.

The selected candidate will support program execution and help manage cost, schedule, staffing, team building, customer satisfaction, and compliance with organizational processes. Working with matrixed functional teams, the Principal Project Manager will support delivery of contractual requirements while meeting technical objectives, fostering customer relationships, and contributing to value creation. The role spans the program lifecycle, from proposal and design through procurement, manufacturing, testing, and delivery, in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, or a related discipline and 5 years of rated experience; or a master’s degree and 3 years of related experience.
• At least 2 years of experience in project or program management, project coordination, or a similar role.
• Demonstrated experience managing schedules, cost, and scope in a complex, cross-functional environment.
• Strong analytical skills and experience using project management tools.
• Ability to lead teams without direct authority and influence stakeholders across functions.
• Experience working with production, supply chain, and/or engineering teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience presenting to leadership and customers.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Advanced skills in MS Office Suite and MS Project.
• U.S. citizenship required.
• Must work full-time on-site at the Northrop Grumman Commerce, California site.

Nice To Haves

• Two years of Program or Project Management experience.
• Experience supporting U.S. Government contracts and customers and/or project management in the aerospace industry.
• Demonstrated success in risk management and recovery planning on distressed projects or programs.
• Experience with program management tools such as EVMS, IMP, IMS, and Risk and Opportunity Management.
• Experience in Program Management, Engineering and Manufacturing, and/or IPT roles.
• Results-oriented approach, exceptional leadership, effective and timely decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• Track record of developing stakeholder and customer relationships and shaping requirements.
• Broad skills spanning interpersonal, business, and technical capabilities.
• Strong organizational skills in independent and team environments.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary liaison between Program Management and cross-functional teams throughout proposal, design, procurement, manufacturing, test, and delivery.
• Partner with the Program Management team to ensure adherence to contract scope, establish and manage key milestones, and monitor performance against cost and schedule baselines.
• Interface with cross-functional and support teams to achieve program objectives, maintain technical integrity, meet customer expectations, and protect schedule commitments.
• Develop, review, and manage budgets, schedules, critical-path activities, Estimates at Completion (EACs), risk and opportunity registers, and workload forecasts.
• Anticipate, identify, evaluate, mitigate, and resolve project issues; develop and execute recovery plans to meet production, quality, and customer satisfaction objectives.
• Participate in root-cause analysis and corrective-action activities, including failure review boards, material review boards, contract change boards, and engineering change boards.
• Track and drive closure of program action items.
• Support transition of designs into manufacturing by partnering with technical teams to mitigate risk, improve efficiency, prevent defects, achieve delivery targets, and reduce cost.
• Prepare, support, and present at internal and customer-facing program reviews, including kickoffs, design and readiness reviews, pre-ship reviews, monthly program and status reviews, Integrated Product Team meetings, and resource allocation reviews.
• Develop and maintain relationships with customers and suppliers to support communication on requirements, performance, and capabilities.
• Support proposal and business development activities, including change orders, new opportunities, capture efforts, and strategic planning.
• Help manage and safeguard customer-supplied property and information, including GFE and CFE.
• Follow internal processes and applicable industry standards, ensuring compliance and execution discipline.
• Contribute to an ethical, innovative, and continuously improving workplace culture.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• Savings plan
• Company-paid holidays
• Paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business
• Employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus, depending on the position
• Annual bonuses designed to reward individual contributions and share company results
• Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal