Program Director - NAVWAR

Noblis•San Diego, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Noblis MSD is seeking a dynamic and mission-focused Program Director to lead strategic growth and operational execution within our NAVWAR division. This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for an experienced executive who thrives in fast-paced defense environments and is passionate about advancing critical Navy and national security missions. The selected leader will oversee a growing business unit of 150+ professionals and manage a portfolio generating more than $75M annually in revenue. This role requires a proven leader with a strong operational and growth mindset who can drive business development, lead complex capture efforts, strengthen customer relationships, and deliver exceptional program execution across the Navy C4ISR enterprise. This position supports key organizations across the NAVWAR / PEO Digital community, including: NIWC Pacific, NIWC Atlantic, PEO C4I, NAVWAR, PEO Digital, PEO MLB. The ideal candidate brings deep experience supporting Navy modernization, C4ISR, digital transformation, and operational readiness initiatives, along with established relationships throughout the San Diego defense community and Navy stakeholder environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field required
Minimum of 15 years of experience leading and managing Navy programs within the DoD environment
Proven success leading, developing, and scaling high-performing teams supporting diverse Navy mission areas, with an emphasis on innovation, research and development, and operational excellence
Proven experience leading contractor teams in bidding and executing DoD contracts.
Deep understanding of the NAVWAR mission space, acquisition environment, and C4ISR ecosystem, including established relationships across NAVWAR leadership and industry partners
Demonstrated track record driving program growth, customer expansion, and revenue generation across Federal and Navy programs
Experience leading large, complex capture efforts and strategic growth initiatives from opportunity identification through award and execution
Exceptional leadership and communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex technical and strategic topics to senior executives, customers, and workforce teams
Strong executive presence with the ability to build trusted relationships across government, military, and industry stakeholders
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment while balancing operational priorities, customer engagement, and growth objectives
Willingness to travel up to 30% in support of customer engagements, industry events, and corporate initiatives
U.S. Citizenship required
Active Secret Clearance required

Nice To Haves

Previous Active-Duty Navy or Government Civilian experience supporting Navy or DoD missions
Active Top Secret Clearance preferred
Demonstrated experience engaging with senior leaders across Echelon II and Echelon III Navy commands
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent program management credentials
Proven ability to identify, attract, develop, and retain top talent while building high-performing mission-focused teams
Strong relationship-building, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills with exceptional business acumen
Passion for innovation, strategic growth, and business development within the defense and national security sector
Experience driving customer engagement, operational excellence, and mission success in complex Navy or Federal environments
Ability to influence and collaborate effectively across government, military, industry, and executive leadership stakeholders

Responsibilities

Lead and expand a high-performing portfolio supporting critical Navy and national security missions
Drive complex capture and business development activities from opportunity identification through proposal development and contract award
Build and lead integrated solution teams, including strategic partners, staffing strategies, technical solutioning, and pricing development
Provide inspirational leadership, mentorship, and strategic direction to geographically dispersed and multidisciplinary teams
Oversee program execution, operational excellence, and full P&L responsibility for a large business unit
Serve as a senior Noblis representative at customer engagements, industry conferences, technical interchange meetings, and strategic partnership events
Strengthen customer relationships and identify emerging mission needs across the Navy and Defense community
Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and mission success