Program Director

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense • Graham, CT

2d

About The Position

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD) is seeking an experienced, strategic, commercially minded Program Director to lead major programs within its Warfighter Division. The position owns customer relationships, program execution, financial performance, and long-term account growth across a complex portfolio of defense programs. The director balances customer success, cost, schedule, quality, technical execution, talent development, and business growth, and builds trusted customer relationships while driving accountability across cross-functional teams.

The successful candidate will position EBAD as a differentiated partner for critical defense missions and contribute to Warfighter Division strategy. This role calls for strong program leadership, commercial acumen, urgency, and the potential to progress into broader business or General Manager responsibilities.

The anticipated yearly wage range is $175,000–$250,000. EBAD offers medical, dental, and vision insurance; retirement benefits; paid time off and holidays; life and disability insurance; employee assistance and wellness resources; and eligibility for incentive compensation, subject to applicable plan terms and conditions. Benefit eligibility may vary by position, work location, employment status, and applicable plan provisions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• At least 5–7 years of progressive program management experience, preferably in aerospace, defense, space, or other complex manufacturing industries.
• Experience leading complex mechanical, electro-mechanical, energetics, or defense-related programs.
• Success managing customer-facing programs with high visibility, accountability, and mission importance.
• Commercial acumen, including experience with margin expansion, pricing strategy, contract structure, risk management, and long-term account growth.
• Ability to balance customer needs, business performance, and internal capability development.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence stakeholders across all organizational levels.
• Strong strategic thinking, business judgment, communication, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Sense of urgency, ownership, follow-through, and ability to drive actions to closure.
• Evidence of building customer trust and winning follow-on work through consistent, performance-driven execution.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree.
• Military service or military program experience.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end performance across assigned programs, including customer satisfaction, cost, schedule, quality, technical execution, risk, and profitability.
• Serve as the primary customer interface and key account leader, building trusted relationships, anticipating customer needs, and strengthening EBAD’s long-term position.
• Establish and execute long-range program and account strategies while balancing near-term customer commitments and broader business objectives.
• Lead cross-functional teams spanning program management, operations, engineering, quality, supply chain, finance, contracts, and business development.
• Drive execution discipline, urgency, and accountability by ensuring actions are clearly owned, actively managed, and closed before they affect customer commitments or business performance.
• Prioritize across multiple programs, customers, and competing business demands to maximize enterprise outcomes.
• Partner with business leaders on growth, margin expansion, pricing strategy, contract structure, risk management, and long-term account development.
• Hold internal teams accountable for delivering customer demand and meeting cost, schedule, quality, and technical commitments.
• Identify and resolve issues proactively while maintaining clear communication with customers and internal leadership.
• Build customer credibility through performance that supports follow-on work, expanded opportunities, and long-term account growth.
• Contribute to Warfighter Division strategy and demonstrate leadership, business acumen, and cross-functional influence for potential future broader business or P&L leadership roles.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Retirement benefits
• Paid time off
• Paid holidays
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• Employee assistance and wellness resources
• Incentive compensation eligibility, subject to applicable plan terms and conditions

What This Job Offers

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