Program Manager- Defense

Wolfspeed•Durham, NC

About The Position

At Wolfspeed, we do amazing things in a human way. We know that the achievements of our organization are due to the passion, hard work and creativity of our employees. We celebrate different perspectives to foster excellence across our organization, and our goal is to make diversity a foundation of what we do. We are proudly building an environment where you can bring your authentic self to work. Enjoy doing things that people say can’t be done? Innovation is at the center of everything we do. Hate red tape? We remove roadblocks instead of creating them. Working parent? We provide childcare assistance and paid parental leave. Student? We offer continuing education assistance. Looking for community? There are many ways to get involved, from Employee Resource Groups to local outreach. Wolfspeed is seeking a results-driven Program Manager to own and accelerate program delivery through Wolfspeed's defense contractor partners. Working alongside an existing team that manages U.S. government program office relationships, this role is squarely focused on driving performance, accountability, and outcomes with prime defense contractors. The ideal candidate has worked inside a defense contractor, understands how these organizations operate, and knows how to cut through complexity to get things done.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or a related technical field
7+ years of program management experience, with at least 5 years inside a defense contractor (prime or significant sub-tier)
Deep understanding of how defense prime contractors operate — their internal processes, incentives, culture, and decision-making structures
Demonstrated track record of driving results and holding teams/partners accountable in a contractor environment
Strong negotiation, communication, and influencing skills — comfortable pushing back on large organizations professionally and effectively
Experience managing Integrated Master Schedules and multi-milestone program plans
Active U.S. Secret Security Clearance (or ability to obtain)

Nice To Haves

Prior employment at a recognized defense prime
Experience on programs involving one or more of the following defense application areas: Power electronics (high-voltage, high-frequency power conversion and management), Directed energy (high-power lasers or high-power microwave systems), Radar systems (airborne, ground-based, or naval radar platforms), Naval electrification (shipboard power distribution, electric propulsion, or energy storage systems), Electronic warfare (EW systems, signal intelligence, or RF subsystems)
Familiarity with DFARS, FAR, and defense contract types (FFP, CPFF, T&M)
Experience with ITAR and export-controlled program environments

Responsibilities

Serve as Wolfspeed's primary point of contact with defense prime and sub-tier contractor program teams
Hold contractors accountable to committed schedules, technical deliverables, and quality standards
Proactively identify and escalate risks, delays, or gaps in contractor performance before they impact program outcomes
Drive resolution of technical, contractual, and schedule issues across contractor organizations
Manage program execution end-to-end — from contract award through delivery and acceptance — with a relentless focus on results
Maintain Integrated Master Schedules (IMS) and track milestones across multiple concurrent contractor-driven programs
Lead regular program reviews, status calls, and action item tracking with contractor teams
Coordinate with Wolfspeed's engineering, operations, and supply chain functions to ensure internal readiness supports contractor demand
Build deep, trusted working relationships with defense contractor program managers, engineering leads, and procurement teams
Leverage knowledge of how prime contractors operate internally to navigate their processes efficiently and advocate for Wolfspeed's priorities
Represent Wolfspeed professionally and credibly in environments where the other side of the table is a large, experienced defense organization
Identify expansion opportunities within existing contractor relationships and feed them to business development
Support proposal and pricing efforts for follow-on programs with current defense contractor customers