Program Manager II

Rocket Lab Corporation • Albuquerque, NM

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Program Manager II, based at Rocket Lab’s Albuquerque, New Mexico site, is responsible for assigned programs throughout their full lifecycle: definition, planning, execution, and closeout. The role manages program scope, schedule, and budget—including revenue forecasting, margin, and profit and loss—in line with customer and corporate objectives and established policies and procedures. The Program Manager ensures compliance with program contract requirements and works with management, engineering, manufacturing, test, and quality assurance teams to meet those requirements.

The Program Manager serves as the principal customer contact, provides visibility into program performance, and ensures delivery on time, within budget, and to specifications. The role involves coordinating resources and cross-functional teams, managing risks and changes, resolving complex issues, and communicating progress to staff, stakeholders, customers, and executives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Project Management, or a related field.
• At least 2 years of related experience, including project/program management or managerial experience implementing large-scale, cross-functional projects in a technology environment.
• Program management experience, preferably in the solar and/or wind industries, specifically managing Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contracts.
• Demonstrated achievement planning, directing, and implementing complex projects on time, within budget, and with the desired functionality.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Familiarity with ERP systems and work breakdown structure (WBS) structures.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including communication for executive audiences.
• Strong conflict-resolution, negotiation, and influencing skills.
• Proven experience with a project management methodology.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented.
• Ability to work effectively with staff, business stakeholders, and management.
• Ability to thrive in fast-paced, changing, and ambiguous environments.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with energy project management, financial analysis, or project financing within the solar industry.
• Understanding of energy project economics, including capital cost, variable cost, and IRR calculations.
• Experience with space-based solar projects and technologies.
• Experience with DoD and/or NASA programs.
• Experience with a variety of contract types, including firm fixed price and cost-plus.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the principal point of contact for customers.
• Manage the program lifecycle, including definition, planning, execution, and closeout.
• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to specifications.
• Anticipate customer needs and manage changes to project scope, schedule, budget, and personnel.
• Ensure overall compliance with program requirements across management, engineering, manufacturing, test, and quality assurance.
• Provide customers with visibility into all aspects of program performance.
• Define program tasks and schedules with manufacturing and establish budgets for each task.
• Coordinate with functional management to ensure adequate personnel and other resources are allocated to program requirements.
• Manage program profit and loss and work with Finance to compile monthly reports.
• Anticipate potential problems and provide effective solutions.
• Recommend leadership solutions, set project objectives, and clarify team member roles.
• Proactively manage and communicate project risks and issues.
• Recommend solutions to bottlenecks and conflicts between teams and functions.
• Monitor delivery by internal, external, local, and remote resources and hold team members accountable to commitments.
• Communicate project progress effectively to staff and executive audiences and evaluate project results within the organization.
• Resolve high-impact, complex, and cross-functional problems using critical thinking.
• Manage multiple efforts while maintaining broad focus and attention to detail.

What This Job Offers

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