Program Manager - R&D and Continual Improvement

SKYTRAC•Kelowna, BC

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Program Manager – R&D and Continual Improvement plays a pivotal role in overseeing both customer-driven programs and internal research and development (R&D) initiatives that advance SKYTRAC’s technology roadmap. This position focuses on the successful execution of contracts supporting customer order fulfillment, while also driving R&D and continual improvement projects to enhance product performance, reliability, and process efficiency. The Program Manager is responsible for coordinating product development to ensure we meet the customers’ needs and expectations ensuring all deliverables meet company standards, contractual obligations, and evolving business goals. A key aspect of this role is managing technical projects through the Continual Improvement Process, ensuring innovation and operational excellence remain tightly integrated. This position will coordinate closely with the Sales, Engineering, Production, and Customer Service teams and report progress to leadership on both customer and internal project portfolios.

Requirements

At least 5+ years of experience managing multi-stakeholder technical projects, within real-time data high-tech or the aviation/aerospace industry
Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or a related technical discipline
PMP Certification or equivalent project management credential
Experience in R&D or product development environments
Strong organizational and resource planning skills
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Skilled at inspiring accountability and performance in teams
Proficiency with project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Jira, Confluence, or equivalent)

Nice To Haves

Aerospace or aviation industry experience in a technical discipline such as Engineering, Product Development, or Flight Operations
Demonstrated experience leading R&D projects through design, prototyping, and validation stages
Familiarity with continual improvement or quality and management frameworks (e.g., ISO 9001, AS9100, Lean Six Sigma, PMP)
Experience with satellite communications, avionics systems, or connected aircraft technologies

Responsibilities

Plan, organize, and oversee R&D projects, ensuring alignment with SKYTRAC’s technology roadmap, business objectives, and certification or compliance pathways
Lead projects within the Continual Improvement Process (CIP) framework—identifying opportunities for performance enhancement, process efficiency, and product innovation
Collaborate with Engineering to evaluate, prioritize, and implement design changes or emerging technologies based on customer feedback, testing results, and performance data
Champion cross-functional improvement initiatives, ensuring lessons learned from contracts, field performance, and customer support inform future development
Track and report R&D progress metrics, budget utilization, and ROI on internal projects
Facilitate stage-gate reviews and document all R&D and CIP activities for traceability and continuous learning
Meet contractual, legislative, and environmental compliance requirements
Design product scope and requirements for contracts ensuring deliverables meet stakeholder expectations
Manage project schedules, budgets, and dependencies to ensure milestones are achieved efficiently
Maintain proactive communication between project teams, customers, and internal stakeholders to ensure alignment and issue resolution
Ensure all project deliverables—both external and internal—meet defined scope, technical standards, and organizational objectives
Maintain accurate project records, reporting, and documentation to support compliance, audits, and knowledge sharing