Senior Director of Programs

Northrop Grumman • Roy, UT

2d • $209,000 - $313,600 • Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman Defense Systems is hiring a Senior Director of Programs to lead the Strategic Deterrent Systems (SDS) Division Digital Ecosystem and support the SDS Division and Sentinel Engineering and Manufacturing Development program. This Director 2 position is based at the Roy, Utah campus and requires full-time onsite work. The role reports to the Defense Systems CIDO Vice President and supports SDS Division and Sentinel program leadership.

The Senior Director provides strategy and execution leadership for a geographically distributed digital organization. The role is accountable for delivering approximately $850 million in contractual, NCTA, and overhead scope on cost and schedule while advancing the digital environment supporting Sentinel development. The leader integrates program, engineering, manufacturing, business, cybersecurity, and information technology priorities into an executable Digital Ecosystem roadmap. The portfolio includes digital-thread capabilities, data and analytics, artificial intelligence, digital business tools, software development, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and implementation of the division data strategy.

The selected candidate must have an active U.S. Government Secret clearance at minimum, with the specified recent investigation or Continuous Evaluation Program enrollment, and must obtain and maintain Special Access Program clearance as a condition of continued employment. Travel is required as business needs dictate; the posting estimates travel at 25% of the time.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and at least 15 years of relevant experience, or a Master’s degree and at least 12 years, or a PhD and at least 10 years.
• Active U.S. Government Secret-level security clearance at minimum, with a closed investigation completed within the last 6 years or enrollment in the U.S. Government Continuous Evaluation Program (CEP); clearance must be maintained during employment.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Special Access Program (SAP/SAR) clearance as a condition of continued employment.
• At least 6 years of program management experience and 5 years in a formal leadership position.
• Demonstrated senior leadership experience in information technology, digital transformation, enterprise applications, or large-scale business transformation.
• Demonstrated experience leading digital technologies, enterprise applications, software, infrastructure, data, or digitally integrated transformation initiatives.
• Strong strategy development, portfolio management, governance, budget, scheduling, risk management, and executive communication capabilities.
• Experience managing cost, schedule, technical performance, risks, staffing, suppliers, and executive reporting.
• Working knowledge of classified operations and delivery of services in regulated environments.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional, geographically distributed teams and drive accountability across organizational boundaries.
• Strong executive communication, customer-engagement, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated success building customer relationships, leading enterprise change, and converting strategic objectives into executable roadmaps.
• Ability to travel as business needs require.

Nice To Haves

• Active U.S. Government Top Secret-level security clearance and Special Access Program eligibility or access.
• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM-related field.
• Experience managing a major program or portfolio exceeding $160 million in annual revenue.
• Experience leading a large organization of engineers, IT professionals, program managers, and support personnel.
• Experience working across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, contracts, business management, cybersecurity, and information technology.
• Knowledge of digital threads, data analytics, AI, enterprise applications, manufacturing technologies, infrastructure, and cybersecurity.
• Experience with ICBM, strategic deterrence, or other large-scale national-security programs.
• Experience with Agile delivery, Control Account Management, earned-value management, and supplier performance.
• Experience planning and executing major technical milestones, including design and test-readiness reviews.

Responsibilities

• Establish the Digital Ecosystem strategy, roadmap, priorities, governance, and performance objectives in partnership with Sentinel, SDS, and CIDO leadership.
• Lead approximately 100 engineers, IT professionals, program managers, and support personnel across geographically dispersed organizations.
• Execute approximately $850 million of Digital Ecosystem scope supporting the Sentinel EMD Statement of Work, NCTA initiatives, and overhead requirements.
• Maintain accountability for cost, schedule, technical performance, staffing, infrastructure, risks, dependencies, and customer commitments.
• Translate complex or ambiguous program objectives into integrated plans with measurable outcomes, accountable owners, and disciplined follow-through.
• Direct delivery of digital-thread solutions, software products, data analytics, AI capabilities, business applications, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and data-strategy initiatives.
• Coordinate execution across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, contracts, business management, security, program operations, suppliers, and Integrated Product Teams.
• Apply earned-value, risk, opportunity, schedule, and performance metrics to assess progress, identify critical-path challenges, and drive corrective action.
• Develop trusted relationships with Sentinel and ICBM Directorate customers, proactively manage expectations, and identify opportunities to create mission and business value.
• Lead internal and external suppliers, establish clear performance expectations, and resolve technical, contractual, staffing, and delivery challenges.
• Present Digital Ecosystem performance, risks, decisions, and recommendations during program management reviews and executive and customer briefings.
• Lead organizational and technology change, ensuring new capabilities, analytics, processes, and operating practices are adopted and deliver intended outcomes.
• Support SDS strategic planning and the long-range strategic planning process by aligning digital investments, workforce capacity, and technical capabilities with program needs.
• Build a culture of accountability, collaboration, technical excellence, employee engagement, and continuous improvement.
• Develop organizational capability through workforce planning, talent development, succession planning, role clarity, and effective deployment of resources.

Benefits

• Exceptional benefits and healthcare, including health insurance coverage and life and disability insurance.
• 9/80 work schedule.
• 401(k) matching program.
• Company-paid holidays.
• Paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.
• Potential eligibility for discretionary annual bonuses; employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives.
• Relocation assistance may be available.
• Flexible work arrangements.
• Learning opportunities and exposure to a wide variety of projects and customers.

What This Job Offers

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