Senior Principal Program Manager

Mercury Systems•Oxnard, CA

About The Position

Mercury is seeking an experienced Senior Principal Program Manager to strengthen program management functions and support business management across its Signal Technologies Microwave Amplification programs. The role manages multiple programs and cross-functional Integrated Product Teams, overseeing complex technical programs from proposal and capture through execution and delivery. It serves as a key customer and business contact, coordinating internally across sales, pricing, finance, contracts, and proposal teams and externally with customers, vendors, and the Defense Contract Management Agency. The position contributes to strategic captures, proposal development, contract negotiations and administration, business-case development, risk management, resource prioritization, and growth strategies. It also promotes continuous improvement and Lean practices, ensures compliance with applicable contracting and export requirements, and leads coordination with internal and outside counsel and executive business management on critical matters.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a STEM field or Business Management.
Typically 10 or more years of execution experience with U.S. Department of Defense (DFARS) content.
Experience managing complex technical programs across commercial and defense markets.
Ability to understand a broad portfolio spanning multiple customers and product platforms, including hardware, software, and manufacturing.
Must have or be able to obtain a government security clearance; security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens.
Access to information subject to U.S. export regulations requires U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent residency, protected-individual status under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligibility to obtain the required U.S. government authorizations.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Business Administration or Business Management.
Professional certification such as PMP, CPCM, CFCM, or similar.
Strong communication skills, including the ability to lead in-person negotiations.
Very strong written and spoken English-language skills.
Understanding of systems and technologies for avionics, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, targeting, communications, and networking.

Responsibilities

Manage performance of multiple programs within the Microwave Amplification line of business.
Manage multiple cross-functional Integrated Product Teams and deliver solutions from design through release.
Oversee large or complex programs to ensure compliance with program plans, schedules, budgets, and deliverables; develop and execute project plans, schedules, and budgets.
Build relationships with customers and field-based employees, manage key vendors, and act as the focal point for customer programmatic, contractual, and business matters.
Drive continuous improvement, including Lean, and foster a Lean culture throughout the function.
Identify and manage program challenges, lead solutions, allocate resources, address contractual specifications, and direct responses to customer needs.
Oversee contract and contractual-change negotiations, coordinating proposals, business plans, proposal work statements, operating budgets, specifications, and contract financial conditions.
Provide program management support to strategic capture teams, including negotiation and closure of business deals and development of growth strategies.
Coordinate with Global Sales to understand customer requirements, schedules, and price targets and develop executable program proposals.
Liaise with customers and internal departments on matters affecting successful program capture and execution.
Provide timely guidance on resource priorities across competing demands based on business-level strategy.
Transition strategic programs from capture to execution and deliver business and customer commitments.
Review proposals for adequacy and build trusted relationships with the Defense Contract Management Agency.
Coordinate pricing and finance, contracts, and proposal teams to ensure proposal schedules are met.
Build comprehensive business cases for proposal review and approval.
Contribute strategic leadership in proposal development, estimating, negotiation, contract administration, change management, and dispute resolution.
Build proactive, success-oriented capture and execution teams; conduct negotiations, resolve customer issues, and optimize contract cash flow.
Identify and assess risks, opportunities, and issues against execution or proposal baselines.
Lead program management for product groups and program organizations.
Manage U.S. government, international, and commercial contract negotiations and administration, including FFP, FPIF, CPFF, CPAR, T&M, IDIQ, and BOA contract types.
Establish systems to support compliance with Purchasing (CPSR) and Estimating System reviews.
Lead coordination with internal and outside counsel and executive-level business management on critical issues.