Senior Program Director, Next Generation C-UAS Missile (NGCM)

AeroVironment•Huntsville, AL

12d•$178,000 - $284,750•Onsite

About The Position

AeroVironment is seeking a Senior Program Director to lead the Next Generation C-UAS Missile (NGCM) program and advance the Freedom Eagle-1 (FE-1) missile system from development and demonstration through qualification, operational deployment, and production. The position is based in Huntsville, Alabama, in the Kinetic Effects business area, and reports to the Vice President, Kinetic Effects. The Senior Program Director is the accountable program leader, owning cost, schedule, technical performance, contractual delivery, and financial results. The role leads an integrated team across engineering, test, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and business functions. It requires program-level Earned Value Management System (EVMS) leadership and a record of transitioning complex defense hardware from prototype development into production. The role includes overall program execution and profit-and-loss accountability; development and maintenance of integrated program controls and the program baseline; planning and oversight of the transition from prototype to production; management of subcontractor performance; and leadership of customer and organizational relationships. The director also leads program planning for follow-on development and production awards, including proposals, estimates, and negotiations. The position requires a bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline or an equivalent combination of education and experience, at least 15 years of progressively responsible defense or aerospace experience, substantial accountable program leadership, and the ability to obtain and maintain the required security clearance. Travel to customer, supplier, manufacturing, and test locations may be required as program needs dictate.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, finance, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
At least 15 years of progressively responsible experience in defense or aerospace, including leadership of complex defense hardware programs.
Demonstrated experience as the accountable Program Manager or Program Director for a major defense hardware program, owning financial performance, contractual delivery, technical execution, and customer commitments.
Demonstrated program-level EVMS leadership, including baseline establishment, integrated cost and schedule performance, Estimate at Completion development, corrective action, and baseline change control. Experience must extend beyond individual control account management to overall program performance.
Demonstrated success leading a defense hardware product from development or prototype testing into initial production, including responsibility for manufacturing readiness, supplier readiness, configuration control, and production delivery.
Experience owning program budgets, financial forecasts, resource allocation, and execution recovery plans.
Experience directing integrated engineering, test, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and business teams.
Experience managing major subcontractors and resolving significant supplier technical, quality, cost, or schedule issues.
Working knowledge of EIA-748 EVMS principles, integrated scheduling, critical-path management, and risk management.
Experience serving as a principal program representative to government customers and executive leadership.
Ability to obtain and maintain the security clearance required for the position.
Ability to travel to customer, supplier, manufacturing, and test locations as program needs require.
Applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under ITAR/EAR requirements or be eligible for an export license; some positions may require current U.S. citizenship due to contract requirements.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading missile, interceptor, guided weapon, air defense, or counter-UAS programs.
Experience supporting U.S. Army acquisition programs and government program offices.
Experience leading qualification activities, flight-test campaigns, production readiness reviews, and low-rate initial production.
Experience establishing or expanding manufacturing facilities and production capacity.
Experience with customer EVMS surveillance and Integrated Baseline Reviews.
Familiarity with Manufacturing Readiness Levels and Technology Readiness Levels.
Experience managing development and production across multiple contract types.
Advanced degree in engineering, business administration, or a related discipline.
Project Management Professional certification.

Responsibilities

Own overall program execution, profit and loss, financial forecasts, and delivery of contractual commitments.
Establish and execute an integrated program plan connecting development, qualification, flight testing, customer integration, manufacturing readiness, and production.
Direct program priorities, resource allocation, and recovery actions across functional organizations.
Establish accountability for program milestones, deliverables, and performance outcomes.
Lead program reviews with executive leadership and the government customer, presenting performance assessments, decisions required, and corrective actions.
Own the integrated program baseline and align technical scope, schedule, budget, and authorized work.
Lead baseline development and maintenance, including the Work Breakdown Structure, Integrated Master Schedule, control account structure, and Performance Measurement Baseline.
Direct Control Account Managers and work with Program Finance and Planning to maintain objective performance measurement and credible forecasts.
Lead program-level Estimate at Completion reviews and approve forecast assumptions, corrective actions, and recovery plans within delegated authority.
Evaluate cost and schedule variances, critical-path changes, supplier performance, and risks to program commitments.
Maintain disciplined baseline change control and incorporate authorized changes into execution plans.
Lead program participation in Integrated Baseline Reviews and applicable EVMS reviews or surveillance.
Own the transition plan from development hardware to a qualified, configuration-controlled, producible missile system.
Establish measurable readiness criteria for production entry and subsequent production-rate increases.
Integrate design maturity, qualification results, manufacturing processes, supplier capacity, tooling, facilities, workforce, and material availability into the transition plan.
Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, and Quality to resolve producibility issues and translate approved designs into repeatable manufacturing processes.
Align facility investments, capital equipment, and long-lead procurement with program milestones and production demand.
Lead production readiness reviews and ensure identified gaps have accountable owners and executable closure plans.
Improve yield, cycle time, unit cost, quality, and delivery performance as production matures.
Hold major subcontractors accountable for technical performance, quality, cost, schedule, and delivery.
Integrate supplier commitments and risks into the program baseline and financial forecast.
Lead supplier performance reviews, recovery plans, and executive escalations.
Partner with Contracts and Subcontracts to establish scope, acceptance criteria, reporting requirements, and change-control processes.
Serve as the principal program interface with the government customer and key industry partners.
Lead direct and matrixed multidisciplinary personnel, resolve competing priorities, and secure functional commitments.
Maintain an active risk and opportunity process with funded mitigation plans, accountable owners, and timely decisions.
Lead program planning for follow-on development and production awards, including proposals, estimates, and negotiations.
Build a culture of ownership, transparent reporting, and disciplined execution.