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

AeroVironment•Huntsville, AL

10d•$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 role is accountable for program cost, schedule, technical performance, contractual delivery, and financial results, and directs 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 proven record of moving complex defense hardware from prototype development into production. The Senior Program Director owns overall program execution, profit and loss, financial forecasts, and contractual commitments; establishes and executes the integrated program plan; and directs priorities, resource allocation, and recovery actions. The role leads executive and government customer reviews, owns the integrated program baseline and EVMS processes, and oversees program controls, forecasts, variances, risks, and baseline changes. The position leads the transition from prototype hardware to a qualified, configuration-controlled, producible missile system, including production-readiness criteria, manufacturing processes, supplier capacity, facilities, workforce, tooling, and materials. It holds major subcontractors accountable for performance and serves as the principal program interface with the government customer and industry partners. The role also leads a multidisciplinary direct and matrixed team, maintains risk and opportunity processes, and plans for follow-on development and production awards. The position is based in Huntsville, Alabama, in the Kinetic Effects business area, and reports to the Vice President, Kinetic Effects. It requires the ability to obtain and maintain the required Secret security clearance, qualify under applicable ITAR/EAR requirements, and travel to customer, supplier, manufacturing, and test locations as program needs require. The salary range is $178,000–$284,750. The role follows a 9/80 work schedule.

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 responsibility for 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.
Candidates must demonstrate accountable ownership and measurable results in the required areas; supporting reviews, coordinating activities, tracking schedules, or preparing reports alone does not satisfy the program leadership requirements.
Must qualify as a U.S. person under ITAR/EAR or be eligible for an export license; some positions may require current U.S. citizenship.

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, required decisions, 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 partner 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 baseline change control and ensure authorized changes are incorporated 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 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 clear scope, acceptance criteria, reporting requirements, and change-control processes.
Serve as the principal program interface with the government customer and key industry partners.
Lead multidisciplinary direct and matrixed 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.