Aerospace Program Manager: FAA & Defense Delivery

INDRA AIR TRAFFIC INC; Olathe (KS); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

INDRA AIR TRAFFIC INC in Overland Park, KS, is seeking a Program Manager to drive delivery of complex aviation and defense programs, focusing on FAA contracts and government projects. You will own full lifecycle execution from capture through certification, leading cross-functional teams in a highly regulated environment.

The ideal candidate has 7–12+ years of aerospace program management, deep knowledge of FAR/DFARS, and strong financial, risk, and stakeholder-management skills, with the

Qualifications

• 7–12+ years of experience managing complex aerospace, aviation or defense programs.
• Proficient in MS Office, including Project or other schedule software.
• Experience delivering programs for U.S. government customers, preferably the FAA or Department of Defense
• Strong knowledge of federal contracting frameworks, including FAR/DFARS
• Experience with safety‑critical systems and regulated environments
• Proven expertise in risk management, change control and program governance
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting and Earned Value (EV)
• Experience leading cross‑functional, matrixed teams in a technical environment
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, including experience interfacing with government customers

Responsibilities

• Lead proposal development for FAA and defense‑related RFPs/RFQs in compliance with FAR/DFARS
• Identify, vet and negotiate with subcontractors in accordance with federal procurement standards
• Ensure proposals align with technical, regulatory and certification requirements (e.g., air traffic management systems, communications, surveillance or navigation systems)
• Develop compliant and competitive program plans including Statements of Work (SOW), Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), Integrated Master Schedules (IMS), Basis of Estimates (BOE) and resource plans
• Conduct risk and opportunity analyses
• Lead end‑to‑end execution of FAA and defense programs, ensuring adherence to contractual, technical and regulatory requirements
• Establish and maintain program governance, including milestone reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, etc.)
• Manage Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) and ensure alignment across engineering, manufacturing and other stakeholders
• Direct cross‑functional teams delivering safety‑critical systems, including hardware, software and integrated solutions
• Oversee subcontractor performance, ensuring compliance with cost, schedule, quality and federal requirements
• Manage installation, integration, test and commissioning activities at customer sites, including coordination with FAA facilities
• Drive program closeout, including documentation, certification support and final government acceptance
• Ensure compliance with FAA regulatory frameworks and applicable standards
• Support system certification and approval processes, including documentation, testing and validation activities
• Ensure adherence to applicable standards
• Maintain audit readiness for government reviews and regulatory inspections
• Ensure compliance with export controls (ITAR/EAR) and security requirements
• Establish and maintain a formal risk and opportunity management process, including risk registers and mitigation plans
• Lead change control processes in alignment with contractual requirements, including engineering change proposals (ECPs)
• Monitor program performance using KPIs and Earned Value Management (EVM) as required
• Identify and resolve program issues proactively, including escalation to leadership and government stakeholders
• Own program financial performance, including revenue, margin and cash flow
• Develop and manage program budgets, forecasts and Estimates at Completion (EAC)
• Perform variance analysis (cost and schedule) and implement corrective actions
• Ensure compliance with government cost accounting standards and contractual financial requirements
• Approve and manage subcontractor and vendor expenditures
• Serve as the primary interface with FAA program offices, contracting officers and technical representatives
• Lead program reviews, including Program Management Reviews (PMR) and customer status briefings
• Build strong relationships with government stakeholders, ensuring transparency and trust
• Align internal stakeholders and resolve cross‑functional challenges to maintain program execution

Skills

Program management

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Budgeting & forecasting

Cross-functional leadership

Communication

Federal contracting knowledge

Safety-critical systems knowledge

Governance

Earned Value understanding

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

PMP certification

Master's degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

MS Project

ERP systems

Program analytics tools

Job description

INDRA AIR TRAFFIC INC in Overland Park, KS, is seeking a Program Manager to drive delivery of complex aviation and defense programs, focusing on FAA contracts and government projects. You will own full lifecycle execution from capture through certification, leading cross-functional teams in a highly regulated environment.

The ideal candidate has 7–12+ years of aerospace program management, deep knowledge of FAR/DFARS, and strong financial, risk, and stakeholder-management skills, with the