Automation Program Manager for Aviation & Defense

Actalent; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent seeks an experienced Program Manager – Automation to lead the delivery of safety-critical aviation and defense programs, with FAA and related government contracts. You will own the full lifecycle from capture to customer acceptance, coordinating cross-functional teams in a regulated, mission-critical environment.

You will manage IMS, SOWs, WBS, BOE, and risk plans, ensure FAR/DFARS compliance, and interface with FAA stakeholders. Domestic and international travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor-level degree in a relevant field and 10+ years in aerospace/defense program management.
• Experience delivering mission-critical programs for U.S. government customers is required.
• Strong knowledge of PM principles, change control, and financial management.

Responsibilities

• Lead capture and proposal development for FAA and defense‑related RFPs/RFQs in full FAR/DFARS compliance.
• Develop compliant, competitive proposals that meet technical, regulatory, and certification requirements.
• Identify, evaluate, and negotiate with subcontractors per federal procurement standards.
• Create and maintain SOWs, WBS, IMS, BOE, and resource plans.
• Conduct formal risk analyses to support capture decisions and planning.
• Manage end‑to‑end execution across hardware, software, and integrated automation solutions.
• Maintain IMS alignment and oversee schedule integration across functions.
• Drive program governance with milestone reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR).
• Interface with FAA program offices and government stakeholders; report with data‑driven updates.
• Ensure compliance with export controls (ITAR/EAR) and security requirements.
• Monitor KPIs and EVM; manage budgets, forecasts, and EACs.

Skills

Program management

Aviation industry

Defense programs

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional leadership

Risk management

Earned Value Management

DoD/FAR knowledge

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Business, Program Management, or related discipline

Tools

ERP systems

Program analytics tools

Job description

Actalent seeks an experienced Program Manager – Automation to lead the delivery of safety-critical aviation and defense programs, with FAA and related government contracts. You will own the full lifecycle from capture to customer acceptance, coordinating cross-functional teams in a regulated, mission-critical environment.

You will manage IMS, SOWs, WBS, BOE, and risk plans, ensure FAR/DFARS compliance, and interface with FAA stakeholders. Domestic and international travel may be required.