Customer Program Manager

Portland Seed Fund; Nashville (TN); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Growth opportunities

Equity/Stock options

Hybrid work environment

Job summary

Overwatch Imaging seeks a Customer Program Manager to drive successful execution of defense contracts and grow customer relationships across aviation, ISR, CAS, and border-security missions.

You will coordinate with product and operations teams, translate customer needs into product direction, and lead follow-on sales opportunities in a fast-paced startup environment in Nashville.

Qualifications

• Experience maintaining customer relationships across technology upgrade cycles.
• Experience managing delivery of both commercialized and customized product, software, and service offerings.
• Experience managing SaaS programs is a plus.
• Experience with intelligence systems operating with piloted/unmanned aircraft.
• Experience with US DoD contracts and export compliance.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with internal teams to oversee customer specific solutions and milestones.
• Grow and sustain customer relationships and identify follow-on opportunities.
• Develop follow-on business proposals to meet company objectives.
• Ensure customer satisfaction and success across programs.

Skills

Customer relationship management

Delivery management

SaaS programs

US government processes

Export compliance

Communication

Organizational skills

Schedule & risk management

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree or PMP

Job description

Customer Program Manager at Overwatch Imaging

About Overwatch:

Overwatch Imaging is an imagery intelligence technology company working to bring sensor autonomy to time-critical airborne search, detection, tracking and monitoring missions. Our Automated Sensor Operator (ASO) software, native to our own line of purpose-built Smart Sensors and as an upgrade for airborne video gimbal platforms, brings Superhuman Vision and Workload Reduction to users of real-time imagery intelligence systems. We fundamentally believe that modern edge processing and AI-enabled autonomy can perform an important set of time-critical imagery intelligence missions better, faster and more safely than humans can alone.

Founded in 2016 in Hood River, Oregon, we support private sector companies as well as federal, state and local agencies around the world with missions ranging from wildfire mapping and disaster response to law enforcement, border security, maritime domain awareness and tactical intelligence.

About this Role:

Customer Program Manager — Tactical Applications

Overwatch seeks a Customer Program Manager responsible for the successful execution and growth of defense industry contracts for Overwatch Imaging. The Customer Program Manager will be an advocate for customer satisfaction and success throughout product development, deployment, implementation, and sustainment. The Customer Program Manager is responsible for developing a keep-it-sold strategy for cultivating customer satisfaction and for identifying and closing follow-on sales opportunities.

Focus Area

This role will be dedicated to growing and supporting Overwatch's presence in the tactical market, managing customer programs and relationships across mission areas including:

• Aviation — supporting platforms and use cases across manned and unmanned aviation systems
• ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) — managing programs tied to mission‑critical data collection and situational awareness capabilities
• CAS (Close Air Support) — overseeing customer relationships tied to time‑sensitive, high‑stakes coordination use cases
• Law Enforcement — managing programs that support field operations and public safety missions
• Border Security — driving customer success across surveillance, monitoring, and response programs in border operations

This isn't an exhaustive list — the tactical landscape is evolving, and this role will need to stay close to emerging mission needs across adjacent markets as they arise.

The Customer Program Manager will work closely with the Product Owner for Tactical Applications, ensuring customer needs, feedback, and follow‑on opportunities are translated into clear product direction — serving as the connective link between customer‑facing program execution and internal product strategy.

What You’ll do:

• Program Execution: Coordinate with internal product realization team to oversee customer specific solutions, release schedules, program milestones and contractual deliverables. Support, lead, and delegate tasks for successful program execution to ensure timely delivery of products and services to customers as committed.
• Technical Performance: Technical understanding to support use‑case development, integration, and troubleshooting of risks and issues. Continually grow and maintain an understanding of the customers’ needs, the product development as it evolves over time, and customer operations to ensure customer satisfaction. Obtain feedback on customer solutions and serve as the voice of the customer, bringing key customer needs, expectations, and feedback into the product development team.
• Profit and Loss Responsibility: With knowledge and understanding of customer needs, work to develop follow‑on business proposals to provide value and meet company financial objectives.
• Customer Relationship Management: Make customers and their needs a primary focus and work diligently to ensure customer satisfaction and success. Develop and sustain productive customer relationships. Identify and capture opportunities for follow‑on sales based on future customer needs.

What You’ll Bring:

Experience and Education:

• Experience maintaining customer relationships across technology upgrade cycles
• Experience managing delivery of both commercialized and customized product, software, and service offerings
• Experience managing Software as a Service programs a plus
• Experience with intelligence systems operating on or in conjunction with piloted or unmanned aircraft
• Experience with US Government acquisition and procurement processes
• Experience with Export Compliance requirements and activities
• Experience proposing and managing US DoD contracts
• 3+ years of experience managing customer facing programs
• PMP certification or bachelor’s degree in management and leadership or related technical field, or relevant military experience a plus
• Eligible to maintain a US Secret Security Clearance

Technical Competence:

• Technical understanding of Aerial Imaging and remote sensing and understanding of imaging fundamentals, image data analytics, and AI/ML is a plus
• Expert communication skills and influence
• Strong organizational skills and exceptional data management
• Knowledge of schedule and risk development and management principles
• Ability to track and manage multiple customer programs from inception to implementation
• Ability to balance company goals and priorities with program/customer priorities to ensure customer, program, and company success

Character Attributes:

• Thrives in a dynamic, fast‑paced small startup business environment
• Highly motivated self‑starter able to work independently and with a team
• Enjoys hands‑on work and learning new skills
• Eager to learn and solve real‑world problems and accept new challenges
• Takes pride in winning business and maintaining satisfied customers

What We Offer:

• Growth Opportunities: As a team member of a true startup, you will learn by doing and shape our future. The opportunities are limitless for those who want to grow their career.
• Impact Opportunity: We work on missions that matter to keep people safe and make the world better, and we do it without bureaucracy at the speed of a startup.
• Team Collaboration: Work in a fast‑paced, collaborative environment with amazing teammates. The Overwatch Imaging leadership team believes in an open‑door policy, meaning everyone has a voice and access to guidance, advice, feedback, and the ability to pitch crazy new products or ideas.
• Late Start Wednesday: A weekly block to have focus time away from meetings and calls. An opportunity to work from home, flex your schedule or self‑directed time to focus on training and development.
• Time Off: Generous PTO to empower employees to make decisions about work life balance based on work and home needs.
• Holidays: Overwatch Imaging recognizes 10 company holidays.
• Ownership: Equity/Stock Options in our rapidly growing company.
• Health Benefits: Medical/Dental premiums 100% covered by Overwatch Imaging for employees and their families, plus available pre‑tax health savings account.
• 401K: Employer matching contributions up to 4% of pay.
• Hybrid Working Environment: WFH or out of our beautiful office in Nashville, TN. Maybe a little bit of both – team efficiency is key. Position could require business travel up to 20% and work in/around aircraft.

All applicants must be authorized to work on a permanent basis in the United States.

Overwatch Imaging is an equal opportunity workplace and makes employment decisions based on merit and business needs, regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity, Veteran status, or any other protected personal characteristic.

Export Control Compliance Notice This position may involve access to data, technology, or software that is subject to U.S. export control laws and regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). As such, employment is contingent upon the applicant’s ability to obtain any necessary export authorization, as determined by an export compliance assessment conducted by the company.