Defense Program Manager

TRAK Group; Hamilton (OH); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

TRAK Group in Hamilton, OH is seeking a Defense Program Manager to lead new business development and full lifecycle program execution in the defense sector. You will interface with defense customers, OEMs, government agencies, prime contractors, and suppliers to develop proposals and manage programs from opportunity through production and support.

The role requires strategic relationship building, cross-functional leadership, and a strong focus on timing, cost, quality, and profitability, with

Qualifications

• Experience managing complex defense programs across lifecycle.
• Strong ability to lead cross-functional engineering and manufacturing teams.
• Proven track record in business development, capture activities, and proposals.
• Excellent communication with customers, suppliers, and leadership.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally.

Responsibilities

• Lead defense programs throughout the complete lifecycle from acquisition through product development, launch, production, and ongoing customer support.
• Develop and maintain project plans covering scope, schedules, milestones, risks, and deliverables.
• Lead cross-functional teams across Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Procurement, Finance, Sales, and other functions.
• Drive program objectives related to timing, cost, quality, technical performance, profitability, and customer satisfaction.
• Monitor program performance against financial and schedule objectives and implement corrective actions when necessary.
• Manage program budgets and ensure costs are planned, tracked, invoiced, and allocated.
• Lead regular program reviews and provide updates to senior leadership and steering committees.
• Prepare executive status reports, risk assessments, and action plans.
• Coordinate engineering changes through internal and customer change-management processes.
• Identify program risks and mitigation strategies.
• Lead cross-functional issue resolution and drive closure.
• Maintain schedules, documentation, reports, and lessons learned.
• Travel to customer and supplier sites as required.

Skills

Program management

Project management

Business development

Customer acquisition

Cross-functional leadership

Proposal development

Job description

Defense Program Manager

Setting/Hours: Mon-Fri 8a-5p. Join trak group in partnering with a growing client in Hamilton, Ohio that’s expanding its Manufacturing team.

Website Summary: Trak group is partnering with a growing client seeking a Defense Program Manager for a highly visible leadership role combining new business development, customer acquisition, and full lifecycle program management within the defense industry. This individual will serve as a primary interface with defense customers, OEMs, government agencies, prime contractors, strategic suppliers, and internal leadership. The Program Manager will identify and pursue new business opportunities while leading awarded programs from initial opportunity and proposal development through engineering, launch, production, and ongoing customer support. Success in this position requires the ability to balance commercial growth with disciplined program execution, ensuring programs achieve timing, cost, quality, technical performance, profitability, and customer satisfaction objectives.

Responsibilities

Business Development & Customer Acquisition

• Identify, qualify, and pursue new business opportunities within military and defense vehicle markets.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with defense customers, OEMs, government agencies, prime contractors, and industry partners.
• Lead acquisition and capture activities, coordinating customer requirements, technical solutions, pricing strategies, and proposals.
• Align customer acquisition, product development, and manufacturing capabilities across a global organization.
• Develop preliminary business cases, project cost models, profitability analyses, and investment justifications.
• Partner with Engineering, Sales, Operations, Procurement, and Finance to develop competitive and executable proposals.
• Work with Procurement to identify strategic suppliers and establish preliminary Bills of Material (BOMs) during acquisition.
• Support contract negotiations and ensure alignment between customer requirements and business objectives.
• Monitor defense market trends, competitive activity, emerging programs, and evolving customer requirements.
• Represent the organization at customer meetings, industry events, trade shows, and other business development activities.
• Present technical capabilities, manufacturing expertise, products, and value propositions to prospective and existing customers.
• Develop long-term customer strategies focused on revenue growth and market expansion.

Program & Project Management

• Lead defense programs throughout the complete lifecycle from acquisition through product development, launch, production, and ongoing customer support.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive project plans covering scope, schedules, milestones, critical paths, resources, risks, and deliverables.
• Lead cross-functional teams across Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Procurement, Finance, Sales, and other functional areas.
• Drive achievement of program objectives related to timing, cost, quality, technical performance, profitability, and customer satisfaction.
• Monitor program performance against financial and schedule objectives and implement corrective actions when necessary.
• Manage program budgets and ensure costs are properly planned, tracked, invoiced, and allocated.
• Monitor program profitability and drive actions necessary to achieve financial targets.
• Lead regular program reviews and provide updates to senior leadership and steering committees.
• Prepare executive-level status reports, risk assessments, project summaries, and action plans.
• Coordinate engineering changes through established internal and customer change-management processes.
• Identify program risks and develop appropriate mitigation and contingency strategies.
• Lead cross-functional issue resolution and drive accountability through closure.
• Maintain accurate project schedules, documentation, reports, action items, and lessons learned.
• Travel to customer, supplier, and international company locations as required.

Must-Haves

• Experience in program management, project management, business development, or customer acquisition within a technical manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex programs throughout the full product lifecycle.
• Experience leading cross-functional engineering and manufacturing teams.
• Strong customer-facing experience with the ability to develop and maintain strategic business relationships.
• Experience supporting new business acquisition, capture activities, proposals, and/or contract negotiations.
• Ability to develop and evaluate business cases, cost models, budgets, and profitability analyses.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing, engineering, procurement, and product development processes.
• Experience managing program schedules, budgets, risks, milestones, resources, and deliverables.
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders and drive accountability across functional teams.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen with an understanding of program profitability.
• Excellent presentation, negotiation, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with customers, suppliers, technical teams, and executive leadership.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Preferred

• Defense, military vehicle, aerospace, or other highly regulated industry experience.
• Experience working directly with defense OEMs, government agencies, or prime contractors.
• Background in defense business development, capture management, or strategic account development.
• Experience supporting complex engineered products within an automotive or vehicle manufacturing environment.
• Experience developing preliminary BOMs and working with strategic suppliers during new business acquisition.
• Experience leading new product introductions and manufacturing launches.
• Familiarity with formal product development and stage-gate processes.
• Experience coordinating programs across multiple domestic and international locations.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Commercially minded program leader who can win new business and successfully execute it. Comfortable operating as the primary customer interface while coordinating highly technical internal teams. Strategic relationship builder with strong business development instincts. Highly organized and capable of managing multiple complex programs and opportunities simultaneously. Financially disciplined with a strong focus on program profitability and business results. Proactive problem-solver who identifies risks early and drives issues through resolution. Confident presenting program strategy, financial performance, risks, and recommendations to senior leadership.

If you're ready to take the next step in your career and want to make an impact, partner with trak group to explore this opportunity.