Director 1 - Space Superiority Division

0909 SP - Orbital Space Systems; United States; On-site; USD 194,000 - 337,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life and disability insurance

Savings plan

Paid holidays and PTO

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Space Systems is seeking a Director of Programs 1 to join our SSD team. The role reports to an Operating Unit within the Mission Capabilities and Operations BU, with roles based in Dulles, VA; Gilbert, AZ; or El Segundo, CA.

This on-site leadership position oversees a portfolio of programs and leads a team of program managers. Responsibilities include leading program execution, risk and performance management, and growth strategy.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 10+ years of program (with profit and loss responsibility) in defense or aerospace.
• Proven ability to lead programs with execution and growth responsibilities.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills with executive stakeholders.
• DoD program leadership and proposal experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership for a portfolio of programs with cost, schedule, and quality objectives.
• Drive disciplined program execution, risk and performance management.
• Mentor a team of program managers and set development paths.
• Engage with customers, partners, and internal leaders to align capabilities and opportunities.
• Shape growth strategy for site business portfolio and identify new opportunities.

Skills

Program management

Executive communication

Leadership

Risk management

Strategic planning

Proposal leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

DoD program experience

Staff mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree (Engineering or MBA)

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret TRAVEL: Yes, 25% of the Time

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation’s history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they’re making history. Join Northrop Grumman on our mission to push the boundaries of possible across land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace. At Northrop Grumman, your voice is valued. You’ll join a team of passionate professionals providing real‑world solutions to our customers’ toughest challenges. We take pride in creating purposeful work and enabling our employees to grow and achieve their goals by Defining Possible. With competitive pay and comprehensive benefits, we offer the right opportunities to fit your life and advance your career.

Northrop Grumman Space Systems is seeking multiple Director of Programs 1 to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals in our Space Superiority Division (SSD). In this role the candidate will report directly to an Operating Unit within the Mission Capabilities and Operations Business Unit, with potential locations at our Dulles, VA, Gilbert, AZ or El Segundo, CA facilities. These roles will be fully on‑site, with travel to other Northrop Grumman locations as well as customer and supplier sites as required. The Director Programs 1 is responsible for the overall leadership, performance, and health of the program and supporting staff.

Key Responsibilities:

• Program Leadership & Execution Provide overall leadership for a portfolio of programs, ensuring cost, schedule, technical, and quality objectives are met or exceeded.
• Drive disciplined program execution, risk management, and performance management across the portfolio.
• Lead and mentor a team of program managers, setting clear expectations, accountability, and development paths.
• Adherence to all internal processes, policies, and applicable industry standards.
• Leadership & Culture Champion a high-integrity, inclusive culture that reflects Northrop Grumman values and fosters engagement, collaboration, and high performance.
• Maintain strong employee morale and effective communication across all levels and functions.
• Business Growth & Strategy Shape and execute the growth strategy for the site’s business portfolio, including identification, capture, and execution of new business opportunities.
• Collaborate with Business Development, Engineering, Operations, and other stakeholders to align capabilities and investments with customer needs and competitive positioning.
• Engage directly with customers and partners to strengthen relationships, understand emerging requirements, and position Northrop Grumman for long-term success.
• Cross-Functional & Matrix Leadership Provide indirect leadership to all supporting disciplines to ensure alignment with Operating Unit and Business Unit goals.
• Coordinate closely with the Business Unit leadership team and other company sites to leverage enterprise capabilities, share best practices, and drive continuous improvement.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and 10+ years of program (with profit and loss responsibility) or project management experience in the defense or aerospace sector, including responsibility for both execution and growth of a diverse program or new business portfolio.
• Profit and Loss experience with an integrated program team.
• Strong track record of disciplined program execution, including risk management, issue resolution, and performance to plan.
• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence across organizational boundaries and at executive levels.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and present strategies, business cases, and program status to senior customer and internal executive audiences.
• Proposal leadership experience.
• Experience leading DoD programs.
• Active Secret clearance at time of application with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance with SAP eligibility.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in engineering and/or business administration with experience managing complex programs and/or portfolios with significant business capture and growth responsibilities.
• Demonstrated ability to build, develop, and lead program management teams, including effective delegation, coaching, and succession planning.
• Expertise in full lie cycle (early S&T, EMD, Production & Sustainment) of program execution to lead the performance of tasks on schedule and at cost.
• Demonstrated expertise in customer shaping and engagement, including developing strategies and win themes to position for future opportunities.
• Experience within the DoD as a major prime contractor.
• Knowledge of Northrop Grumman internal processes, procedures, and organizational structure.
• Current Top Secret clearance with SCI/SAP eligibility.

Salary & Benefits:

Primary Level Salary Range: $193,800.00 - $336,500.00 The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such that the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate’s experience, education, skills and current market conditions.

• Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay.
• Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results.
• Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives.
• In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.

Application Information:

The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.

Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.

#NoVASpace #AZSpace #LosAngelesSpace #SPProgMgmt

We are a pioneering company. With careers across many backgrounds, personal passions and disciplines, we share a drive to push the boundaries of science, technology and engineering to meet the ever evolving needs of our customers worldwide.