Engineering Program Manager

GKN Aerospace; El Cajon (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

GKN Aerospace in El Cajon, CA seeks an Engineering Program Manager to lead various Repair solutions, NPI projects, qualifications efforts and machine/cell installations. You will coordinate cross-functional teams, manage timelines, and ensure delivery within budget.

The role requires a strong background in Manufacturing Engineering and excellent communication. You will define project scope, create charters, and drive schedules while partnering with tooling, operations, and vendors to meet

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or 10+ years of Manufacturing Engineering experience.
• 5+ Years of experience in Manufacturing Engineering.
• Must be able to perform work subject to ITAR/EAR regulations and/or program requirements.
• Strong organizational and multitasking skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Proficiency in project management software and tools.
• Ability to work effectively in a cross-functional team environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Acts without supervision in own area whilst able to supervise others.

Responsibilities

• Defining project scope and objectives, involving all relevant stakeholders and ensuring technical feasibility.
• Create and maintain the project charter with the project sponsor and program manager.
• Set up the project structure to enable measuring project performance.
• Develop and maintain detailed project schedules to monitor and track progress.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with tooling, operations, business development, vendors, and engine manufacturers.
• Ensure the project is delivered on-time, on-value, within scope, and within budget.
• Coordinate internal resources and third parties/vendors for flawless execution.
• Manage changes to the project scope, schedule, value, and costs using verification techniques.
• Measure and analyze project performance and define recovery plans when needed.
• Provide regular progress updates to Steering Committee and management.
• Manage relationships with all stakeholders and ensure effective communication.
• Act in a technical capacity to establish required repairs and coach supporting functions.
• Assess risk and implement mitigation plans.
• Create and maintain comprehensive project documentation.
• Meet business case objectives and adjust constraints as needed.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional teamwork

ITAR/EAR compliance

Strong communication

PM tools proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering

Tools

Proj. management software

Job description

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Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.

GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we're inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We're proud to play a part in protecting the world's democracies. And we're committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 32 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world's aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.6bn in 2025. There are no limits to where you can take your career.

Job Summary

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Engineering Program Manager for our Engineering organization to lead various current and future projects within Repair solutions, NPI-projects, qualifications efforts and machine/cell installations. The successful candidate will be responsible for coordinating cross-functional efforts, managing project timelines, and ensuring successful project delivery within budget.

Job Responsibilities

• Defining project scope and objectives, involving all relevant stakeholders and ensuring technical feasibility. You will be asked to assist in the initial stages of the RFQ's.
• Create and maintain the project charter with the project sponsor and program manager. Clearly define the project objectives and baseline, which will lead to a plan to realize those objectives.
• Set up the project structure to enable measuring project performance.
• Develop and maintain detailed project schedules to monitor and track progress.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with the tooling department, operations, business development team, vendors, and engine manufacturer to ensure seamless project execution
• Ensure that the project is delivered on-time, on-value, within scope, and within budget.
• Coordinate internal resources and third parties/vendors for flawless project execution, ensuring resource availability and allocation.
• Manage changes to the project scope, schedule, value, and costs using appropriate verification techniques.
• Measure and analyze project performance using appropriate tools and techniques, and define recovery plans where deviations to the plan demand.
• Provide regular progress updates to Steering Committee, report and elevate to management as needed.
• Manage relationships with all stakeholders, ensuring effective communication and coordination.
• Ability to act in a technical capacity to establish the required repairs and can coach supporting functions through the technical challenges.
• Actively assess the risk profile and determine effective mitigation plans to minimize project risks.
• Create and maintain comprehensive project documentation, including project charters and aligning with checklists.
• Meet business case objectives and make adjustments to project constraints based on financial analysis.

Job Qualifications

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, or in lieu of degree 10+ years of experience in Manufacturing Engineering.
• 5+ Years of experience in Manufacturing Engineering
• Must be able to perform work subject to ITAR/EAR regulations and/or program requirements.
• Strong organizational and multitasking skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities
• Proficiency in project management software and tools
• Ability to work effectively in a cross-functional team environment
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail
• Acts without supervision in own area whilst able to supervise others

Preferred Qualifications:

• GKN experience and/or Aeropspace industry experience
• Experience in an MRO organization is strongly preferred
• PMP or similar project management certification is a plus
• Leadership and team management
• Budgeting and financial management
• Risk assessment and mitigation
• Ability to apply complex and non-routine analysis
• Competent member of the technical community with a good understanding of other disciplines
• Understands the formal and informal structure of the business
• Provides support to the technical community and show commercial awareness at local level

Compensation Range: Salary Range 120K - 150K

We'll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go?

A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working

Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we've created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It's a culture that won us 'The Best Workplace Culture Award'. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work.

We're also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know.

We arethe place where human dreams, plus humanendeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology.