Lead Program Manager

AV; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 117,000 - 178,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

401K with company matching

9/80 work schedule

Paid holiday shutdown

Job summary

AV is seeking a Lead Program Manager for the LEAP group within MacCready Works to oversee computer vision/perception programs for defense and commercial applications. The role combines individual contribution with team leadership across proposal, contract negotiations, execution, and close‑out.

The PM will manage staffing, budgets, schedules, progress, and risks while serving as the primary contact for customers and internal teams. Strong cross‑functional collaboration is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, science, business required; equivalent education/experience considered.
• 8–10 years of relevant program management experience; DoD/DoW or government contracts experience a plus.
• Ability to design, implement, and troubleshoot complex systems.
• Proven track record of running multiple, successful projects.
• Experience managing CPFF, T&M, and FFP development programs.
• Experience developing risk management & mitigation plans.
• Experience in a highly technical and dynamic environment.
• Familiarity with contracts, NDAs, teaming agreements, and export/import licenses is a plus.
• Ability to interface effectively with internal teams, leadership, and customers.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Manages multiple projects / programs through complete lifecycle.
• Gathers requirements, defines success criteria, and ensures customer alignment.
• Establishes and communicates program priorities.
• Develops and maintains program plans including budgets and EAC, spend, and resource allocation.
• Defines and manages program controls; identifies and manages risk.
• Coordinates with other PMs to align teams and dependencies.
• Informs stakeholders of program status and health.
• Leads project meetings and reviews with customers and technical teams.
• Manages changes in scope and advises leadership and customers of potential impacts.
• Supports growth of the program, including bidding and capturing new opportunities.
• Assists with preparation of cost and technical proposals.
• Ensures adherence to company policies and processes.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Program management

Team leadership

Risk management

Customer engagement

MS Office / MS Project

Proposal development

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering, science, business

Tools

MS Project

Job description

• U.S. Citizenship required, per ITAR definition

Worker Type

Regular

Summary

The Lead Program Manager will be both a strong individual contributor and project team lead for the Learning and Active Perception (LEAP) group in AV's MacCready Works division, overseeing the development of a variety of innovative computer vision / perception and related analytics for defense and commercial applications. The PM is responsible for the complete program lifecycle from proposal preparation through contract negotiations, execution, and close-out, and manages all activities necessary to meet requirements, goals, and objectives. PMs work with cross-functional teams to manage the execution of projects including staffing, budget/cost, schedule, technical progress, and risks, while serving as primary point of contact for program activities and status to both internal and external customers.

Position Responsibilities

• Manages multiple projects / programs throughout their complete lifecycle
• Works with customers to gather requirements and define success criteria; ensures customer alignment and manages overall customer satisfaction
• Establishes, communicates, and manages program priorities
• Develops and maintains program plans including budget / estimate at completion (EAC), spend plans, resource allocation, and communications
• Defines, implements, and manages program controls; identifies and manages risk
• Coordinates with other PMs to align project teams and their inter-dependencies
• Aligns and informs stakeholders of program status and health
• Leads project meetings and program reviews with customers and technical teams
• Manages potential changes in program scope and advises leadership and customer of potential impacts
• Actively supports growth of the program, including bidding and capturing new opportunities
• Assists and/or coordinates the preparation of cost and technical proposals
• Ensures adherence to company policies and processes
• Other duties as assigned

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, business, or related field required; equivalent of education, training, and/or experience will be considered.
• Minimum of 8-10 years of relevant experience in program management; experience with government contracts (specifically DoD/DoW programs) and/or software projects is a plus
• Demonstrated ability to design, implement, and troubleshoot complex systems
• Proven track record of running multiple, successful projects
• Experience managing CPFF, T&M, and FFP technical development programs
• Experience developing risk management & mitigation plans
• Experience in a highly technical and dynamic environment
• Knowledge of project management methods, tools, and processes
• Proficient in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook), experience with MS Project is a plus

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

• Basic familiarity with contracts, non-disclosure agreements, teaming agreements, and other legal or contractual documents; experience with export/import licenses for EAR / ITAR covered products and technologies is a plus
• Must be able to interface effectively with internal teams, organizational leadership, and government and/or commercial customers; prior experience working with DoW and Intelligence Community (IC) organizations on advanced technology, research, or AI/ML initiatives is a plus
• Able to excel in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, where small teams share a broad variety of duties
• Displays strong initiative and drive to accomplish goals and meet company objectives; takes ownership and responsibility for current and past work products
• Must be a team player and exhibit leadership qualities; focuses on collaboration and puts the success of the team above one's own interests
• Committed to learning from mistakes and driven to improve and enhance performance of oneself, others, and the company
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Physical Demands

• Ability to work in an office environment (Constant)
• Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent)

Special Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship required, per ITAR definition
• Ability to obtain at minimum a Secret level DoD security clearance; active clearance is a plus
• Willingness to travel (Occasionally / Up to 25%)

Clearance Level

No Clearance

The Salary Range For This Role Is

$116,500 - $177,500

Benefits

AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown. For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits. We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.

About AV

AV isn't for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best. We don't just build defense technology—we redefine what's possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve. Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian—but we're not building history, we're building what's next. If you're ready to build technology that matters—with speed, scale, and purpose—there's no better place to do it than AV.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.

ITAR

U.S. Citizenship required