Manager II, Program - Space

VACCO Industries, a Subsidary of ESCO Technologies Inc.; El Monte, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Job summary

VACCO Industries, a Subsidary of ESCO Technologies Inc., seeks a Program Manager II to lead mid-scale aerospace programs from initiation through completion, ensuring technical, cost, and schedule commitments are met.

The role requires strong execution discipline, proactive risk management, and coordination across engineering, operations, supply chain, finance, and quality, serving as the primary interface with customers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, aerospace, or related technical field required.
• 5–7 years of experience managing aerospace, defense, or space system programs.
• Demonstrated ability to manage cross-functional teams and drive execution in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience with EVMS and applying earned value principles to track program performance.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for customer and leadership presentations.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day execution of assigned programs, ensuring scope, schedule, cost, and quality objectives are met.
• Develop, maintain, and manage integrated master schedules (IMS), budgets, and program management plans.
• Apply EVMS principles to track performance, variances, and corrective actions.
• Manage risks, issues, and opportunities; implement mitigation strategies.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to deliver engineering work, hardware, tests, and documentation.
• Serve as primary customer point of contact and maintain timely communication.

Skills

Program management

EVMS

Cross-functional collaboration

Customer liaison

Risk management

Communication

Scheduling

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, aerospace, or related technical field

Tools

MS Project

Primavera

Job description

Position Summary

The Program Manager II is responsible for leading mid‑scale aerospace or space programs from initiation through completion, ensuring delivery of technical, cost, and schedule commitments. This role requires strong program execution discipline, proactive risk management, and exceptional coordination across engineering, operations, supply chain, finance, and quality. The Program Manager II serves as the primary interface with customers and is accountable for maintaining alignment with contractual requirements and internal business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead day‑to‑day execution of assigned programs, ensuring adherence to scope, schedule, cost, and quality objectives.
• Develop, maintain, and manage integrated master schedules (IMS), budgets, and program management plans.
• Apply Earned Value Management System (EVMS) principles to track performance, identify variances, and drive corrective actions.
• Manage risks, issues, and opportunities; develop and implement mitigation strategies.
• Coordinate cross‑functional teams to ensure timely delivery of engineering work products, hardware, tests, and documentation.
• Serve as the primary customer point of contact, fostering strong relationships and ensuring timely communication.
• Prepare and present program status reports, technical reviews, customer briefings, and internal leadership updates.
• Support proposal development including scope definition, cost estimates, schedule creation, and risk assessment.
• Ensure compliance with organizational processes, industry standards, and all contractual and regulatory requirements.
• Drive continuous improvement of program management processes, tools, and reporting.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, aerospace, or related technical field.
• 5–7 years of relevant experience managing aerospace, defense, or space system programs.
• Strong technical acumen sufficient to manage engineering deliverables, hardware builds, and system integration activities
• Experience with space hardware development or system integration
• Direct experience with EVMS and applying earned value principles to track program performance.
• Demonstrated ability to manage cross‑functional teams and drive execution in a fast‑paced environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including ability to present to customers and leadership.
• Proficiency with program management tools such as MS Project, Primavera, or equivalent.

Preferred Qualifications

• PMP certification or Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® certification
• Experience with government or defense programs, space hardware development, or system integration efforts.
• Familiarity with systems engineering, configuration management, and product lifecycle processes.
• Experience developing proposals or leading new business activities.
• Communication and customer engagement
• Risk and issue management
• Leadership and collaboration
• Occasional travel to customer sites, suppliers, or test facilities (5–15%).