Principal or Senior Principal Operations Project Manager (OPM)

Northrop Grumman Corp.; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 89,000 - 134,000; Full time

Job summary

Northrop Grumman seeks a Principal or Senior Principal Operations Project Manager to support production and manufacturing in Central Virginia. This individual contributor role focuses on budgets, schedules, scope, and EVMS within manufacturing sites in Charlottesville with up to 25% travel to Waynesboro.

The position requires coordinating with IPTs, engineering, suppliers, and customers to ensure on-time, cost-effective builds while maintaining safety and quality standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 5 years of experience in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Business, Supply Chain, or related field: or a Master’s degree with minimum of 3 years of experience in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Business, Supply Chain, or related field
• Experience with tracking project cost, schedule and budget
• Experience supporting production in a manufacturing or operations environment
• Experience interfacing with Integrated Product Team (IPT) and cross- functional teams (Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality/Mission Assurance, Manufacturing)
• Experience presenting to leadership or customers
• Able to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance
• US citizenship is required.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary manufacturing liaison to Integrated Product Team (IPT) for development and execution of the manufacturing strategy, ensuring alignment with program objectives.
• Lead operational portions of program review sessions with internal and external customers, presenting and discussing technical, cost, schedule, and manufacturing performance.
• Assess project and technical issues; develop, drive, and track action plans to meet productivity, quality, cost, schedule, and stakeholder satisfaction goals.
• Develop and maintain mechanisms for monitoring project progress (metrics, dashboards, reviews), enabling early identification of risks and issues.
• Coordinate intervention and problem solving with Integrated Product Team (IPT), engineering, suppliers, manufacturing managers, mission assurance, and customers to resolve constraints and improve flow.
• Coordinate and lead the preparation of proposals from a manufacturing/operations standpoint; prepare and review all manufacturing Basis of Estimate (BOE) justifications.
• Partner closely with cross-functional teams (e.g. Engineering, Quality, Programs, Global Supply Chain) to achieve safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives while driving continuous improvement and operational readiness.
• Support Earned Value Management System (EVMS) for manufacturing scope.
• Manage indirect budgets for production operations.

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 25% of the Time

Description

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.

We are looking for you to join our team as a Principal or Senior Principal Operations Project Manager (OPM) to support production and manufacturing operations at our Central Virginia manufacturing facilities.

This position is not a Manager position. It is an individual contributor role.

What You'll Get to Do:

The OPM is responsible for the establishment and maintenance of control account budgets, schedules, scope and technical performance measurement; and for manufacturing and/or development efforts of project execution and cost across our Central Virginia manufacturing sites.

Primary presence will be in Charlottesville with possible travel to our Waynesboro site (up to 25%).

The OPM ensures safe, efficient, and high-quality production; leads manufacturing projects; and directly oversees cost, schedule and scope. The ideal candidate will manage to a line of balance, and oversee and/or guide root cause and corrective actions to closure. The OPM is responsible for interfacing with technical leadership, program management, engineering, production control, global supply chain, and production supervisors to ensure hardware modules are built within cost and budget while meeting operation build schedules.

Key Responsibilities:

• Act as the primary manufacturing liaison to Integrated Product Team (IPT) for development and execution of the manufacturing strategy, ensuring alignment with program objectives.
• Lead operational portions of program review sessions with internal and external customers, presenting and discussing technical, cost, schedule, and manufacturing performance.
• Assess project and technical issues; develop, drive, and track action plans to meet productivity, quality, cost, schedule, and stakeholder satisfaction goals.
• Develop and maintain mechanisms for monitoring project progress (metrics, dashboards, reviews), enabling early identification of risks and issues.
• Coordinate intervention and problem solving with Integrated Product Team (IPT), engineering, suppliers, manufacturing managers, mission assurance, and customers to resolve constraints and improve flow.
• Coordinate and lead the preparation of proposals from a manufacturing/operations standpoint; prepare and review all manufacturing Basis of Estimate (BOE) justifications.
• Partner closely with cross-functional teams (e.g. Engineering, Quality, Programs, Global Supply Chain) to achieve safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives while driving continuous improvement and operational readiness.
• Support Earned Value Management System (EVMS) for manufacturing scope.
• Manage indirect budgets for production operations.

This requisition may be filled as a Principal or Senior Principal based on the qualifications below.

Basic Qualifications for the Principal OPM

• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 5 years of experience in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Business, Supply Chain, or related field: or a Master’s degree with minimum of 3 years of experience in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Business, Supply Chain, or related field
• Experience with tracking project cost, schedule and budget
• Experience supporting production in a manufacturing or operations environment
• Experience interfacing with Integrated Product Team (IPT) and cross- functional teams (Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality/Mission Assurance, Manufacturing)
• Experience presenting to leadership or customers
• Able to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance
• US citizenship is required.

Basic Qualifications for the Senior Principal OPM:

• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 8 years of experience in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Business, Supply Chain, or related field: or a Master’s degree with minimum of 6 years of experience in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Business, Supply Chain, or related field
• Experience with tracking project cost, schedule and budget
• Experience supporting production in a manufacturing or operations environment
• Experience interfacing with Integrated Product Team (IPT) and cross- functional teams (Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality/Mission Assurance, Manufacturing)
• Experience presenting to leadership or customers
• Able to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance
• US citizenship is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting complex composite production in a manufacturing or operations environment
• Experience managing Integrated Master Schedules and overall hardware status
• Experience with EVMS processes, baseline forecasting, risk and opportunity management, and Control Account Management (CAM)
• Experience supporting EVMS, cost/schedule reporting, or budget tracking (direct or indirect)
• Proven ability to assess issues, create and execute action plans, and report status and risks to leadership
• Current and active U.S. Government Secret clearance

What We Can Offer You:

Northrop Grumman provides a comprehensive benefits package and a work environment which encourages your growth and supports the mutual success of our people and our company. Northrop Grumman benefits give you the flexibility and control to choose the benefits that make the most sense for you and your family.

Your benefits will include the following: Health Plan, Savings Plan, Paid Time Off and Additional Benefits including Education Assistance, Training and Development, 9/80 Work Schedule (where available), and much more!

Primary Level Salary Range: $89,400.00 - $134,200.00

Secondary Level Salary Range: $111,700.00 - $167,500.00

The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as 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.

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.