Principal Specialist, Deputy Program Manager (Onsite)

globalhr; Sterling (VA); On-site; USD 96,000 - 182,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Three weeks of vacation

401(k) plan with employer matching

Tuition reimbursement

Student Loan Repayment Program

Life insurance

Disability coverage

Adoption Assistance

Job summary

Collins Aerospace is seeking a Principal Specialist, Deputy Program Manager to oversee portions of the Total Training System programs from pursuit through execution. You will coordinate across Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Contracts, and Finance to keep priorities aligned and commitments on track.

The role emphasizes strong program leadership, ownership of cost/schedule/execution, and collaboration with senior leadership to translate commitments into actionable plans.

Qualifications

• Typically requires a University Degree with 5+ years of relevant experience, or an Advanced Degree with 3+ years of experience.
• Active and transferable U.S. government security clearance is required prior to start date.
• Ability to coordinate across multiple priorities and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Support PMO in pursuit, capture, planning, and execution of Total Training System programs.
• Manage defined portions of complex development and production programs with ownership for cost, schedule, and execution.
• Coordinate activities across engineering, operations, manufacturing, supply chain, contracts, quality, finance, and other functions.
• Support financial and program performance reporting and decision-making.
• Maintain visibility to customer actions, program deliverables, and subcontractor activities; escalate issues as needed.
• Assist with risk and opportunity management and tracking of actions.
• Support proposals, bids, or capture activities and cross-functional inputs.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional coordination

Risk management

Financial performance tracking

Customer/stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree

Job description

Date Posted: 2026-09-30

Country: United States of America

Location: US-VA-STERLING-291 ~ 22640 Davis Dr ~ DAVIS

Position Role Type: Onsite

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements: Active and transferable U.S. government issued security clearance is required prior to start date. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance

Security Clearance Type: DoD Clearance: Secret

Security Clearance Status: Active and existing security clearance required on day 1

Collins Aerospace is seeking a Principal Specialist, Deputy Program Manager to join the Total Training System (TTS) Program team and help manage complex development and production programs from pursuit and capture through execution and delivery. Working under the guidance of senior program leadership, you will own defined portions of program execution, coordinate priorities across the broader team, and help translate customer and business commitments into actionable plans. This role is well suited for someone ready to take on meaningful program management ownership while continuing to build the breadth of experience needed to lead increasingly complex programs.

As a Deputy Program Manager, you will gain exposure across the full program lifecycle, supporting financial performance, customer actions and deliverables, subcontractor activities, material status, risk and opportunity management, and proposal efforts. You will partner closely with Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Contracts, Quality, Finance, and other functions to surface issues, gather the information needed for decisions, and keep execution moving. The breadth of the role provides a strong foundation for developing deeper program leadership experience across technical, operational, financial, and customer-facing work.

This is an onsite role in Sterling, VA.

What You Will Do:

• Support the Program Management Office in the pursuit, capture, planning, and execution of current and future Total Training System programs


• Manage defined portions of complex development and production programs and proposals under the guidance of senior program leadership, with ownership for assigned cost, schedule, and execution activities


• Coordinate program activities across Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Contracts, Quality, Finance, and other functions to keep priorities aligned and commitments on track


• Support financial and program performance reporting by collecting, analyzing, and presenting data needed to understand program status, identify issues, and support decision‑making


• Maintain visibility to customer actions, program deliverables, material status, subcontractor activities, and other execution priorities, following issues through resolution


• Support customer interactions by coordinating action items, preparing program information, tracking commitments, and helping ensure timely responses to customer needs


• Assist with program risk and opportunity management, including identifying, documenting, tracking, and coordinating actions associated with execution risks and potential opportunities


• Support proposal and business capture activities by coordinating inputs, schedules, data, and cross‑functional actions required to meet submission and customer deadlines


• Coordinate activities related to subcontract management, non‑disclosure agreements, global trade requirements, and other program execution needs as assigned


• Build strong working relationships across the integrated program team and serve as a point of coordination for key issues within assigned areas of responsibility


• Work with increasing independence to plan and prioritize assigned activities, resolve issues, and drive actions to completion while escalating significant program concerns to senior leadership when appropriate

Qualifications You Must Have:

• Typically requires a University Degree and minimum 5 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 3 years of experience


• Active and transferable U.S. government issued security clearance is required prior to start date. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance


• Experience contributing to programs, projects, proposals, or other initiatives involving multiple priorities, stakeholders, or deliverables


• Experience working across teams or functions to coordinate activities, resolve issues, and support completion of shared objectives


• Demonstrated ability to organize work, manage competing priorities, and follow assignments or action items through completion


• Ability to gather and analyze information, identify relevant issues, and communicate findings or recommendations to others

Qualifications We Prefer:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to build effective working relationships across multiple organizations and levels of leadership


• Experience supporting development and/or production programs within aerospace, defense, manufacturing, or another complex technical environment


• Experience with program financials, cost and schedule performance, forecasting, or other program performance reporting


• Experience supporting customer‑facing programs, including customer meetings, action‑item management, deliverables, or issue resolution


• Experience identifying, managing, and tracking program risks and opportunities


• Experience supporting proposals, pursuits, or capture activities


• Experience coordinating subcontractor, supplier, or material‑related program activities


• Demonstrated ability to lead portions of an Integrated Program Team or coordinate cross‑functional teams through ambiguity and competing priorities


• Experience working independently to identify issues, develop potential solutions, and drive actions through completion


• PMP certification or formal program/project management training

What We Offer:

Some of our competitive benefits package includes:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance


• Three weeks of vacation for newly hired employees


• Generous 401(k) plan that includes employer matching funds and separate employer retirement contribution, including a Lifetime Income Strategy option


• Tuition reimbursement program


• Student Loan Repayment Program


• Life insurance and disability coverage


• Optional coverages you can buy pet insurance, home and auto insurance, additional life and accident insurance,critical illnessinsurance,group legal, ID theft protection


• Birth, adoption, parental leave benefits


• Ovia Health, fertility, and family planning


• Adoption Assistance


• Autism Benefit


• Employee Assistance Plan, including up to 10 free counseling sessions


• Healthy You Incentives, wellness rewards program


• Doctor on Demand, virtual doctor visits


• Bright Horizons, child and elder care services


• Teladoc Medical Experts, second opinion program


• And more!

Relocation Eligibility:

• Eligible for relocation

The salary range for this role is 95,500 USD - 181,700 USD. The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. RTX considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits, including but not limited to, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, flexible work schedules, employee assistance program, Employee Scholar Program, parental leave, paid time off, and holidays. Specific benefits are dependent upon the specific business unit as well as whether or not the position is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement.Hired applicants may be eligible for annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs depending on the level of the position and whether or not it is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and are dependent upon a variety of factors including, but not limited to, individual performance, business unit performance, and/or the company’s performance.This role is a U.S.-based role. If the successful candidate resides in a U.S. territory, the appropriate pay structure and benefits will apply.RTX anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require RTX to shorten or extend the application window.

RTX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class. RTX provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.

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