Program and Strategy Manager - Naval and Defense Programs

Emerge; Arvada (CO); On-site; USD 145,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision

Retirement match

Stock options

PTO and holidays

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Emerge is seeking an Undersea Program and Strategy Manager to lead a major end-to-end program across lifecycle, interfacing with Navy offices, warfare centers, and prime contractors. You will align engineering, operations, supply chain, quality, contracts, and finance to deliver compliant products on schedule and within budget.

The role requires strong executive communication, program forecasting, and risk management, with travel up to 20% to engage stakeholders and support program reviews with

Qualifications

• 6+ years in program or project management for complex engineered products, defense or government contracts.
• Experience with federal acquisition requirements and cross-functional coordination.
• Accountability for cost, schedule, scope, and deliverables in production programs.
• Understanding of contract types, funding, and program forecasting.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, or program management; relevant experience considered.

Responsibilities

• Lead a cross-functional program team with clear objectives, cadence, and accountability.
• Develop trusted relationships with Navy program offices and prime contractors.
• Prepare for and lead program reviews, briefings, and customer communications.
• Interpret contract requirements and coordinate with contracts for changes.
• Manage funding constraints, milestones, and change authorization.
• Track cost, schedule, technical, and supply-chain performance and recovery plans.

Skills

Executive communication

Negotiation

Relationship management

Planning and problem solving

Education

BS in engineering or related field

Tools

PMP

PgMP

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

Job description

Undersea Program and Strategy Manager

The Undersea Program and Strategy Manager leads a major program across the full lifecycle and is accountable for customer outcomes, contract performance, and business results. This role serves as the primary interface with Navy undersea program offices, naval warfare centers, prime contractors, and other government stakeholders. The Program Manager integrates engineering, operations, supply chain, quality, contracts, and finance to deliver compliant products and services on schedule, within budget, and to technical requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead a cross-functional integrated program team by establishing clear objectives, work plans, decision rights, operating cadence, and accountability.
• Develop and maintain trusted relationships with Navy program offices, undersea warfare organizations, warfare centers, contracting activities, prime contractors, and end-user representatives.
• Serve as the primary customer interface for programmatic matters; prepare for and lead program reviews, technical and schedule reviews, executive briefings, and customer communications.
• Interpret and execute contract requirements under applicable federal acquisition regulations, contract clauses, statements of work, specifications, data item descriptions, and deliverable requirements in coordination with functional leaders.
• Manage contract type and funding constraints, including fixed-price and cost-reimbursement work, options, incremental funding, deliverables, milestones, and change authorization.
• Track and communicate cost, schedule, technical, supply-chain, and contractual performance; analyze variances and lead timely recovery plans.
• Own the program risk and opportunity process, including identification, quantitative assessment, mitigation planning, escalation, and closure.
• Control scope and configuration changes; evaluate customer direction, prevent unauthorized work, and coordinate requests for equitable adjustment, claims support, and contract modifications with Contracts.
• Ensure timely and accurate completion of customer deliverables, reports, invoice or milestone evidence, and all records required by contract.
• Partner with Supply Chain, Quality, and Export Compliance to meet applicable requirements, which may include export controls, cybersecurity requirements, supply-chain controls, and government property management.
• Identify and lead corrective actions and continuous improvements that strengthen program execution and customer confidence.
• Foster a positive, accountable culture consistent with core company values and perform other duties assigned by the Director of Program Management.

Required Qualifications

• 6+ years of relevant experience in program or project management for complex engineered products, including significant responsibility for defense or other U.S. Government contracts.
• Demonstrated experience managing programs under federal acquisition requirements and working effectively with Contracts, Finance, Quality, Engineering, Operations, and Supply Chain.
• Experience owning cost, schedule, scope, risk, customer commitments, and contract deliverables for production programs.
• Working knowledge of contract types, change management, government funding, proposal development, and program financial forecasting.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, program management, or a related discipline; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Executive-level communication, negotiation, relationship-management, planning, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to lead through influence in a matrixed organization.
• Ability to translate technical, contractual, and financial information into clear decisions and recovery actions while maintaining attention to detail under deadline pressure.
• Ability to travel up to 20% and engage regularly with Navy, warfare-center, prime-contractor, and supplier stakeholders.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship and be able to obtain and maintain the security clearance and site/customer access required for assigned work.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience supporting U.S. Navy undersea warfare programs and established working relationships with relevant program offices, warfare centers, or related Navy laboratories.
• Prior Navy program-management experience, such as service in a Navy program office, warfare center, acquisition command, or closely aligned prime-contractor role.
• Experience as a Program Manager on a major defense development and production program, including customer reviews, contract modifications, and subcontractor management.
• Active U.S. Department of Defense Secret clearance or recent eligibility for reinstatement.
• PMP or PgMP certification; Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt experience.

Compensation And Benefits

The salary range for this role is $145,000 - $170,000 and is commensurate with the applicant's experience.

• medical, dental, and vision insurance
• flexible spending and health savings accounts
• disability, life, and AD&D insurance
• retirement savings with employer match and profit sharing
• employee stock purchase options
• generous PTO and paid holidays
• tuition reimbursement
• performance-based bonus opportunities
• various leave programs

Additional Compliance Requirements

Applicants must meet applicable U.S. export control eligibility requirements and security clearance requirements for this position.