Program Director

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company; Simsbury (CT); On-site; USD 175,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Retirement benefits

Paid time off and holidays

Life and disability insurance

Employee assistance and wellness资源

Incentive compensation eligibility

Job summary

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company EBAD is seeking an experienced Program Director to lead major defense programs within the Warfighter Division. You will own customer relationships, program execution, and long-term account growth across a complex portfolio, guiding strategy and cross-functional teams to deliver mission-critical outcomes.

The ideal candidate brings strong program leadership, commercial acumen, urgency, and the potential to progress into broader business or P&L

Qualifications

• Minimum 5–7 years of progressive program management experience in aerospace/defense or similar.
• Proven experience leading complex mechanical, electro-mechanical, or defense programs.
• Proven success managing customer-facing programs with high visibility and mission importance.
• Strong commercial acumen, including margin expansion and pricing strategy.
• Ability to balance customer needs, business performance, and internal capability development.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence stakeholders.
• Strong strategic thinking, communication, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Military service or military program experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end performance across assigned programs, including cost, schedule, quality, and profitability.
• Serve as primary customer interface and key account leader.
• Establish and execute long-range program and account strategies.
• Lead cross-functional teams across PM, operations, engineering, quality, and more.
• Drive execution discipline and ensure actions are closed before impacting commitments.
• Identify and resolve issues proactively with clear communication.
• Build performance-driven customer credibility for follow-on work.
• Contribute to Warfighter Division strategy and future leadership roles.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional leadership

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Commercial acumen

Communication

Risk management

Military programs

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree

Job description

This opportunity is located within our Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company business, a global leader of mission-critical hardware and systems solutions including precision energetics systems and innovative explosive solutions.

Job Description

At Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD), we believe that our strengths are built on our most important resource—our people. Join EBAD and you’ll be part of a team creating cutting‑edge technology that will blast us into the future. No other company can match the innovative, energetic solutions that we provide. At EBAD, you will actively contribute to successful missions, putting men, women, and satellites into space while protecting our armed service members around the world. If this is the culture and work environment you are seeking, then EBAD is the place for you!

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced, strategic, and commercially minded Program Director to lead major programs within EBAD’s Warfighter Division. This individual will own customer relationships, program execution, financial performance, and long‑term account growth across a complex portfolio of defense programs. The Program Director will operate with an ownership mentality, balancing customer success, cost, schedule, quality, technical execution, talent development, and business growth. This leader will establish trusted customer relationships, drive accountability across cross‑functional teams, and position EBAD as a differentiated partner capable of delivering on critical defense missions. The ideal candidate will bring strong program leadership, commercial acumen, a sense of urgency, and the leadership potential to progress into broader business or General Manager responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Own end‑to‑end performance across assigned programs, including customer satisfaction, cost, schedule, quality, technical execution, risk, and profitability.
• Serve as the primary customer interface and key account leader, building trusted relationships, anticipating customer needs, and strengthening EBAD’s long‑term position.
• Establish and execute long‑range program and account strategies while balancing near‑term customer commitments and broader business objectives.
• Lead cross‑functional teams across program management, operations, engineering, quality, supply chain, finance, contracts, and business development.
• Drive execution discipline, urgency, and accountability by ensuring actions are clearly owned, actively managed, and closed before they affect customer commitments or business performance.
• Effectively prioritize across multiple programs, customers, and competing business demands to maximize enterprise outcomes.
• Partner with business leaders to support growth, margin expansion, pricing strategy, contract structure, risk management, and long‑term account development.
• Hold internal teams accountable for delivering customer demand and meeting cost, schedule, quality, and technical commitments.
• Identify and resolve issues proactively while maintaining clear communication with customers and internal leadership.
• Build performance‑driven customer credibility that supports follow‑on work, expanded opportunities, and long‑term account growth.
• Contribute to Warfighter Division strategy and demonstrate the leadership, business acumen, and cross‑functional influence required for future broader business or P&L leadership roles.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5–7 years of progressive program management experience, preferably in aerospace, defense, space, or other complex manufacturing industries.
• Proven experience leading complex mechanical, electro‑mechanical, energetics, or defense‑related programs.
• Demonstrated success managing customer‑facing programs with high visibility, accountability, and mission importance.
• Strong commercial acumen, including experience with margin expansion, pricing strategy, contract structure, risk management, and long‑term account growth.
• Demonstrated ability to balance customer needs, business performance, and internal capability development.
• Proven ability to lead cross‑functional teams and influence stakeholders across all levels of an organization.
• Strong strategic thinking, business judgment, communication, and stakeholder‑management skills.
• Demonstrated sense of urgency, ownership, follow‑through, and ability to drive actions to closure.
• Evidence of building customer trust and winning follow‑on work through consistent, performance‑driven execution.
• Military service or military program experience is a plus.

Compensation & Benefits

The anticipated yearly wage range for this position is $175,000 - $250,000. The salary range represents the range EBAD has established in good faith for this position and may vary based on qualifications, experience, education, skills, internal equity, and business needs.

• medical, dental, and vision insurance
• retirement benefits
• paid time off and holidays
• life and disability insurance
• employee assistance and wellness resources
• incentive compensation eligibility, subject to applicable plan terms and conditions

Benefit eligibility may vary based on position, work location, employment status, and applicable plan provisions.

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, national origin, or veteran status.

EBI's 190-year history has been shaped by innovation and stewardship defining who we are today: a family‑owned, independently led, and professionally managed company united by our people, Core Values, and Winning Vision. We invite you to explore our three strong businesses and discover how you can help shape the next chapter of our story. Ensign-Bickford Industries founded in 1836, is a privately‑owned high technology conglomerate that participates in businesses that are relevant to the future of the world and have multigenerational growth prospects. As One EBI, we innovate in science and technology for the safety, health, and well‑being of society, creating exceptional long‑term value.

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