Program Director – HMMWV

AM GENERAL LLC; Auburn Hills (MI); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

AM General LLC in Auburn Hills, MI seeks an experienced enterprise program leader for the HMMWV/HV2.0 portfolio to own baselines, coordinate cross-functional IPTs, and ensure performance against cost, schedule, and customer requirements. The role requires 12–15 years in program management within defense, with experience in DoD production contracts and international programs.

You will translate missions into actionable plans and drive readiness from concept to production, delivering visibility to

Qualifications

• B.S. in Engineering, Business, Program Management, or related field required; M.S. preferred
• 12–15 years of progressively responsible program management experience in military vehicles/defense
• Experience leading production programs and complex product development from concept to fielding
• Direct experience managing U.S. Government production contracts; DoD acquisition familiarity preferred
• Experience supporting international defense customers and export/compliance considerations
• Strong DoD acquisition knowledge and customer engagement skills
• Cross-functional leadership across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, contracts, finance, and sustainment
• Proficiency with program management tools: Integrated Master Plans, Earned Value, baselines, and reviews
• Financial acumen in budgets, forecasts, and cost/schedule performance
• Knowledge of tactical vehicle architectures and production requirements

Responsibilities

• Strategy, financial performance, cost, schedule, and risk management for the HMMWV portfolio
• Lead enterprise program management for HV2.0 and related programs
• Develop customer trust and manage U.S. Government and international relationships
• Translate missions into clear directions for functional teams
• Drive HV2.0 from design through production readiness and launch
• Maintain an integrated product strategy and roadmap balancing current contracts and modernization
• Coordinate Production, Supply Chain, Quality, and Sustainment to meet commitments
• Lead cross-functional IPTs and establish executable baselines and milestones
• Manage budgets, cost-to-complete, and risk mitigation plans
• Provide executive reviews, deliverables, and strategic guidance for program success

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional leadership

DoD acquisition processes

Customer engagement

Strategic planning

Communication skills

Education

B.S. in Engineering or related field

M.S. in Engineering or related field preferred

Tools

EVMS / Earned Value Management

Integrated Master Plans & Schedules

Contract/Subcontract Management

Job description

INTRODUCTION TO AM GENERAL

AM General develops and builds specialized ground vehicle systems that get the US Armed Services and our allies to and from their mission safely. Our innovative spirit delivers advanced, rugged, resilient, and dependable mobility solutions. We are one team dedicated to producing the best products for our customers. We have a collective understanding that at AM General our purpose is to serve those who serve to protect us.

We R.I.D.E. with Sgt. Smith!
We are Responsive We have Integrity We are Dynamic We exhibit Excellence

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Accountable for strategy, financial performance, cost, schedule, technical performance, customer satisfaction, risk management, and cross-functional execution while ensuring the current HMMWV portfolio remains successful and HV2.0 transitions into a production-ready, marketable product
• Serve as the enterprise program leader for the HMMWV portfolio, with responsibility for current U.S. Government and international programs, assigned variants, modernization efforts, and future HMMWV-derived products
• Develop customer trust and maintain strong professional relationships with current and prospective U.S. Government and international customers
• Translate customer missions, requirements, priorities, and issues into clear direction for AM General functional teams
• Lead the design, development, integration, prototype build, test, qualification, production readiness, and product launch of HV2.0, ensuring the product meets approved customer, technical, cost, schedule, manufacturability, supportability, and business objectives
• Own and maintain an integrated HMMWV/HV2.0 product strategy and roadmap that balances current contract execution with modernization, obsolescence management, IR&D investment, product improvement, and future growth opportunities
• Lead HMMWV production and delivery execution with Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and Sustainment, ensuring material availability, manufacturing readiness, configuration control, acceptance, delivery, and support commitments are achieved
• Direct cross-functional Integrated Product Teams across Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Contracts, Finance, Business Development, Legal/Export Compliance, Sustainment, and other supporting organizations
• Establish executable program baselines, including requirements, Work Breakdown Structures, Integrated Master Plans and Schedules, budgets, staffing plans, technical milestones, deliverables, and risk/opportunity plans; identify resource needs and constraints early
• Account for program financial performance and fiduciary responsibilities, including budget execution, revenue and margin performance, cost-to-complete, forecasts, business cases, and timely escalation of material cost, schedule, or performance variances
• Lead HV2.0 production-readiness and launch planning, including supplier readiness, tooling, manufacturing processes, quality planning, technical data, test/acceptance requirements, spares, training, field support, and transition to repeatable production
• Coordinate international HMMWV opportunities and programs, including customer-specific configurations, proposal and contract execution, export/licensing interfaces, shipping and delivery requirements, field support, and long-term sustainment planning
• Generate and deliver clear program reviews, customer deliverables, reports, and executive briefings that provide timely visibility into performance, decisions required, risks, opportunities, and corrective actions
• Lead, mentor, and develop assigned program management personnel and IPT leaders
• Set clear accountability, enable timely decision-making, build consensus across functions, and create a high-performance execution culture

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• B.S. in Engineering, Business, Program Management, or related field required; M.S. in Engineering, Business, or related field preferred
• 12–15 years of progressively responsible program management experience, preferably within military tactical vehicles, ground systems, automotive product development, or the defense industry
• Demonstrated experience leading major production programs and complex product-development efforts from concept and requirements definition through prototype, test, qualification, production readiness, launch, and fielding
• Direct experience managing U.S. Government production contracts; experience with U.S. Army TACOM, PEO Ground Combat Systems, Product Director Light Tactical Vehicles, or similar DoD acquisition organizations preferred
• Demonstrated experience supporting international defense customers and managing program, configuration, delivery, export/compliance, and sustainment considerations associated with international programs
• Strong understanding of DoD acquisition processes and customer engagement, with proven ability to align customer requirements, acquisition strategy, and company objectives
• Extensive experience leading cross-functional teams and balancing strategic product planning with tactical execution across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, contracts, finance, sustainment, and business development
• Proficiency with program management systems and tools including Capture/Proposal Planning, Contract/Subcontract Management, Systems Engineering, Integrated Master Plans and Schedules, Work Breakdown Structures, Earned Value Management, Integrated Baseline Reviews, Program/Management Reviews, Major Milestone Reviews, IR&D planning, and Business Case Development
• Demonstrated financial acumen and experience managing program budgets, cost/schedule performance, profitability, forecasts, resource plans, and business cases
• Working knowledge of tactical vehicle architectures and integration considerations, including chassis/powertrain, electrical/electronic systems, survivability, payload, mission equipment, maintainability, configuration management, and manufacturing requirements
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; skilled at building consensus, making timely decisions, setting direction, managing ambiguity, and communicating complex technical and business issues to senior executives and customers
• Prior military service, defense acquisition experience, or prior experience with HMMWV/light tactical vehicle programs preferred

PHYSICAL EFFORT

• Sight: must be able to regularly read computer screen, reports, and various documents with detail and clarity to accomplish work tasks in a safe and efficient manner, including regular use of adequate close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and ability to adjust focus
• Hearing: must be able to regularly hear well enough to communicate

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Physical Location: This position operates in an office environment
• Teamwork: This position will work with others to ensure efficiency in the workplace
• Listening Skills: This position will need to understand how to use machinery properly and safely to prevent accidents and ensure all tasks are completed accurately
• Ability to follow instructions: Managers assign tasks and responsibilities, which vary; this position should be able to follow instructions competently
• Methodical approach: Production lines follow a set process, so this position needs a methodical approach to ensure all tasks are completed in the correct order for a smooth-running production line
• Concentration: This position may perform the same or similar tasks repeatedly, so a strong level of concentration when carrying out these tasks is important for quality control purposes. This role is often fast paced, so being able to maintain focus at all times is important

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Up to 25% travel may be required, including domestic and international travel

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.