Program Manager

AppleOne Employment Services; Downey (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Major medical

Dental

Vision

401k

Sick pay

Job summary

AppleOne Employment Services in Southern California seeks an experienced Program Manager to lead aerospace/defense projects from development through production. You will own cost, schedule, quality, and technical execution while coordinating with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain in a fast-paced, customer-facing environment.

The role demands 10+ years in aerospace/defense program management, a Bachelor's in a technical field, and strong knowledge of AS9100D, ITAR/EAR, and

Qualifications

• 10+ years of program or project management experience in aerospace/defense.
• Experience managing programs from development through production.
• Strong knowledge of AS9100D, ITAR/EAR compliance.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary customer point of contact for schedules, requirements, and deliverables.
• Manage full lifecycle aerospace/defense programs from development to production and delivery.
• Own program financial performance including budgeting, forecasting, and reporting.
• Lead cross-functional teams across engineering, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain.
• Ensure compliance with AS9100D, ITAR/EAR, and defense standards.
• Identify risks, develop mitigation plans, and report performance to leadership.

Skills

Program management

Customer communications

Cost management

EV / EVM

Scheduling

Cross-functional leadership

Microsoft Project

MS Excel

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Engineering/Manufacturing or related technical field

Tools

MRP/ERP systems

MS Project

ERP software

Job description

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Program Manager for a direct hire opportunity with a leading aerospace and defense manufacturing organization in the Southern California area. This onsite Program Manager role will oversee complex commercial, military, and space component programs from development through production, with ownership of cost, quality, delivery, customer satisfaction, and technical execution.

This is a high-visibility opportunity for a senior program leader who enjoys working closely with engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, senior leadership, and external customers. The environment is collaborative, fast-paced, and mission-focused, offering the chance to support advanced aerospace products while driving operational excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary customer point of contact for program schedules, technical requirements, contract deliverables, change requests, RFQs, and status updates.
• Manage full lifecycle aerospace and defense programs from development and prototyping through production, delivery, and customer acceptance.
• Own program financial performance, including cost tracking, forecasting, earned value analysis, budgeting, and internal and external reporting.
• Lead cross-functional teams across engineering, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain to meet milestones, resolve issues, and maintain program stability.
• Ensure compliance with internal procedures, customer specifications, AS9100 requirements, ITAR/EAR regulations, and applicable defense industry standards.
• Identify program risks, develop mitigation plans, report performance metrics, and provide recommendations to senior leadership and customers.

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary range: $175,000 to $205,000 per year.
• Job type: Direct hire.
• Work arrangement: Onsite in the Southern California area, with Santa Ana, CA noted as the onsite work location.
• For temporary assignments lasting 13 weeks or longer, AppleOne is pleased to offer major medical, dental, vision, 401k and any statutory sick pay where required.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Manage complex aerospace, defense, commercial, military, and space component programs through the full product lifecycle.
• Lead customer communications, contract deliverables, program schedules, budgets, and technical execution.
• Coordinate engineering changes, RFQs, production planning, hardware/software delivery, and customer data requirements.
• Lead cross-functional teams to achieve cost, quality, delivery, and customer satisfaction objectives.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Manufacturing, Engineering, or a related technical field is required.
• Minimum of 10 years of program or project management experience in the aerospace or defense industry.
• Proven success managing complex aerospace, defense, or space-related programs from development through production.
• Experience working with aerospace primes, Tier 1 customers, government defense customers, or similar high-compliance customer environments.
• Strong technical understanding of aerospace product development, fabrication, composites, ducting systems, and mechanical assemblies.
• Knowledge of AS9100D quality standards, ITAR/EAR compliance, and defense industry requirements.
• Experience leading teams through development, prototyping, production, and delivery.
• Ability to coordinate effectively with manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and engineering teams to resolve production and program issues.
• Proficiency with MRP/ERP systems supporting material planning, production planning, and program execution.
• Advanced financial acumen, including cost analysis, scheduling, budgeting, forecasting, and earned value management.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, including MS Project, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a polished, customer-facing presence.
• Ability to lead in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment with strong ownership, accountability, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting new business proposals, cost narratives, and technical narratives.
• Background managing programs involving aerospace composites, ducting systems, mechanical assemblies, or advanced fabricated components.
• Demonstrated success using KPIs, program reviews, and earned value metrics to drive performance improvement.
• Experience in a high-mix, high-compliance aerospace manufacturing environment.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disabled / Protected Veterans

The Know Your Rights poster is available here: https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12.pdf

The pay transparency policy is available here: https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/pdf/pay-transp_%20English_formattedESQA508c.pdf

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact your staffing representative who will reach out to our HR team.

AppleOne participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations as required by law. Learn more about the E-Verify program: https://e-verify.uscis.gov/web/media/resourcesContents/E-Verify_Participation_Poster_ES.pdf

We also consider for employment qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements, including, if applicable, the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. Pursuant to applicable state and municipal Fair Chance Laws and Ordinances, we will consider for employment-qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, including, if applicable, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For Los Angeles, CA applicants: Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.