Program Manager

UDC - Ultra Defense Corp; Tampa (FL); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional Development

Job summary

Ultra Defense Corp (UDC) is seeking an experienced Program Manager in Tampa, FL, to lead the development and production of a new product line for U.S. Government and commercial small caliber ammunition.

You will own program execution across production, engineering, testing, subcontractor performance, quality, safety, cost, schedule, and customer requirements. This role serves as the primary customer-facing representative for active contracts, leads proposals, and supports business development

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Business, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience as a Program Manager or technical lead.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams and cross-functional collaboration.
• Strong capabilities in cost, budget, schedule, risk, and milestone management.
• Experience across technical, production, supplier, and customer-facing environments.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, planning, prioritization, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams without direct reporting authority.

Responsibilities

• Lead program execution to meet contract deliverables, production schedules, supplier commitments, quality standards, safety requirements, and milestones.
• Manage program cost, budget, and schedule performance with EAC reviews and milestone activities.
• Lead program governance, reviews, risk management, and communications with customers and internal teams.
• Drive collaboration across Engineering, Production/Operations, Quality, Safety, Supply Chain, Finance, and Business Development.
• Guide product development and engineering activities to align with customer requirements and program objectives.
• Apply knowledge of small caliber ammunition design and manufacturing to support informed decisions.
• Lead proposal activities for opportunities on assigned products and coordinate inputs from cross-functional teams.
• Serve as a primary customer-facing representative for active programs and communicate status and risks internally and externally.

Skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic planning

Stakeholder management

Communication

Problem solving

Influence without authority

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Business, or related field

PMP certification (preferred)

Job description

Ultra Defense Corp (UDC) is a privately held defense company headquartered in Tampa, Florida, with domestic manufacturing facilities and operations supporting American national security interests worldwide.

For more than 15 years, UDC has built a stable and mature organization and is now entering a significant period of expansion. With a recently launched product line aligned with Pentagon priorities in advanced technology and domestic manufacturing, UDC offers the opportunity to work in an entrepreneurial environment backed by organizational stability and competitive benefits.

The Opportunity

UDC is seeking an experienced Program Manager to lead the development and production of a new product line supporting U.S. Government and commercial small caliber ammunition requirements.

This role will own program execution across production, engineering development, testing, subcontractor performance, quality, safety, cost, schedule, and customer requirements. The Program Manager will also serve as a primary customer-facing representative for active contracts, lead product-related proposal activities, and support business development efforts.

This is an excellent opportunity for a program leader who can bring together technical and operational teams, drive execution, and operate effectively across a fast-moving defense manufacturing environment.

What You’ll Do

• Lead overall program execution to achieve contract deliverables, production schedules, supplier commitments, quality standards, safety requirements, and key milestones.
• Manage program cost, budget, and schedule performance, including EAC reviews, spend plans, tracking tools, milestone reviews, and coordination with Finance.
• Lead program governance and day-to-day execution, including program reviews, action-item tracking, customer IPTs, risk management, and internal/external communications.
• Drive collaboration across Engineering, Production/Operations, Quality, Safety, Supply Chain, Finance, Business Development, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
• Guide product development and engineering activities to ensure designs, qualification plans, testing, and design gates remain aligned with customer requirements and program objectives.
• Apply technical knowledge of small caliber ammunition design, performance, components, and manufacturing to support informed program decisions.
• Lead proposal efforts for opportunities associated with assigned products, coordinating cross-functional inputs and customer requirements.
• Serve as a key customer-facing representative for active programs and communicate product capabilities, program status, risks, and customer needs internally and externally.

What We’re Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Business, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience as a Program Manager or technical lead.
• Demonstrated experience managing projects and leading multi-disciplinary teams.
• Strong program/project management capabilities, including cost, budget, schedule, risk, and milestone management.
• Experience working across technical, production, supplier, and customer-facing environments.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, planning, prioritization, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams without direct reporting authority.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience managing defense contracts.
• Experience leading munitions design and/or production programs.
• Knowledge of small caliber ammunition design, platforms, components, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience managing production and product-development programs.
• PMP certification or demonstrated experience applying formal program management principles.

Leadership Profile

The successful candidate will be comfortable providing matrix leadership across multiple functions and locations. You should be able to organize teams, establish priorities, influence resource allocation, create accountability, and keep complex programs moving toward critical milestones—even when team members do not report directly to you.

We are particularly interested in candidates who demonstrate:

Accountability | Collaboration | Communication | Customer Focus | Integrity | Problem Solving | Adaptability | Technical Acumen | Risk Management | Strategic Thinking | Decision Making | Business Acumen

Location & Travel

This position is based in Tampa, Florida and will operate in a hybrid environment, with the expectation that the Program Manager will report to the UDC Tampa office as required.

Periodic travel of approximately 25% is expected to UDC production facilities in Kansas City, Missouri and Marshall, Texas, as well as supplier locations and customer meetings. Initial travel to production locations should be expected.

Additional Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Must be able to successfully complete applicable ATF/BATFE requirements.

Why UDC?

At UDC, you’ll have the opportunity to help shape and execute programs directly supporting U.S. national security while working across engineering, manufacturing, operations, supply chain, and customer organizations.

What UDC Offers

• Professional Development and Advancement Opportunities

Ultra Defense Corporation is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.