Program Manager

Valence Surface Technologies; Wichita (KS); On-site; USD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Valence Surface Technologies seeks a Program Manager to oversee customer accounts and programs, ensuring defined expectations are met through ongoing coordination with internal departments and the customer. You will strategize high‑level program initiatives to support on‑time delivery of conforming parts and drive continuous improvement across operations, quality and logistics.

Applicants should have 5+ years in manufacturing or aerospace customer support; a Bachelor’s degree is preferred, GED

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in manufacturing or aerospace in a customer-support role.
• Bachelor's degree preferred (Business/Management).
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage defined list of customer accounts and programs.
• Coordinate with operations and shipping to manage schedules and routes.
• Create daily reports on orders to ensure on-time completion.
• Resolve issues causing delays and escalate when needed.
• Ensure cross-department communication to support customer expectations.
• Review order dates to prevent delays and coordinate with logistics.
• Assist in order review for new orders and customer approvals.
• Identify orders needing pre-planning for critical/high-priority orders.
• Mark expedited orders in the MRP system and note expedite fees.
• Maintain customer contact lists for auto-generated emails.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Customer coordination

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Management

GED/High School Diploma

Tools

MRP system

ERP software

Job description

Valence Surface Technologies is a full-service surface finishing company specializing in the commercial aerospace, defense, space and satellite industries. With ten strategically located sites across the United States, Valence provides a start to finish solution from NDT and chemical processing, to paint and sub-assembly.

Position Summary

This role manages customer accounts and programs to ensure defined expectations are achieved through continuous coordination with internal departments and the customer(s). This role also will also strategize and implement high-level program initiatives to support the customer in ensuring on-time delivery of conforming parts to each defined program.

Responsibilities

• Manage defined list of customer accounts (subject to change based on company performance and growth).
• Coordinate with operations and shipping department leaders to manage company shipping truck routes to include schedule, pick up, and drop off locations.
• Create daily report of customer orders currently in-house to review scheduled expected completion dates against current order status to ensure orders complete on time.
• Carry out required actions to resolve issues resulting in orders being placed on hold or causing orders to exceed defined lead times for each process. The program manager is responsible for pushing to resolve issues and escalating to department and/or site leadership team members if resolution to issues is not achieved in a timely manner.
• Ensure adequate communication is carried out between quality, operations, finance, and customer service departments to support the customer expectation.
• Review order completion dates to coordinate between truck routes (i.e. pick-up dates) and order completion dates to prevent delays.
• Work with receiving, planning, scheduling, and contract review personnel to review each incoming order for defined customers and programs; determine if order splits are required to ensure due dates are met including communication to customers for approval.
• Communicate with customers to identify orders that require pre-planning before order is delivered for critical orders and/or high priority expedite orders.
• Ensure all orders requiring expedited completion are marked as expedite within company MRP system, including listed expedite fee within specific order notes.
• Oversee the updating of MRP customer contact listing for each defined customer for the auto-generated order acknowledgment and order completion notification emails.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• High School Graduate or General Education Degree (GED): Required Bachelor Degree, Business Management or related: Preferred
• 5 plus years of experience in manufacturing or aerospace in a customer supporting role.

Export Compliance Requirement

This position requires access to EAR or ITAR controlled technologies. Applicants are required to be eligible for employment under U.S. export control laws and must meet the requirement of being a “U.S. Persons”.

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.