Program Manager

Verus Aerospace; Wichita (KS); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Verus Aerospace in Wichita, KS is seeking a Contracts & Programs Manager to oversee customer contracts from development to production, aligning SOWs, plans, and schedules with program goals.

You will collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams to resolve issues, manage changes, and ensure on-time delivery while maintaining strong customer relations.

A background in aerospace and lean processes will support driving improvements and contract execution across programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business; 5+ years in production/manufacturing.
• Aerospace industry experience preferred.
• Lean manufacturing and supply chain expertise a plus.

Responsibilities

• Support customer performance metrics and initiatives to improve supplier ratings.
• Direct customer communications and visits to ensure contractual compliance.
• Coordinate reviews (Rate Readiness, Assessments, Standards) and actions.
• Coordinate configuration changes and product quality issues with customers.
• Assist with contract closure and termination provisions.
• Lead new product processes or major configuration changes.

Skills

Contract terms

Root cause analysis

Problem solving

Cross-functional negotiation

Time management

Effective communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business

Aerospace industry experience

Lean manufacturing knowledge

Tools

MS Excel

MS Word

MS PowerPoint

MS Project

MRP/ERP systems

Job description

Manage aerospace customer contracts and programs from new product development to full production execution. Work closely with customers to develop, evaluate, and manage statement-of-work definitions, plans, requirements, schedules, and production activities related to assigned programs. Work with functional organizations to evaluate impact of major programs and process changes in support of customer requests. Monitors daily operations to identify and resolve issues with support of other department personnel as required. Works collaboratively with others to drive program performance and lead process improvement initiatives. Maintain communication, visibility, and close coordination with customer and supplier representative(s).

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Support & facilitate Customer Performance Metrics/Customer Excellence initiatives to achieve highest supplier rating as measured by Quality, On-time delivery and Customer Satisfaction.
• Direct customer communications including written correspondence, teleconferences, and customer visits to provide timely communications and internal visibility to assure compliance with all contractual program requirements
• Facilitate internal and external customer reviews (Rate Readiness, Assessments, Standards, Program status, etc.) and coordinate action items with functional managers
• Facilitate and coordinate configuration changes, engineering, product quality issues and daily program performance issues with internal and external customers
• Manage contract closure and negotiate contract termination provisions
• Lead and/or participate in 3P process for new products or significant configuration changes

Position Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Business preferred.
• Minimum five (5) years professional experience in a production-manufacturing environment or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Aerospace industry preferred.
• Lean manufacturing and supply chain management experience helpful.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of contracts terms and conditions
• Demonstrated effective root cause analysis and problem solving involving technically complex issues.
• Finance and accounting, sales and marketing, research and development, manufacturing, and continuous process improvement, supply chain management, new business development, and customer relationship management

Computer Skills

• Computer literate with working knowledge of MS Excel, MS Word, MS Power Point, and MS Project and MRP/ERP systems.

Language Skills

• Superior communication skills involving information exchange via effective listening, written, oral, and presentation techniques
• Facilitate consensus decision-making and cross-functional team support amongst operations and production manufacturing personnel.
• Monitor, encourage, and support production team on-time delivery and quality performance metrics
• Issues are proactively communicated to our customers.
• All customer inquiries are addressed in a timely manner.
• Customers are engaged on a day-to-day basis

Interpersonal skills, Personality, and Professional Conduct

• Ensure customer satisfaction by cross referencing the timeliness and accuracy of the information they receive.
• Effective time management.
• Artful cross-functional negotiation skills involving scope, cost, and delivery objectives