Program Manager - Aerospace

Valence Surface Technologies, LLC; Garden Grove (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

401k Match

PTO

Holidays

Job summary

Valence Surface Technologies, LLC in Garden Grove, CA is seeking a Program Manager to oversee defined customer accounts, coordinate with operations and shipping leaders to optimize truck routes, and create daily in‑house order reports to ensure timely completion.

The role requires 3–5 years in aerospace/defense programs, a Bachelor's degree in a related field, and strong stakeholder communication. Travel and ITAR compliance are part of the duties; a comprehensive benefits package is offered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, engineering management, aerospace, business or related field
• 3-5 years of experience in aerospace, defense, or comparable technical programs
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

Responsibilities

• Manage defined list of customer accounts (subject to change based on company performance and growth).
• Coordinate with operations and shipping leaders to manage truck routes, schedules, pickups and drop-offs.
• Create daily in-house order reports to review completion dates against status for on-time delivery.
• Resolve issues causing holds or lead time overruns; escalate to leadership when needed.
• Ensure communication between quality, operations, finance, and customer service to support expectations.
• Review order dates to coordinate between routes and due dates to prevent delays.
• Review incoming orders for defined customers to determine if splits are needed with customer approval.
• Communicate with customers to pre-plan for critical/high-priority orders.
• Retrieve engineering data prior to deliveries and disseminate to processing team.
• Oversee MRP updates for customer notifications and expedite flags.
• Partner with accounting to set up terms for new customers under responsible list.
• Communicate to establish scorecard review for delivery and quality metrics.
• Participate in reviews with Quality/Customer Service to identify issues and actions.
• Travel to defined customers as required for meetings and new work packages.
• Other duties as assigned

Skills

Excellent communication

Stakeholder management

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering, engineering management, aerospace, business or related field

Job description

• 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 in 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 resolutions to issues is not
  achieved in a timely manner.
• Ensure adequate communications is carried out between quality, operations, finance, and customer service departments to supports 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 o 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 required engineering (i.e. blueprints, CATIA models, specifications, part mark aids, etc.) is retrieved, prior to order deliveries, to be disseminated to the appropriate personnel to implement into processing plan.
• Ensure all orders requiring expedited completion are marked as expedite within company MPR system, including listed expedite fee listed 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.
• Partner with accounting department to set up new terms and conditions within MRP system for new customers under the Program Manager responsible customer list.
• Communicate with all defined customers to establish scheduled scorecard retrieval and review for delivery and
  quality metrics.
• Perform scheduled reviews with Quality Manager, Customer Service Manager, and/or their defined representatives over the information contained within each customer scorecard to identify negative trends and establish corrective and/or preventative actions.
• Review non-conformances issued from company on defined customer list.
• Participate in root-cause corrective actions for defined customers to provide input and feedback as required to prevent recurring issues.
• Review New Part Integration activities carried out by defined customer list for work packages and/or processes.
• Travel to defined customers as required to carry out meetings, review performance metrics, and to work with sales personnel to obtain new work package.
• Other duties as assigned
• Compensation Range $85K-125k (DOE)
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Employer Paid Basic Life, Supplemental Life Insurance, 401k Employer Match
• Generous Paid Time Off program
• 8 Holidays and 1 Floater Holiday
• Required Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, engineering management, aerospace, business or related field
• 3-5 years of experience in aerospace, defense, or comparable technical programs
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Preferred Qualifications
• Experience with aerospace, or defense systems
• Experience in fast‑paced development environments or structured defense programs
• Success Indicators
• Strong ability to translate technical details into clear program direction
• Proactive risk identification and mitigation
• High‑quality communication with executives and customers
• Ability to drive accountability across different departments.
• Consistent on‑time delivery with quality conforming parts.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
Working conditions are normal for an office environment but may be exposed to shop conditions.

Valence Surface Technologies is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.Additionally, Valence Surface Technologies participates in the E-Verify program to ensure employment eligibility of newly hired employees where required.

This position requires access to knowledge and technical data regulated by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Valence Surface Technologies is required to verify that applicants meet ITAR requirements prior to employment for this role.

Behaviors

Preferred

Functional Expert : Considered a thought leader on a subject

Team Player : Works well as a member of a group

Leader : Inspires teammates to follow them

Detail Oriented : Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well

Dedicated : Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity

Education

Required

High School or better.

Preferred

Bachelors or better in Business Administration or related field.

Experience

Required

Proficient in Microsoft Office

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.