Program Manager – AOC Falconer Modernization

KBR, Inc.; Town of Bedford (NY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K plan with company match

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Paid time off

Job summary

KBR, Inc. is seeking a senior Program Manager to lead a large, mission-critical Air Operations Center (AOC) modernization and sustainment effort. The role includes capture, proposal, and transition planning before award, followed by full execution with customer engagement and risk management.

AOC expertise and government stakeholder collaboration are essential. The ideal candidate has senior leadership in operational C2 and air operations, understands live fielded systems, and will build trusted

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is required.
• 15+ years in DoD/national security leadership roles preferred.
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance is required.

Responsibilities

• Lead mission-facing program leadership for the Falconer/AOC program.
• Manage cost, schedule, performance, staffing, and risk across the lifecycle.
• Engage with government stakeholders and senior leaders to ensure mission outcomes.
• Support capture, proposals, and transition planning prior to award.

Skills

Program management

Air Operations

C2 operations

Stakeholder engagement

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field

Graduate degree or JPME/Advanced military education (preferred)

Job description

Program Manager – AOC Falconer Modernization

Belong. Connect. Grow. with KBR!

KBR's National Security Solutions team provides high-end engineering and advanced technology solutions to our customers in the intelligence and national security communities. In this position, your work will have a profound impact on the country’s most critical role – protecting our national security.

Why Join Us?

• Innovative Projects: KBR's work is at the forefront of engineering, logistics, operations, science, program management, mission IT and cybersecurity solutions.
• Collaborative Environment: Be part of a dynamic team that thrives on collaboration and innovation, fostering a supportive and intellectually stimulating workplace.
• Impactful Work: Your contributions will be pivotal in designing and optimizing defense systems that ensure national security and shape the future of space defense.

Position Summary:

KBR is seeking a senior Program Manager to lead a large, mission-critical Air Operations Center (AOC) modernization and sustainment effort. Prior to award, the Program Manager will support capture, proposal, and transition planning activities to ensure KBR develops an executable, mission-focused solution. Following award, the Program Manager will assume overall responsibility for program execution, including customer engagement, technical performance, cost, schedule, staffing, subcontractor management, risk management, and delivery of mission outcomes. This is a mission-facing leadership role requiring a proven leader who can build trusted relationships with government stakeholders, operators, and teammates while successfully delivering complex operational and technical programs.

The ideal candidate is a former senior AOC, air operations, or operational C2 leader who understands how an AOC actually functions under real mission tempo. This person must understand how government programs are run from the government side: cost, schedule, performance, risk, requirements, stakeholder alignment, contractor accountability, operational readiness, and the realities of fielded weapon system sustainment. The candidate will exhibit collaborative leadership with the government program office, operators, teammates, and the requirements community.

Key Responsibilities

1. Mission-Facing Program Leadership

• Lead KBR's Falconer/AOC program strategy and execution activities, ensuring alignment between customer objectives, operational needs, and program performance.
• Apply firsthand understanding of AOC operations, command relationships, ATO cycles, operational readiness, mission assurance, continuity of operations, and distributed command-and-control requirements.
• Evaluate proposed technical and programmatic approaches to ensure they are operationally practical and support mission execution.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with government stakeholders, operational users, teammates, and internal leadership.

2. Government Program Management Insight

• Apply extensive program management experience to drive successful execution of cost, schedule, performance, and risk objectives.
• Develop and implement program management processes, governance structures, staffing plans, reporting mechanisms, and performance metrics.
• Establish program priorities, monitor program health, and proactively address risks, issues, and dependencies.
• Ensure all program activities align with customer expectations, contractual requirements, and mission outcomes.

3. Capture and Proposal Support

• Support KBR's pre-RFP and proposal readiness activities by helping translate mission requirements into clear execution concepts and proposal language.
• Contribute to win themes, discriminators, program management approach, transition strategy, staffing approach, performance objectives, and customer engagement strategy.
• Help prepare for site visits, one-on-one engagements, technical interchange meetings, oral presentations, and executive reviews.
• Coordinate with the Technical Lead, capture leadership, pricing, contracts, BD, operations, and SMEs to ensure the proposed program approach is integrated and credible.

4. Transition and Execution Readiness

• Develop a realistic approach for transitioning from incumbent or current-state operations into KBR-led execution without disrupting mission operations.
• Ensure the program approach addresses 24/7/365 sustainment, help desk, incident escalation, operational availability, training, cyber compliance, and staffing stability.
• If awarded, potentially serve as or support the transition into Program Manager, Senior Advisor, or customer-facing mission lead role.

5. Program Execution

• Assume full responsibility for program execution following contract award, including delivery of technical, operational, and business objectives.
• Manage cost, schedule, performance, staffing, subcontractor execution, and customer satisfaction across the program lifecycle.
• Serve as the primary interface between KBR and government leadership, maintaining strong relationships with program office personnel, operational stakeholders, and requirements owners.
• Lead integrated program reviews, status meetings, risk reviews, and executive-level customer engagements.
• Develop and maintain program plans, staffing plans, financial forecasts, and performance metrics to ensure successful execution.
• Recruit, develop, mentor, and lead a high-performing team of program managers, engineers, operators, and support personnel.
• Monitor program financial performance, including revenue, funding, labor utilization, subcontractor performance, and profitability objectives.
• Identify and mitigate technical, schedule, staffing, operational, and contractual risks before they impact program execution.
• Coordinate closely with the Technical Lead to ensure technical solutions are delivered within cost, schedule, and performance constraints.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and mission focus across the program team.

Work Environment:

• Location: Onsite-Hanscomb AFB-preferred
• Travel Requirements: Up to 25%, with potential travel for customer engagements, industry events, proposal activities, site visits, and transition planning.
• Working Hours: Standard with flexibility required during proposal surge periods and technical review cycles.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field; advanced military education, graduate degree, or equivalent senior operational leadership experience preferred.
• 15+ years of relevant Air Force, Joint, DoD, or national security experience, including senior leadership in operational command-and-control, air operations, or mission-critical weapon system environments.
• Prior experience leading, managing, or governing large, complex programs, with demonstrated responsibility for cost, schedule, performance, risk management, stakeholder engagement, requirements management, staffing, and operational readiness.
• Demonstrated experience briefing senior military, civilian, and industry leaders.
• Practical understanding of AOC operations, air tasking processes, operational C2, mission assurance, and the constraints of maintaining live operational systems.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and senior SMEs without relying solely on formal authority.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate operational needs into clear program priorities and proposal themes.
• Active Top Secret clearance.

Desired:

• Direct experience with Air Operations Centers, Kessel Run, C3BM, JADC2, CBC2, or related Air Force C2 modernization efforts.
• Experience supporting or interacting with AFLCMC, PAE C3BM, ACC, Kessel Run, AOC weapon system stakeholders, or operational C2 customers.
• Experience with weapon system sustainment, software modernization, operational readiness, performance-based contracting, and contractor performance evaluation.
• Experience supporting proposals, industry engagements, source selections, market research, RFIs, or major acquisition planning activities.
• Master’s degree, JPME, Air War College, or equivalent senior leader development.
• Active TS/SCI

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you're excited about making a significant impact in the field of space defense and working on projects that matter, we encourage you to apply and join our team at KBR. Let's shape the future together.

KBR Benefits

KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits which could include 401K plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, or flexible work schedule. We support career advancement through professional training and development.

Belong, Connect and Grow at KBR

At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a People First company. That commitment is central to our team's philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver - Together.

KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.