Program Manager - Defense

WIDIA; Rogers (AR); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Kennametal Inc. in Rogers, AR is seeking a Program Manager – Defense to lead cross-functional teams and coordinate defense projects across multiple plants. The role focuses on planning, resource management, and ensuring on-time execution of complex programs.

Ideal candidates will drive risk management, monitor milestones, and support defense opportunities with capture planning and proposals. US citizenship and ability to obtain a Secret clearance are required, with travel 10–15%.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, or business.
• 5 years of demonstrated experience as a program manager.
• Process Engineering or Manufacturing Project Management experience.
• US Citizenship and ability to obtain Secret clearance; travel 10–15%.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement comprehensive program plans, including scope, timeline, resources, and budget.
• Identification, distribution, tracking, and completion of program requirements
• Ensuring cross functional teams understand and adhere to contract scope, and manages change through leading status activities and project management of each awarded contract.
• Monitor, track and communicate key program metrics and milestones to all team members and stakeholders.
• Conduct proactive and comprehensive risk management to ensure risks are identified, impacts are known and communicated, and mitigations are planned into the project schedules.
• Support the Defense Sales Team in new business opportunities through current contracts and program execution with long term strategic planning, capture planning, and development of proposals and business plans

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional leadership

Risk management

Stakeholder communication

Aerospace/defense industry experience

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, or business

5+ years as a program manager

PMP certification

US Citizenship

Tools

Microsoft Project

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Teams

Job description

About Kennametal

With over 85 years as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace and defense, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Learn more at kennametal.com. Follow @Kennametal: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

With over 85 years as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace and defense, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Learn more at kennametal.com. Follow @Kennametal: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Job Title

Program Manager – Defense

Location

Rogers, AR

Job Summary

This role is responsible for managing, through direct influence, the overall coordination and execution of project types that may include new product development, capital improvement investments, manufacturing process development and implementation efforts at various production plants and manufacturing footprint initiatives.

The primary role and responsibilities will include the leadership, planning, development, organization, and maintenance of the project timeline and resource plans for defined projects. This role will also act as the liaison between business functions (e.g., Manufacturing, Marketing, Technology, IT, Finance), identifying key stakeholders, and ensuring alignment are being facilitated among process owners.

Key Job Responsibilities

• Develop and implement comprehensive program plans, including scope, timeline, resources, and budget.
• Identification, distribution, tracking, and completion of program requirements
• Ensuring cross functional teams (technology, engineering, plant manufacturing, QA, CSRs, Supply Chain, Sales) understand and adheres to contract scope, and manages change through leading status activities and project management of each awarded contract, SOW, etc.
• Monitor, track and communicate key program metrics and milestones to all team members and stakeholders.
• Conduct proactive and comprehensive risk management to ensure risks are identified, impacts are known and communicated, and mitigations are planned into the project schedules.
• Support the Defense Sales Team in new business opportunities through current contracts and program execution with long term strategic planning, capture planning, and development of proposals and business plans

Desired Attributes

• Ability to manage projects to specified milestones and established schedules
• Excellent collaboration and interpersonal skills with ability to manage a project team daily and communicate effectively with segment leadership regarding status, awareness, and escalations
• Ability to resolve disputes and negotiate with positive outcome while maintaining good relationships within the organization
• Ability to manage communications with stakeholders through organized processes to ensure that program information is defined, collected, shared, understood, stored and retrieved in a manner that effectively meets program and stakeholder needs
• Conduct proactive and comprehensive risk management to ensure risks are identified, impacts are known and communicated, and mitigations are planned into the project schedules.
• Preferred experience in the aerospace/defense industry, Defense or NASA and or commercial Ammunition manufacturing, or U.S. Government contracts and customers and/or project management in other industries

Education, Work Experience, Skills, Certificates

• Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, or a business program
• 5 years of demonstrated experience as a program manager
• Process Engineering or Manufacturing Project Management
• Strong collaborator across all levels of the organization. Demonstrated success in Cross-Functional Leadership and teamwork to achieve a common goal
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite, Microsoft Teams, Project Management Software (e.g., Microsoft Project), and demonstrated ability to learn other business software.
• Demonstrated and proven proficiency in program management principles required; PMP certification a plus.
• Must be a US Citizen and capable of obtaining a Secret security clearance level
• Able to travel 10% - 15%

Due to the nature of the operations at this facility, consideration as an applicant is limited to individuals who are either a US Citizen or a US Permanent Resident. An expression of interest from anyone who is not a US Citizen or a US Permanent Resident will not proceed for consideration as an applicant.

Kennametal Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.