Senior Manager, Emerging Talent Programs

Anduril Industries, Inc.; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Anduril Industries is seeking a strategic leader to head our Emerging Talent Program Managers, overseeing Intern, New Grad, Veteran, and Events initiatives. You will translate high-level talent strategy into scalable, high-impact programs while guiding a team toward consistently excellent experiences for candidates and internal partners.

The role emphasizes driving measurable improvements in conversion, retention, and hiring manager satisfaction in a fast-moving defense technology environment.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive leadership experience in talent acquisition, HR, or program management.
• 4+ years directly managing high-performing teams responsible for early career or emerging talent programs.
• Proven ability to design, implement, and scale complex emerging talent programs in a fast-moving, technical environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a high-performing team of program managers across Intern, New Grad, Veteran, and Events initiatives.
• Translate emerging talent strategy into consistent, scalable execution with clear priorities and delivery standards.
• Oversee university engagement, onboarding, candidate experience, and development programs.
• Own metrics for conversion, retention, and hiring manager satisfaction with robust reporting frameworks.
• Build cross-functional partnerships across Recruiting, Engineering leadership, HR, Finance, and Legal.

Skills

Leadership

Program management

Talent acquisition

HR partnerships

Job description

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century's most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril's family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.

ABOUT THE JOB

Anduril is experiencing hyper-growth, and the demand for exceptional engineering, software, and hardware talent is critical to our success. This strategic role is paramount to building and sustaining &retain a world-class pipeline of early career professionals who are passionate about our mission. As the leader of our Emerging Talent Program Managers, you will be instrumental in defining, architecting, and executing Anduril's emerging talent strategy, positioning us as the employer of choice for the brightest minds ready to tackle the toughest challenges in defense technology. Your ability to empower your team will directly ensure that our Intern, New Grad, and Veteran programs consistently deliver high-quality, impactful experiences that convert and retain top talent.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Lead & Develop a High-Performing Team : Provide exceptional leadership, coaching, and mentorship to a team of Program Managers overseeing Anduril's Intern, New Grad, Veteran, and Events initiatives. Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and professional growth within the team.
• Drive Strategic Program Execution: Translate high-level emerging talent strategy into consistent, high-quality, and scalable execution across all programs. Set clear priorities, establish robust operating rhythms, and define delivery standards to ensure programs consistently meet and exceed objectives.
• Oversee Program Management Excellence : Ensure the seamless planning, design, and delivery of all emerging talent programs, from university engagement and event strategy to candidate experience, onboarding, and development. Maintain program integrity, consistency, and alignment with Anduril's values and mission.
• Establish & Monitor Performance Metrics : Own accountability for key program outcomes, including year-over-year improvements in candidate conversion, program participant retention, and hiring manager satisfaction. Develop and implement robust reporting frameworks to track performance, identify trends, and drive data-informed decisions across all emerging talent initiatives.
• Cultivate Cross-Functional Partnerships : Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with critical internal stakeholders, including Recruiting, Engineering leadership, HR Business Partners, Finance, and Legal. Partner effectively to secure necessary resources, align program goals with business needs, and ensure widespread support and buy-in for emerging talent initiatives.
• Optimize Budget & Resource Allocation : Oversee program budgets, working closely with Program Managers and Finance to ensure responsible allocation of resources, maximize ROI, and identify opportunities for cost efficiency without compromising program quality.
• Champion Continuous Improvement: Utilize comprehensive program data (e.g., conversion rates, satisfaction scores, retention data, cost-per-hire) to conduct in-depth analysis. Identify program gaps, scale successful initiatives, eliminate ineffective practices, and continuously iterate to enhance program design and delivery.
• Elevate Program Impact & Reputation: Work with Program Managers to ensure that Intern, New Grad, and Veteran experiences are consistently high-quality, impactful, and reflective of Anduril's innovative culture. Drive strategies that build trust with hiring managers, fostering active participation and advocacy for the programs.
• Strategic Event Oversight: Provide strategic guidance and oversight to the Program Manager responsible for event strategy, ensuring that all emerging talent events effectively attract, engage, and convert top technical talent, aligning with the broader university relations and talent acquisition goals.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 8+ years of progressive leadership experience in talent acquisition, HR, or program management, with at least 4+ years directly managing high-performing teams responsible for early career or emerging talent programs (Intern, New Grad, Veteran programs).
• Demonstrated expertise in building, coaching, and developing Program Managers or senior individual contributors to achieve strategic objectives.
• Proven track record of designing, implementing, and scaling complex emerging talent programs in a fast-moving, technical,