Senior Program Leader - Defense & Aerospace Programs

American Flowform & Machining; Billerica (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Applied Aerospace and Defense seeks a Lead Program Manager to guide a team of program managers and directly manage complex DoD defense contracts. You will align cross-functional engineering, agile development, and shop-floor manufacturing to meet strict customer quality and schedule goals.

The role requires enabling leadership, risk management, and continuous improvement across programs, with a focus on compliance and performance in a precision manufacturing setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (engineering, operations, business, or supply chain).
• 3+ years of direct program management experience in aerospace/defense/high-precision manufacturing.
• U.S. citizen due to federal contracts and ITAR/EAR data exposure.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Program Managers, establishing accountability, career growth, and succession planning.
• Manage a portfolio of defense manufacturing programs from award through shipment and closeout, tracking cost, schedule, quality, risk, and schedules.
• Serve as the primary customer interface for technical requirements, reviews, and contract negotiations with internal teams.
• Drive continuous improvement using Lean, Six Sigma, SPC, DOEs; oversee ERP systems to optimize production lines.

Skills

PMP Certification

Lean Six Sigma

ITAR/DFARS compliance

DoD experience

ERP systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Job description

Applied Aerospace and Defense seeks a Lead Program Manager to guide a team of program managers and directly manage complex DoD defense contracts. You will align cross-functional engineering, agile development, and shop-floor manufacturing to meet strict customer quality and schedule goals.

The role requires enabling leadership, risk management, and continuous improvement across programs, with a focus on compliance and performance in a precision manufacturing setting.