Senior Program Manager

CesiumAstro, Inc.; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 193,000 - 236,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Health, dental, vision insurance

Retirement plans

Job summary

CesiumAstro seeks a Senior Program Manager to lead complex, high‑value space programs through strategic planning, customer engagement, and cross‑functional leadership across Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and Finance.

The role emphasizes managing risks, aligning program objectives with business goals, and delivering on contractual commitments while driving operational excellence with executive stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field with 12–15 years' experience or Master’s with 8–12 years.
• Expertise in program lifecycle management, planning, risk and cost control.
• Strong communication and cross-functional leadership abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead execution of complex, high‑value programs with integrated plans and milestones.
• Manage customer interfaces, executive reviews, milestones, and contractual discussions.
• Coordinate proposal transitions, contract execution, and lifecycle support.
• Develop governance, metrics, and reporting for program performance.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional leadership

CRM

Integrated product development

Operational execution

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, PM, Ops, or Supply Chain

Master's degree (optional) with 8–12 years experience

Tools

ERP systems (Oracle, SAP, MS Dynamics, NetSuite)

Microsoft Project

Jira

Power BI

Tableau

Job description

Please Note: To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

At CesiumAstro, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands‑on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward‑thinking individuals to join our team.

We are looking to add a Senior Program Manager to our team. In this role you will serve as a key program management advisor, advancing successful program execution through strategic planning, customer engagement, and cross‑functional leadership. This role strengthens organizational performance by leading complex, high‑value programs, evaluating program risks, and implementing execution strategies that achieve customer commitments while supporting long‑term business objectives.

Working cross‑functionally with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, Product Management, Business Development, and customers, the Senior Program Manager supports strategic program execution, customer relationship management, risk mitigation, and operational performance while ensuring programs are delivered in accordance with contractual requirements, financial objectives, and customer expectations.

Job Duties And Responsibilities

• Lead execution of complex, high‑value programs by developing integrated program strategies, execution plans, schedules, milestones, and performance objectives.
• Evaluate program performance across cost, schedule, technical, quality, and contractual requirements while implementing strategies that improve execution and customer satisfaction.
• Oversee successful execution of product development, manufacturing, production, integration, and customer delivery activities.
• Provide strategic direction that ensures alignment between program objectives and organizational priorities.
• Serve as the primary customer interface for complex programs and strategic customer engagements.
• Lead customer program reviews, executive briefings, milestone reviews, and contractual discussions.
• Build long‑term relationships with customers that strengthen confidence, program execution, and future business opportunities.
• Communicate program performance, risks, financial status, and strategic recommendations to executive leadership and customers.
• Lead integrated program teams across Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, Product Management, and Business Development.
• Evaluate program risks, dependencies, resource constraints, and business impacts while implementing mitigation strategies.
• Coordinate proposal transition, contract execution, production readiness, product delivery, and lifecycle support activities.
• Influence cross‑functional decision‑making to achieve successful program outcomes.
• Spearhead initiatives that strengthen program management processes, execution methodologies, and operational effectiveness.
• Develop integrated program management frameworks, reporting tools, governance processes, and performance metrics.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives that improve program execution, customer satisfaction, and business performance.
• Ensure compliance with contractual requirements, company procedures, and customer expectations.

Job Requirements And Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Program Management, Operations Management, Supply Chain, or a related field with 12–15 years of related experience, or a Master's degree with 8–12 years of related experience in program management, project management, operations, engineering, manufacturing, or a related discipline.
• Extensive knowledge of program management, customer relationship management, integrated product development, and operational execution.
• Expertise in program lifecycle management, strategic planning, financial management, risk management, contract execution, and cross‑functional leadership.
• Proficiency in utilizing program management tools, ERP systems, business reporting applications, and program performance metrics.
• Applies strategic thinking when balancing customer objectives, contractual commitments, business priorities, and program execution.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to lead multiple complex programs and strategic organizational priorities.
• Effective communication, influencing, and collaboration skills with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, Product Management, Business Development, executive leadership, and customers.
• Attention to detail when managing contractual performance, financial objectives, integrated schedules, customer communications, and program documentation.
• Demonstrates commercial insight by balancing customer success, program performance, financial objectives, and long‑term business growth.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams.
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, e.g. Oracle, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, NetSuite, or equivalent platforms.
• Program and project management applications, e.g. Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Jira, Primavera, or equivalent applications.
• Business intelligence and reporting tools, e.g. Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent applications.

$193,000 - $236,000 a year

CesiumAstro considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills. Full‑time employment offers include company stock options and a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability and retirement plans.

CesiumAstro is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Please note: CesiumAstro does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to CesiumAstro team members will be considered property of CesiumAstro, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.