Senior Program Manager

khaerospace; United States; Remote; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

khaerospace is seeking an experienced Program Manager to own customer program delivery from proposal through sustainment in a remote, travel-intensive role (up to 25%). You will coordinate engineering, production, test, deployment, and sustainment activities across multiple teams, ensuring on-time, on-budget outcomes for aerospace and defense programs.

You will mentor project managers, drive governance, and maintain clear executive communications while managing budgets, schedules, and risk

Qualifications

• Eight-plus years of program or project management experience, including three+ years leading complex technical programs.
• Delivery of aerospace/defense/unmanned systems hardware or software programs through customer acceptance.
• Experience managing budgets, forecasts, integrated schedules, contractual deliverables, risks, and scope changes.
• Ability to influence cross-functional teams, resolve competing priorities, and provide clear customer and executive briefings.
• Working knowledge of engineering development, systems integration, verification/validation, manufacturing, and field operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex programs with integrated schedules, budgets, milestones, deliverables, acceptance criteria, and accountable owners.
• Build and mature program office processes, governance, reporting, and tools while managing assigned customer programs.
• Coach project managers in planning, financial management, risk control, communication, and execution.
• Translate contract requirements into coordinated engineering, production, test, deployment, and sustainment plans.
• Track financial performance, forecasts, margin risks, changes, supplier commitments, and contractual milestones; develop recovery plans as needed.
• Serve as the primary program contact for customers, communicate progress and risks, and drive issue resolution and operational handoffs.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional leadership

Budget management

Forecasting

Risk management

Executive briefing

Systems engineering understanding

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, program management, or related area

Job description

Role overview

Own customer program delivery from proposal planning and contract award through development, production, field deployment, sustainment, and closeout. You will coordinate technical and operational teams, manage cost, schedule, scope, and risk, and help establish consistent program management practices across a growing organization. The position is remote and involves up to 25% travel.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex programs with integrated schedules, budgets, milestones, deliverables, acceptance criteria, and accountable owners.
• Build and mature program office processes, governance, reporting, and tools while managing assigned customer programs.
• Coach project managers in planning, financial management, risk control, communication, and execution.
• Translate contract requirements into coordinated engineering, production, test, deployment, and sustainment plans.
• Track financial performance, forecasts, margin risks, changes, supplier commitments, and contractual milestones; develop recovery plans as needed.
• Serve as the primary program contact for customers, communicate progress and risks, and drive issue resolution and operational handoffs.

Requirements

• At least eight years of program or project management experience, including three or more years leading complex technical programs across functions.
• Demonstrated delivery of aerospace, defense, unmanned systems, robotics, or comparable hardware and software programs through customer acceptance.
• Experience managing budgets, forecasts, integrated schedules, contractual deliverables, risks, and scope changes.
• Ability to influence cross-functional teams, resolve competing priorities, and provide clear customer and executive briefings.
• Working knowledge of engineering development, systems integration, verification and validation, manufacturing, and field operations.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, program management, or a related area, or equivalent professional or military experience.

Nice to have

• Experience with unmanned aircraft, autonomy, intelligence and surveillance, payload integration, airborne communications, or government and defense customers.
• Familiarity with government contracting, subcontract management, export or security requirements, and PMP certification or equivalent training.