Sr Manager Program Management

Valid8 Financial, Inc.; Littleton (CO); On-site; USD 190,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

ExoTerra, a world leader in solar electric propulsion systems, seeks a Sr Manager Program Management to lead the PMO and ensure on-time, on-budget delivery across government and commercial contracts.

Responsibilities include defining PMO strategy, managing budgets and resources, and driving process improvements while ensuring compliance with AS9100 and aerospace requirements. Strong leadership and PM controls are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, or related field.
• 15+ years of program or project management experience in aerospace, defense, or highly regulated manufacturing environments.
• 5+ years leading program management teams, including hiring and development.
• Proven success leading PMO organizations delivering complex aerospace programs.
• Strong expertise in program controls (cost, schedule, risk, change) and EVM.
• Experience managing multiple contracts and customers in a PMO context.
• Experience managing department budgets and resource allocation.
• Ability to work with executive leadership and represent the organization to customers.
• Familiarity with NASA, DoD, and commercial spaceflight contracting and reporting requirements.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the PMO, including program managers and planning staff.
• Set PMO objectives and develop strategic plans for execution excellence.
• Own portfolio performance across cost, schedule, scope, and risk.
• Manage PMO budget, resources, and capacity planning.
• Hire, develop, and retain program management talent; conduct reviews.
• Establish standards and best practices for PMO consistency.
• Oversee IMS and Master Production Schedules development/maintenance.
• Drive EVM, risk management, and change control processes.
• Lead Agile/Scrum adoption across engineering and manufacturing.
• Serve as executive escalation point for program issues and customer concerns.
• Represent PMO at leadership meetings and strategic planning.
• Present portfolio status, risks, and performance to customers/executives.
• Coordinate with engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and finance.
• Drive continuous improvement and tool development (MS Project, Smartsheet, Jira).
• Support proposals including planning, cost estimates, schedule development, risk assessment.
• Ensure compliance with AS9100 and regulatory obligations.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performance culture focused on delivery excellence.

Skills

Program management

Leadership

EVM

Cost control

Agile/Scrum

Communication

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

PMI-PMP or PgMP

Certifications in program management

Tools

MS Project

Smartsheet

Jira

Costpoint

Job description

ExoTerra is a world leader in solar electric propulsion systems and space exploration satellites. The company develops Hall Thrusters, propulsion modules, microsatellites, and launch vehicle upper stages. We have been awarded multiple propulsion module and satellite contracts.

Position Summary

The Sr Manager Program Management is responsible for leading ExoTerra's Program Management Office (PMO), encompassing Program Managers, Program Schedulers, and Program Strategy & Planning functions. This senior leadership position is accountable for achieving key company projects and goals, ensuring on-time and on-budget delivery of all programs, and driving customer satisfaction across commercial and government contracts.

You will establish company-level program management objectives and policies, manage PMO budget and resources, oversee program execution across all contracts, and represent ExoTerra's program management capabilities to customers and executive leadership. Your leadership will drive organizational development, process improvement, and strategic growth while ensuring compliance with aerospace standards and contractual requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Program Management Office (PMO), including Program Managers, Program Schedulers, and Program Strategy & Planning staff


• Set PMO objectives aligned with company goals; develop and execute strategic plans for program execution excellence


• Own overall program portfolio performance including cost, schedule, scope, and risk across all contracts


• Manage PMO budget, resource allocation, and capacity planning across all programs


• Hire, develop, and retain top program management talent; conduct performance reviews and support career development


• Establish program management standards, processes, and best practices to ensure consistency and quality


• Oversee development and maintenance of Integrated Master Schedules (IMS) and Master Production Schedules


• Drive implementation of Earned Value Management (EVM), risk management, and change control processes


• Lead the adoption of Agile/Scrum methodologies across engineering, manufacturing, and test operations


• Serve as executive escalation point for program issues, risks, and customer concerns


• Represent the PMO at executive leadership meetings and in company-wide strategic planning


• Present program portfolio status, risks, and performance to customers and executive leadership


• Coordinate with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Finance to ensure cross-functional alignment


• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, tool development (MS Project, Smartsheet, Jira), and automation to increase PMO efficiency


• Support proposal efforts including program planning, cost estimates, schedule development, and risk assessment


• Ensure compliance with contractual requirements, aerospace standards (AS9100), and regulatory obligations


• Foster a collaborative, high-performance culture focused on delivery excellence and customer satisfaction


• Manage relationships with customers, ensuring proactive communication and strong partnerships

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, or related field


• 15+ years of program or project management experience in aerospace, defense, or highly regulated manufacturing environments


• 5+ years of experience managing program management teams, including hiring, performance management, and development


• Demonstrated success leading PMO organizations and delivering complex, cross-functional aerospace programs


• Strong expertise in program controls (cost, schedule, risk, change management) and Earned Value Management (EVM)


• Experience managing program portfolios with multiple concurrent contracts and customers


• Experience managing department budgets and resource allocation


• Proven ability to work with executive leadership and represent the organization to customers


• Familiarity with NASA, DoD, and commercial spaceflight contracting and reporting requirements


• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree (MBA, MS Engineering, or similar)


• PMP, PgMP, or equivalent certification


• Experience managing teams of 10+ program management professionals


• Background in electric propulsion systems, spacecraft, or satellite programs


• Experience with Agile/Scrum implementation in hardware development environments


• Expertise with program management tools (MS Project, Smartsheet, Jira, Costpoint)


• Experience in an AS9100-certified organization


• Track record of building and scaling PMO organizations


• Experience supporting business development, capture, and proposal activities


• Recognition as a leader within the aerospace program management community

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• Ability to work in office and manufacturing environments


• 8-hour shift, Monday to Friday


• Schedule flexibility to meet program deadlines and customer needs


• Travel required for customer meetings, reviews, and program oversight

Salary Range: $190,000 – $230,000 per year (dependent on experience and qualifications)

ExoTerra offers a comprehensive total compensation package including competitive salary, a discretionary annual bonus plan, paid time off (PTO), comprehensive health benefits, and various other benefits. When you join our team, you become part of a dynamic community dedicated to innovation and excellence.

Export Control Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

ExoTerra is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.