Sr Program Manager - Maritime

QinetiQ US; Lorton (VA); Hybrid; USD 165,000 - 215,000; Full time

Job summary

QinetiQ US is seeking an experienced Sr Program Manager to lead end-to-end defense production programs in a hybrid role based in Lorton, VA or Franklin, MA. You will drive scope, schedule, cost, and supplier relationships, ensuring compliance with government regulations and coordinating with government agencies, primes, and internal teams.

Responsibilities include managing WBS/IMS, material program plans, supplier evaluations, and production execution while applying Lean, Six Sigma, and risk

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, science, mathematics, or related field.
• 10+ years of Project/Program lead experience with defense customers.
• PMP, EVMS, CAM, CSCP, APICS, or equivalent.
• FAR, DFARS, ITAR knowledge; risk management and cost control; supplier quality and delivery eval; Deltek CostPoint or similar; Jira, Windchill.
• Strong leadership, negotiation, and cross-functional communication skills.
• Excellent people skills; experience leading a team of technical personnel and resolving conflicts.
• Strong customer management skills; ability to meet customer needs without scope growth.
• Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills; clear collaboration across teams.
• Excellent Windows/Microsoft Office, Microsoft Project, etc.
• Hybrid office/remote from Lorton, VA or Franklin, MA area.
• Willing to travel up to 25%.

Responsibilities

• Program Oversight: Define scope, objectives, and deliverables for multi‑phase defense programs and align with requirements.
• Program Management: Develop WBS and IMS; manage schedule, budget, risks; coordinate with functions to meet objectives.
• Material Program Management: Create and maintain Material Program Plan with quality, scheduling, and supply chain teams.
• Supplier & Sourcing Management: Evaluate supplier quality and delivery; perform TCO analyses.
• Production Execution: Coordinate resources to ensure on-time, in-scope, and within-budget delivery.
• Compliance & Risk Management: Ensure FAR/DFARS/ITAR compliance; identify and mitigate risks.
• Stakeholder Communication: Lead liaison with government, primes, internal teams, and suppliers; report progress.
• Quality & Process Improvement: Apply Lean, Six Sigma; reduce waste and improve efficiency.
• Analysis and Decision‑Making: Manage programs with complex requirements and multiple relationships.

Skills

Leadership

Negotiation

Cross-functional communication

Program management

Cost control

Risk management

Supplier evaluation

Customer management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Business, Science, Mathematics, or related field

Master’s degree in engineering, Business, Science, Mathematics, or related field

Tools

Deltek CostPoint

Jira

Windchill

Microsoft Project

Job description

Company Overview

We are a world-class team of professionals who deliver next generation technology and products in robotic and autonomous platforms, ground, soldier, and maritime systems in 50+ locations world-wide. Much of our work contributes to innovative research in the fields of sensor science, signal processing, data fusion, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and augmented reality (AR).

QinetiQ US’s dedicated experts in defense, aerospace, security, and related fields all work together to explore new ways of protecting the American Warfighter, Security Forces, and Allies. Being a part of QinetiQ US means being central to the safety and security of the world around us. Partnering with our customers, we help save lives; reduce risks to society; and maintain the global infrastructure on which we all depend.

Why Join QinetiQ US?

If you have the courage to take on a wide variety of complex challenges, then you will experience a unique working environment where innovative teams blend different perspectives, disciplines, and technologies to discover new ways of solving complex problems. In our diverse and inclusive environment, you can be authentic, feel valued, be respected, and realize your full potential. QinetiQ US will support you with workplace flexibility, a commitment to the health and well-being of you and your family and provide opportunities to work with a purpose. We are committed to supporting your success in both your professional and personal lives.

Position Overview

QinetiQ US is looking to hire an experienced Sr Program Manager to support Maritime programs in Franklin, MA. This will be a hybrid position requiring regular time on-site. The Program Manager will lead the end‑to‑end execution of defense production programs, with a strong focus on material sourcing, supply chain management, and compliance with government acquisition regulations. The role ensures that all material and production activities meet technical, schedule, and cost objectives while maintaining adherence to contract specifications and performance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Program Oversight: Define scope, objectives, and deliverables for multi‑phase defense production programs; align with government and/or Prime contractor requirements. Lead program reviews to discuss technical, cost and schedule activities
• Program Management: Create program plans including the development of Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) for management of scope to ensure alignment with contract requirements, budgets, and internal commitments. Monitor and assess program performance against plan (schedule and financial), identify risk and scope changes, develop and implement corrective action when necessary to initiate program changes. Control expenditures per the project budget and report monthly on project budget to actual performance via the Estimate to Complete (ETC) process. Understand the role and responsibility of each program team member, and through expert communication and leadership skills, establish a common understanding among team members on scope, schedule, and financial objectives. Work with functional managers to develop program resource plans. Direct assigned program resources. Work closely with the Business Development, Engineering, Operations, and Finance departments to support proposal efforts, contract negotiation and award.
• Material Program Management: Develop and maintain a Material Program Plan (MPP) in coordination with quality, scheduling, and supply chain teams.
• Supplier & Sourcing Management: Evaluate and monitor supplier quality, reliability, and delivery capability; conduct quotation analysis using total cost of ownership (TCO) tools.
• Production Execution: Coordinate internal resources, subcontractors, and vendors to ensure on‑time, in‑scope, and within‑budget delivery.
• Compliance & Risk Management: Ensure adherence to federal acquisition regulations (FAR, DFARS), ITAR, and defense security protocols; identify and mitigate risks.
• Stakeholder Communication: Serve as primary liaison between government agencies, prime contractors, internal teams, and suppliers; prepare detailed progress and issue reports.
• Quality & Process Improvement: Apply Lean, Six Sigma, and process excellence methods to improve production efficiency and reduce waste.
• Analysis and Decision‑Making: Proven track record of managing programs with challenging technical, schedule, and cost requirements as well as complex customer and subcontractor relationships.
• Ability to use cost and schedule management techniques to develop and maintain schedule/budgets
• Ability to use cost/schedule data to execute programs and forecast program performance
• Ability to own program performance at all levels
• Ability to demonstrate accountability in action

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Business, Science, Mathematics, or related field.
• 10+ years of Project/Program lead experience with defense customers.
• PMP, EVMS, CAM, CSCP, APICS, or equivalent;
• Government acquisition regulations (FAR, DFARS, ITAR); Risk management and cost control techniques; supplier quality and delivery evaluation; Deltek CostPoint or similar MRP/ERP software systems, Jira, Windchill, etc.; Project design, development, test, installation, and/or repair of hardware; Quality assurance, production, and supply chain processes.
• Strong leadership, negotiation, and cross-functional communication skills.
• Possess excellent people skills – demonstrated experience leading a team of technical personnel from different functions and foster collaboration and excel at conflict resolution.
• Strong customer management skills - must be capable of managing a customer to assure the customer’s needs are met without incurring scope growth.
• Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills. Must be able to communicate clearly and effectively to promote collaboration among the program team.
• Excellent computer skills with a strong proficiency in Windows platform, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Visio), Microsoft Project, etc.
• Hybrid office/remote from Lorton, VA or Franklin, MA area
• Must be willing and able to travel up to 25%

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in engineering, Business, Science, Mathematics, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in production management.
• 5+ years of experience in material program management.

Pay Transparency

The salary range for this role is $165,000 - $215,000 USD. The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. QinetiQ US considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.

Company EEO Statement

Accessibility/Accommodation:

If because of a medical condition or disability you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please send an e‑mail to [e-mail] or call [phone] Opt. 1 and let us know the nature of your request and contact information.

QinetiQ US is an Equal Opportunity employer. All Qualified Applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, age, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status.