Strategic Defense Programs Director

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD); Simsbury (CT); On-site; USD 175,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Retirement benefits

PTO & holidays

Life and disability insurance

Employee assistance & wellness

Incentive compensation eligibility

Job summary

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD) seeks an experienced Program Director to lead major defense programs within EBAD’s Warfighter Division. You will own customer relationships, program execution, and financial performance while driving long-term account growth across a complex portfolio.

The role requires strong cross-functional leadership across program management, operations, engineering, quality, and contracts, with a focus on risk, schedule, and margin.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• 5–7 years of progressive program management experience, preferably in aerospace/defense.
• Proven experience leading complex mechanical, electro-mechanical, energetics, or defense-related programs.
• Demonstrated success managing customer-facing programs with high visibility and mission importance.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end performance across programs, including customer satisfaction, cost, schedule, quality, technical execution, risk, and profitability.
• Serve as the primary customer interface and key account leader, building trusted relationships, anticipating customer needs, and strengthening EBAD’s long-term position.
• Establish and execute long-range program and account strategies while balancing near-term commitments and broader objectives.
• Lead cross-functional teams across program management, operations, engineering, quality, supply chain, finance, contracts, and business development.
• Drive execution discipline, urgency, and accountability by ensuring actions are clearly owned, actively managed, and closed before they affect commitments.
• Effectively prioritize across multiple programs, customers, and competing business demands to maximize enterprise outcomes.
• Partner with business leaders to support growth, margin expansion, pricing strategy, contract structure, risk management, and long-term account development.
• Hold internal teams accountable for delivering customer demand and meeting cost, schedule, quality, and technical commitments.
• Identify and resolve issues proactively while maintaining clear communication with customers and internal leadership.
• Build performance-driven customer credibility that supports follow-on work, expanded opportunities, and long-term growth.
• Contribute to Warfighter Division strategy and demonstrate leadership and cross-functional influence for future P&L roles.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional leadership

Commercial acumen

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Ownership and accountability

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree

Job description

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD) seeks an experienced Program Director to lead major defense programs within EBAD’s Warfighter Division. You will own customer relationships, program execution, and financial performance while driving long-term account growth across a complex portfolio.

The role requires strong cross-functional leadership across program management, operations, engineering, quality, and contracts, with a focus on risk, schedule, and margin.