Strategic Program Leader — Defense & Shipbuilding

Keel

Ladson (SC)

On-site

USD 140,000 - 190,000

Full time

3 days ago

Be an early applicant

Get a reply from this employer

Your resume and cover letter, tailored to exactly what they’re hiring for.

Get past ATS filters

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive Benefit Package

401K Match

HSA/FSA

Paid Holidays

Paid Time Off

Internal Referral Bonus Opportunities

Shift Differentials

Overtime Potential

Certification Sponsorship

Career Growth Opportunities

Team Engagement Activities

Job summary

Keel is seeking a Senior Program Manager to provide strategic leadership across complex programs, ensuring technical, financial, and schedule performance aligns with company goals. You will coordinate cross-functional teams spanning engineering, operations, supply chain, finance, and quality to drive successful delivery of high-value projects.

The role emphasizes executive reporting, risk management, and strategic planning with direct interaction with customers and suppliers.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, or finance; advanced degree preferred.
10–15 years in progressive program management with at least 5 in leadership.
Experience in manufacturing or production; heavy plate fabrication or welding industries preferred.
PMP certification preferred.
Proficiency with ERP systems and MS Office/BI tools.

Responsibilities

Leads end-to-end planning, execution, and governance of assigned programs.
Owns program performance metrics and executive reporting on schedules, financials, risks, dependencies, resource needs, and critical paths.
Develops, maintains, and communicates comprehensive program strategies, roadmaps, and plans; ensures documentation and timely escalation of issues.
Serves as the primary contact for key customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders; ensures clear communication and relationship stewardship.
Provides leadership across cross‑functional teams to ensure program success (engineering, operations, supply chain, finance, quality).
Oversees the development and approval of work orders, change requests, and customer invoicing with contract controls.
Identifies, analyzes, and mitigates program risks while pursuing opportunities to improve quality and profitability.
Guides creation of program documentation and executive updates for reviews.
Manages technical data, configuration control, and program documentation requirements.
Partners with manufacturing/fabrication and leadership to resolve issues and meet objectives.
Mentors junior program staff on project management tools and processes.
Travel between facilities as needed.
Performs other related duties.