Technical Program Manager

Piper Companies; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid time off

401(k)

Job summary

Piper Companies seeks a Program Manager to lead complex product development from initiation through commercialization, serving as the primary customer liaison and driving alignment across global engineering and manufacturing teams. You will coordinate cross-functional work, oversee budgets, risk, and DFMs, and report project status to leadership.

The role requires substantial travel (about 50–60% at onboarding) domestically and internationally to support engagements and manufacturing operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical field is required.
• 4+ years in program or project management within manufacturing/engineering.
• Experience with customer relationships and cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex product development programs from initiation through commercialization.
• Serve as primary customer-facing contact for communications and scope management.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to drive execution and remove obstacles.
• Oversee project financials, capacity planning, and DFM implementation.
• Provide regular leadership updates on resources, schedules, and performance.

Skills

Program management

Stakeholder communication

Cross-functional leadership

Risk management

Excel

PowerPoint

Reading technical drawings

Education

Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

Piper Companies is seeking a Program Manager to lead complex new product development initiatives, serve as the primary liaison between customers and cross‑functional teams, and drive execution across global engineering and manufacturing environments. This position is based in Durham/RTP, NC and requires significant domestic and international travel to support customer engagements and manufacturing operations.

Responsibilities of the Program Manager include:

• Lead complex product development programs from initiation through commercialization, ensuring alignment with technical requirements, timelines, budgets, and business objectives.
• Serve as the primary customer‑facing contact for project communications, status reporting, scope management, and expectation setting throughout the product lifecycle.
• Coordinate cross‑functional teams across engineering, manufacturing, operations, and supplier organizations to drive execution and remove project obstacles.
• Oversee project financials, capacity planning, product costing activities, risk mitigation strategies, and implementation of Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles.
• Facilitate decision‑making, resolve stakeholder conflicts, monitor project risks, and provide regular updates to leadership regarding resources, schedules, and program performance.

Qualifications for the Program Manager include:

• Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline from an accredited four‑year university.
• Minimum of 4 years of program or project management experience within a manufacturing, engineering, hardware, connector, or related technical environment.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in fast‑paced, evolving environments with changing priorities and project requirements.
• Experience managing customer relationships, stakeholder expectations, and cross‑functional teams across multiple locations.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret technical drawings, specifications, procedures, and related documentation.
• Strong problem‑solving skills, including experience conducting root cause analysis and driving corrective actions.
• Proficiency with project management tools, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft PowerPoint.
• Ability to communicate effectively with global teams and work with minimal supervision while providing clear project status updates.
• Willingness to travel approximately 50-60% domestically during onboarding and ramp‑up periods, decreasing over time, with additional international travel to manufacturing locations in Mexico and China as needed.

Compensation for the Program Manager:

• Salary Range: $120,000 - $140,000
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), PTO, Sick Leave as required by law

This job opens for applications on November 9, 2026. Applications for this job will be accepted for at least 30 days from the posting date.
Keywords: Program Management, New Product Development, Manufacturing, Hardware, Mechanical Engineering, Customer Management, Stakeholder Management, Project Planning, DFM, Capacity Planning, Risk Management, Product Development, Technical Drawings, Root Cause Analysis, Cross‑Functional Leadership, Global Manufacturing, Connectors, Electronics, Supply Chain, Engineering Program Manager