Program Manager, Advanced Programs

Program Manager, Advanced Programs

Huntsville, AL

Who We Are

Aurex develops aerospace and defense capabilities for national security missions. Our teams combine engineering, research, manufacturing, and mission support to advance missile defense, hypersonic systems, space operations, and other demanding applications. We work closely with government and industry partners to move new concepts through development and testing into delivered capability.

Job Summary

Aurex is seeking a Program Manager, Advanced Programs to lead aerospace and national defense programs across the company, with emphasis on missile defense, advanced target systems, and hardware development and delivery.

Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, this position will be matrixed across Aurex’s business areas and functional teams to lead assigned programs, strengthen execution, and support emerging priorities. Assignments may include Innovation & Research initiatives, supplier-managed hardware programs, technology demonstrations, and transition of new capabilities into production and delivery. The COO will establish program assignments and priorities in coordination with the relevant business and functional leaders.

The portfolio may include ballistic and maneuvering targets, hypersonic systems, reentry vehicles, boosters, payloads, and associated launch systems and mission operations. The Program Manager owns integrated program execution, including cost, schedule, delivery, and customer commitments, and works with the assigned engineering lead on technical decisions. Engineering retains responsibility for technical direction, hands‑on design, drawings, tolerancing, and manufacturability.

The role brings disciplined DoW acquisition and program management practices to research, hardware development, integration, test, and delivery. Supporting business development responsibilities include customer engagement, strategy, briefings, and proposal development. Business development support will be coordinated with BD leadership and limited to no more than 20% of the role.

Key Responsibilities

• Execute COO‑assigned program priorities across Aurex, coordinating staffing and resources with business and functional leaders and elevating competing demands or resource constraints to the COO for resolution.
• Lead assigned programs from planning and requirements definition through development, integration, test, delivery, and sustainment, meeting contractual and mission objectives.
• Establish program plans, work breakdown structures, integrated master schedules, budgets, resource forecasts, and performance measures; manage critical paths and corrective actions.
• Track actual costs, financial commitments, estimates to complete, and forecast margin with Finance; identify variances and implement corrective actions.
• Translate statements of work and customer requirements into defined scope, traceable requirements, milestones, acceptance criteria, and timely contract deliverables, including CDRLs.
• Coordinate design and readiness reviews with the engineering lead; track risks, integration issues, anomalies, and nonconformances through closure, with technical assessments and dispositions led by Engineering.
• Manage supplier and subcontractor execution with Engineering, Contracts, Supply Chain, and Quality, coordinating supplier quotes, schedules, commitments, fabrication, inspection, and delivery.
• Track drawing‑release and engineering‑change milestones with the engineering lead, coordinate communication of approved requirements to suppliers, and address execution issues through reviews, site visits, and corrective actions.
• Integrate hardware, payload, launch, range, logistics, and test dependencies into program plans and readiness assessments with the responsible technical and operations teams.
• Assess scope changes and customer‑driven changes for cost, schedule, technical, and contractual impacts; work with Contracts and Finance to document and obtain approval for changes before incorporating new commitments into program execution.
• Lead customer and internal program reviews, communicate forecast performance and risks, and present decisions and recovery plans to senior leadership.
• Strengthen program documentation, review practices, and execution processes; mentor teams and support transition of research and prototypes into repeatable hardware delivery.
• Support BD leadership in identifying customer needs and new opportunities, developing engagement strategies, and preparing and presenting capability and program briefings.
• Contribute to capture plans, white papers, and proposals, providing technical and programmatic review of scope, approach, schedules, staffing, cost inputs, and execution risk.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, or an equivalent combination of education and directly relevant defense acquisition and program management experience.
• 17 or more years of relevant experience in defense acquisition, program management, or aerospace program execution, including senior responsibility for missile defense, target systems, or related development programs.
• Demonstrated delivery responsibility for aerospace or defense hardware programs involving suppliers or subcontractors, including management of cost, schedule, fabrication, inspection, and delivery commitments.
• Demonstrated knowledge of DoW acquisition practices, acquisition life cycles, funding and budget execution, contract requirements, and government program reviews.
• Experience managing cost, schedule, technical performance, and risk across multidisciplinary teams and multiple concurrent efforts.
• Experience establishing integrated master schedules, work breakdown structures, performance baselines, and earned value or other program control measures appropriate to contract requirements.
• Working knowledge of missile defense targets, launch systems, boosters, reentry vehicles, payloads, or hypersonic systems, with the ability to assess technical issues alongside engineering specialists.
• Demonstrated ability to lead customer engagements, prepare executive briefings, resolve competing priorities, and communicate program decisions clearly.
• Ability to work on site in Huntsville, Alabama, and travel to customer, supplier, integration, and test locations as required by assigned programs.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoW Top Secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct program leadership within or in support of the Missile Defense Agency, particularly targets and countermeasures, advanced targets, interceptors, or related flight‑test programs.
• Experience with ballistic and maneuvering target systems, hypersonic demonstrations, associated objects or countermeasures, and integration of vehicles, payloads, and launch capabilities.
• Experience coordinating with government laboratories, federally funded research and development centers, other agencies, and industry partners on rapid development and technology transition.
• Master’s degree in management, business, engineering, or a related discipline; DoW Program Management Level III certification or comparable advanced acquisition credentials.
• Experience supporting commercial launch or aerospace companies, including mission planning, program execution improvements, and proposal development.
• Active DoW Top Secret security clearance.

How You Will Be Rewarded

We offer a comprehensive total rewards approach to compensation, providing incentives and benefits that extend far beyond the base salary. Compensation is determined by the candidate’s work experience, education, training, and relevant skills. We offer a competitive benefits package designed to support our employees' health, well‑being, and professional growth.

The posted salary range represents Aurex’s good‑faith estimate of the anticipated hiring range for this position. The specific salary offered within this range will be determined based on the candidate’s relevant experience, education, training, and job‑related qualifications.

Location:

Huntsvulle, AL

Aurex is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It prohibits discrimination, retaliation, or any type of harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, citizenship, immigration status, or any other legally protected status in employment, including in hiring, firing, and recruiting decisions. All applicants must be authorized to work lawfully in the United States for positions at Aurex. There may be limited circumstances in which a law, regulation, executive order, or government contract would require certain citizenship; only in those limited circumstances would Aurex require certain citizenship status to comply with the relevant law, regulation, executive order, or government contract applicable to that position. For all other positions, Aurex does not consider an applicant’s citizenship but only requires that the applicant be authorized to work lawfully in the United States. If a position is one that falls under export control laws and regulations requiring authorization from the U.S. government to access export‑controlled items, any hiring is contingent on the applicant passing the export compliance assessment, which is separate from the I‑9 process, for that specific position. A background check will be required prior to any hire.

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