Senior Director, CUAS RF Product Portfolio

Titan Program Senior Director

AV is seeking an experienced Program Senior Director to lead its Titan CUAS Program in the development and delivery of RF-based Counter-UAS detect and defeat technology supporting our nation's defense mission. Reporting to the CUAS RF Vice President, the Senior Director supervises a core team of managers and subject matter expert, multi-functional direct and dotted line reports, including Program Management, Operations, Production, QA/QC, Test, Maintenance, Facilities, and Administration. The successful candidate has overall accountability for customer satisfaction, project and product pricing, investment allocations, product road maps, and building the organization necessary to achieve the business goals. This role requires expert execution of defense programs leveraging formal program management processes, rigorous risk management, and stakeholder engagement to deliver high-impact capabilities on time and within budget.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic oversight, governance and accountability of large-scale program solutions from initiation through sustainment, ensuring cost, schedule, and technical performance, P&L accountability, and alignment with strategic objectives.
• Run operations at the San Diego AV location to include production, repair, QA/QC, test, administration, and facilities.
• Coordinate between IRAD and production teams to facilitate rapid productization of emerging technology
• Critical decision-making for all operations and execution of the program; owns the program from inception to deployment and into maintenance of systems.
• Responsible for continued M+A-related integration efforts and transition to Enterprise SW
• Leads critical cross-functional efforts across the enterprise.
• Is responsible for performance results for government customers.
• Reports financial drivers, customer and market dynamics in business reviews.
• Accountability and execution of the annual operating plan (AOP) and 5 years plan for the Product Line and collaborates with other leaders on synergies and strategy.
• Supports the development of strategy at the division level.
• Strategic oversight and guidance in proposal development to support additional work scope and manage pre-award performance to budget.
• Facilitates negotiations involving major project parameters such as deliverable definition and performance objectives (cost, schedule, quality).
• Governance of integrated master schedules and earned value metrics, leading risk identification and mitigation efforts.
• Leads program managers in all functions to identify and mitigate project risks, issues, and opportunities.
• Guides multi-company and government teams to ensure seamless execution of technical, financial, contractual, and logistical program aspects.
• Leads engagement with senior leadership to include leading PMRs to include preparation of presentation materials.

Required Qualifications:

• Must be a US Citizen with Secret clearance or ability to acquire
• Advanced degree in Organizational Leadership, Business, Engineering, or related discipline with 15+ years professional experience in relevant field
• 10+ years of experience leading interdisciplinary teams.
• Experience leading interdisciplinary teams of 40+
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office and program management tools.
• Strong leadership skills with extensive history of managing teams
• On-site employment in the San Diego AV office
• Ability to travel both domestically and internationally up to 1-2x monthly.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Earned Value Management Systems (EVMS), integrated master scheduling, and defense financial reporting tools.
• Demonstrates strong computer skills and proficiency with office software, productivity tools and other software tools on one's area of expertise. Experience with Oracle Enterprise S/W a strong plus
• Experienced and comfortable with presenting to executive leadership.
• Display strong critical thinking skills, demonstrated ability to analyze and break down problems into components.
• Ability to work on problems of complex scope where analysis of situations or data requires a review of a variety of factors. Exercise judgment, strategic thinking, and best practices to determine appropriate action, yet also creatively thinks outside the box to find solutions to never-solved problems.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Uses vision to think beyond the immediate situation, explore multiple potential paths and adapt decision-making style based on the situational circumstances.
• Inspires, motivates and empowers people to deliver organizational goals, while also delivering value back to employees.
• Champions the process of change and promotes a culture of quick adaptation, while helping others deal with the effects of change.
• Demonstrates the ability to develop and maintain internal and external trusting, professional relationships.
• Has effective problem-solving, analytical, interpersonal and communication skills. Consistently demonstrates teamwork, collaboration and puts the success of the team above one's own interests.

The salary range for this role is:

$187,000 - $274,575

AeroVironment considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the location, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills.

ITAR Requirement:

This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations ("ITAR") and/or the Export Administration Regulations ("EAR"). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment's determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment's business requirements. A "U.S. person" according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.

Benefits: AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown. For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit:

We also encourage you to review our company website at to learn more about us.

Principals only need apply. NO agencies please.

About AV:

AV isn't for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best.

We don't just build defense technologywe redefine what's possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve.

Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonianbut we're not building history, we're building what's next.

If you're ready to build technology that matterswith speed, scale, and purposethere's no better place to do it than AV.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.

U.S. Citizenship required. Must be willing to work on government contracts and have the ability to obtain a security clearance.