Program Manager (Tampa)

About UDC 

Ultra Defense Corp (UDC) is a privately held defense company headquartered in Tampa, Florida, with domestic manufacturing facilities and operations supporting American national security interests worldwide.

For more than 15 years, UDC has built a stable and mature organization and is now entering a significant period of expansion. With a recently launched product line aligned with Pentagon priorities in advanced technology and domestic manufacturing, UDC offers the opportunity to work in an entrepreneurial environment backed by organizational stability and competitive benefits. 

The Opportunity

UDC is seeking an experienced Program Manager to lead the development and production of a new product line supporting U.S. Government and commercial small caliber ammunition requirements.

This role will own program execution across production, engineering development, testing, subcontractor performance, quality, safety, cost, schedule, and customer requirements. The Program Manager will also serve as a primary customer-facing representative for active contracts, lead product-related proposal activities, and support business development efforts. 

This is an excellent opportunity for a program leader who can bring together technical and operational teams, drive execution, and operate effectively across a fast-moving defense manufacturing environment.

What You’ll Do

• Lead overall program execution to achieve contract deliverables, production schedules, supplier commitments, quality standards, safety requirements, and key milestones. 

• Manage program cost, budget, and schedule performance, including EAC reviews, spend plans, tracking tools, milestone reviews, and coordination with Finance. 

• Lead program governance and day-to-day execution, including program reviews, action-item tracking, customer IPTs, risk management, and internal/external communications. 

• Drive collaboration across Engineering, Production/Operations, Quality, Safety, Supply Chain, Finance, Business Development, suppliers, and other stakeholders. 

• Guide product development and engineering activities to ensure designs, qualification plans, testing, and design gates remain aligned with customer requirements and program objectives. 

• Apply technical knowledge of small caliber ammunition design, performance, components, and manufacturing to support informed program decisions. 

• Lead proposal efforts for opportunities associated with assigned products, coordinating cross-functional inputs and customer requirements. 

• Serve as a key customer-facing representative for active programs and communicate product capabilities, program status, risks, and customer needs internally and externally. 

What We’re Looking For 

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Business, or a related field. 

• 5+ years of experience as a Program Manager or technical lead. 

• Demonstrated experience managing projects and leading multi-disciplinary teams. 

• Strong program/project management capabilities, including cost, budget, schedule, risk, and milestone management. 

• Experience working across technical, production, supplier, and customer-facing environments. 

• Strong communication, problem-solving, planning, prioritization, and stakeholder-management skills. 

• Ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams without direct reporting authority.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience managing defense contracts. 

• Experience leading munitions design and/or production programs. 

• Knowledge of small caliber ammunition design, platforms, components, and manufacturing processes. 

• Experience managing production and product-development programs. 

• Proposal management experience. 

• PMP certification or demonstrated experience applying formal program management principles.

Leadership Profile

The successful candidate will be comfortable providing matrix leadership across multiple functions and locations. You should be able to organize teams, establish priorities, influence resource allocation, create accountability, and keep complex programs moving toward critical milestones—even when team members do not report directly to you. 

We are particularly interested in candidates who demonstrate:

Accountability | Collaboration | Communication | Customer Focus | Integrity | Problem Solving | Adaptability | Technical Acumen | Risk Management | Strategic Thinking | Decision Making | Business Acumen

Location & Travel

This position is based in Tampa, Florida and will operate in a hybrid environment, with the expectation that the Program Manager will report to the UDC Tampa office as required.

Periodic travel of approximately 25% is expected to UDC production facilities in Kansas City, Missouri and Marshall, Texas, as well as supplier locations and customer meetings. Initial travel to production locations should be expected.

Additional Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship is required.

• Must be able to successfully complete applicable ATF/BATFE requirements.

Why UDC?

At UDC, you’ll have the opportunity to help shape and execute programs directly supporting U.S. national security while working across engineering, manufacturing, operations, supply chain, and customer organizations.

What UDC Offers

• Competitive Base Salary

• Medical, Dental, Vision, STD, LTD, Life, AD&D

• 401(k) & Company Match

• Company Paid Holidays/Generous PTO

• Professional Development and Advancement Opportunities

• Hybrid Work Opportunity

Equal Employment Opportunity

Ultra Defense Corporation is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.