Senior Program Manager

Senior Program Manager

Shape the future of innovation as we tackle cutting-edge projects that make a difference. We're not just in the business of engineering—we're building a brighter future. Driven by creativity and a culture of excellence, we believe in the power of engineering to solve today's challenges and create opportunities for tomorrow. What we do matters.

The Senior Program Manager will be responsible for managing and developing a customer-focused program of engineers with a wide range of experience and expertise, as well as building and managing customer relationships to ensure workload pipeline is full. This position requires strong team leadership, relationship management, and account management skills. The ideal candidate will have 7-15 years of experience in the engineering industry and project management.

Due to the nature of this role, applicants must be a US Citizen and able to obtain a security clearance. This role is onsite in Cincinnati, OH.

Responsibilities:

• Personnel management of a team of 30-60 indirect and 6-10 direct employees
• Manage and develop a customer-focused program of engineers with a wide range of experience and expertise
• Build and manage customer relationships to ensure workload pipeline is full, develop and execute strategies for team growth
• Follow all company policies and procedures to ensure proper employee performance and development (metrics, performance reviews, training plans, etc.)
• Coordinate growth strategy planning and execution with customer-specific account management teams
• Manage all financial and operational aspects of the position, including revenue generation, growth, invoicing, manpower utilization, margin, etc.
• Track and report metrics for your organization's performance, including customer satisfaction, earned value, quality, employee engagement and retention, and financial KPIs
• Monitor and improve program health governance structure
• Manage recruitment initiatives with hiring managers on the team, participate in interviews and onboarding of technical staff
• Support proposal development of new tasks (solution development, cost structure, schedule, and scope)
• Develop internal processes and procedures based on best practices and lessons learned, where applicable
• Collaborate with resource managers internally and externally to staff projects and ensure workload continuity
• Apply technical principles, theories, and concepts to solve a wide range of challenging engineering problems.
• This position description is not intended to be all-inclusive, and the employee will also perform other tasks as assigned.

Qualifications:

• 7-15 years of experience in the engineering industry with strong team leadership/relationship management/account management experience.
• Bachelor's degree in a related field
• Personnel and project management experience are required
• Experience managing business of $4 - $8 million account is desirable
• Strong foundation / experience in engineering services.
• Hands-on experience with solving technical problems and leading cross-functional teams (CFT's)
• Strong leadership, interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills
• Effective in executive management presentations
• Excellent networking and relationship-building skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to forge relationships and build trust both within and external to the organization
• Demonstrated ability to quickly learn new methods, techniques, and approaches
• US Citizen required with the ability to obtain and maintain a Secret-level US DoD security clearance

Preferred skills:

• Experience in design & analysis requirements
• Experience with working on military aircraft/aero-engines and associated standards
• Gas Turbine and Defense industry preferred.
• Work well in a team-oriented, collaborative environment
• Are meticulously detail-oriented
• Enjoy people and dynamic teams with diverse experiences.
• Experience in adoption and/or integration of emerging technologies (e.g., generative AI, automation platforms, digital assistants) into day-to-day operations for continuous improvement.

Physical Requirements & Work Environment:

• Mostly office environments
• Heavily regulated industries with strict adherence to procedures

The QDSS Advantage:

At QDSS, our advantage is purpose-driven work, collaborative teams, and complex challenges that push boundaries and build lasting impact. You'll grow your career while contributing to mission-critical programs that demand excellence and shape the future.

What You'll Find Here:

• Work That Matters – Next-generation, safety- and mission-critical projects where your contributions have real-world impact.
• Growth That's Supported – Competitive compensation, employer-matched 401(k), certification assistance, and clear opportunities for advancement.
• A Culture That Works – A flexible, collaborative, and people-first environment where teamwork, innovation, and balance are valued.

Benefits Include:

• Competitive pay, comprehensive medical/dental/life and disability coverage, 401(k) with employer match, professional development support, and a flexible, friendly workplace.

Full compensation package is based on candidate experience and certifications

Pay Ranges

$110,000 - $135,000 USD

At Quest Defense Systems and Solutions, we don't just build technology — we engineer the future. From next-generation aerospace solutions to cutting-edge defense systems, we tackle the toughest, mission-critical challenges that keep people safe and push the boundaries of innovation. This is where problem-solvers, innovators, and visionary thinkers come together to shape the future. With over 25 years of aerospace and defense engineering expertise, our commitment to delivering high-quality, transformative solutions sets us apart — not just as an industry leader, but as a driving force for impactful change. Together, we're not just leading the industry — we're revolutionizing it.

Quest Defense provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.