Engineering Program Manager

Engineering Program Manager

We are seeking a highly accomplished Engineering Program Manager to lead complex aerospace manufacturing programs from contract award through production and delivery. This role is ideal for an experienced professional who can immediately step into customer-facing and cross-functional leadership responsibilities while driving execution across engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, operations, and leadership teams.

The successful candidate will be a highly personable and influential leader with exceptional communication skills, strong technical acumen, and a proven ability to navigate complex organizations. This individual must be capable of building strong relationships with customers, internal stakeholders, and suppliers while ensuring all technical, quality, schedule, and financial objectives are met.

The Engineering Program Manager is responsible for leading the planning, execution, and delivery of engineering programs from concept through production. This role serves as the primary coordinator between Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and Customers to ensure technical, schedule, cost, and performance objectives are achieved. The Engineering Program Manager drives program execution, manages risks, and ensures alignment between customer requirements and company capabilities.

Responsibilities

Program Leadership

• Lead cross-functional engineering programs from proposal through production launch.
• Develop and maintain integrated program plans, schedules, milestones, and deliverables.
• Coordinate engineering activities to ensure design, development, testing, qualification, and production objectives are achieved.
• Facilitate program reviews and status meetings with internal and external stakeholders.
• Monitor program performance against cost, schedule, quality, and technical objectives.

Customer & Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary engineering point of contact for customers and key stakeholders.
• Support customer reviews, technical discussions, and program status updates.
• Manage customer action items, engineering change requests, and requirements flow-down.
• Build strong working relationships with customers, suppliers, and internal teams.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Partner with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and Manufacturing teams to ensure successful program execution.
• Coordinate engineering resource requirements and workload planning.
• Support new product introduction (NPI), production readiness activities, and First Article Inspection (FAI) efforts.
• Ensure manufacturing readiness and alignment with program schedules.

Risk & Issue Management

• Identify program risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Manage engineering issues, technical challenges, and program escalations.
• Drive corrective actions and ensure timely resolution of critical program concerns.
• Maintain program risk registers and recovery plans.

Financial & Business Management

• Track engineering budgets, labor utilization, and program performance metrics.
• Support proposal development, estimates, and business case evaluations.
• Manage scope changes and assess impacts to schedule, cost, and resources.
• Provide regular program performance reporting to leadership.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive improvements in program management processes, tools, and reporting.
• Support implementation of best practices in project and engineering management.
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and execution excellence

Qualifications

Education (Required)

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (Aerospace, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, or related engineering discipline) is required. Master's Degree in Engineering, Business Administration (MBA), or Program Management is preferred.

Experience

• Minimum 5+ years of aerospace, aviation, defense, or advanced manufacturing experience.
• Minimum 5+ years of program management, project management, engineering leadership, or New Product Introduction (NPI) experience.
• Demonstrated track record managing complex technical programs and cross-functional teams.
• Experience working directly with customers and executive stakeholders.

Technical Qualifications

• Strong ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, manufacturing plans, and technical documentation.
• Strong understanding of aerospace manufacturing processes, assembly operations, fabrication, machining, and supply chain management.
• Experience with New Product Introduction (NPI) programs from concept through production.
• Working knowledge of configuration management and engineering change processes.
• Strong proficiency with ERP/MRP systems.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Project.
• Experience with CATIA V5 and aerospace design environments preferred.
• Familiarity with AS9100 quality systems and aerospace regulatory requirements preferred.

Leadership Competencies

• Highly personable and relationship-oriented.
• An exceptional communicator capable of influencing without direct authority.
• Comfortable interacting with customers, executives, engineers, operators, and suppliers.
• A confident decision-maker who remains calm under pressure.
• Driven by accountability, ownership, and execution.
• Skilled at conflict resolution and stakeholder management.
• Able to prioritize competing demands in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Focused on team collaboration while maintaining program objectives.

Work Environment

This position operates in both office and manufacturing settings.

• Regular interaction with engineering and manufacturing personnel.
• Occasional exposure to shop floor conditions and production operations.
• Required use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when entering manufacturing areas.
• Moderate noise levels consistent with aerospace manufacturing operations.