Senior Program Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Senior Program Manager

Job Description

The Senior Program Manager leads complex aerospace and defense programs from proposal through successful execution. This role serves as a key interface between customers, program teams, engineering, and operations, ensuring that schedules, budgets, deliverables, and customer communications are consistently aligned. The position is highly visible and hands-on, requiring regular engagement in both production and engineering environments. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced, small-company setting where employees wear multiple hats and no two days are the same.

Responsibilities

• Manage 1–2 aerospace and defense programs from proposal through execution, ensuring all contractual and technical requirements are met.
• Lead customer communications, including organizing and conducting weekly status meetings and providing clear, timely updates on program progress.
• Coordinate detailed project schedules, milestones, and deliverables, and ensure alignment across engineering, operations, and leadership teams.
• Support proposal development by contributing to technical content, scope definition, and budgeting activities for new and follow-on programs.
• Monitor program performance using Earned Value Management System (EVMS) principles to track cost, schedule, and technical performance.
• Facilitate design reviews and project reviews, driving cross-functional participation and ensuring action items are documented and closed.
• Work cross-functionally with engineering, operations, and leadership to resolve issues, mitigate risks, and keep programs on track.
• Develop professional presentations, technical documents, and customer-facing materials that clearly communicate program status and technical content.
• Track project costs, labor hours, materials, and schedules, and use this data to maintain accurate forecasts and identify variances early.
• Maintain strong, proactive communication with internal stakeholders and external customers to build trust and ensure transparency.
• Spend regular time on the production floor collaborating with operators and technical teams to understand constraints and support execution.
• Negotiate or develop program budgets and manage financial performance in alignment with organizational goals and customer expectations.
• Support and interface with prime contractor customers, ensuring their requirements and expectations are clearly understood and met.

Essential Skills

• Proven program management experience overseeing technical programs from proposal through execution.
• Hands-on experience in the aerospace, defense, or space industry, with familiarity with complex, mission-critical hardware or systems.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate directly and professionally with customers, including leading status meetings and presenting program updates.
• Experience applying Earned Value Management System (EVMS) principles to monitor and control program cost and schedule performance.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Project for developing, maintaining, and reporting on program schedules and milestones.
• Experience facilitating design reviews and project reviews in collaboration with engineering and operations teams.
• Background in negotiating or developing program budgets and managing financial performance at the program level.
• Bachelor’s degree, with engineering preferred but not required.
• Ability to work onsite in San Diego on a regular basis.
• US Person status required.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, small-company environment where priorities can shift quickly.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Program Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent formal program management training.
• Prior experience in the aerospace, defense, or space sectors supporting complex technical programs.
• Experience working with or supporting prime contractors such as Northrop Grumman, General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, or similar organizations.
• Strong skills in developing clear, concise presentations and technical documentation for internal and external audiences.
• Ability to build strong relationships across engineering, operations, and leadership, fostering collaboration and accountability.
• Comfort working on the production floor and engaging directly with operators and technical staff.
• High level of integrity, accountability, flexibility, and commitment to transparent customer communication.

Work Environment

The role is based onsite in San Diego within a growing aerospace and defense organization of approximately 45 employees. The environment is a small-company setting where team members wear multiple hats and are closely involved in both office and production-floor activities. Employees collaborate directly with engineering, operations, and leadership, and work closely with prime contractor customers in a highly visible, customer-facing capacity. The culture emphasizes integrity, accountability, flexibility, and transparent communication with customers and colleagues. Work involves regular interaction with production equipment and technical teams, as well as the use of tools such as Microsoft Project and standard office software to manage schedules, budgets, and documentation.

This is a Permanent position based out of Poway, CA.

The pay range for this position is $155000.00 - $210000.00/yr.

• 100% of health insurance premiums covered for employee and by-law dependents
• 401k match: 100% of the first 1%, 50% of the next 5% (in simple terms, you must contribute 6% to receive the full match of 3.5%), vested after 2 years
• Lunch provided daily

This is a fully onsite position in Poway,CA.

This position is anticipated to close on Jul 6, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on ziprecruiter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.