Senior Program Manager

Senior Program Manager

Built on Experience. Built for Skill. Built for You.

Keel was formed by bringing together three industry leaders combining generations of hands-on expertise in steel fabrication, shipbuilding, aerospace, and defense manufacturing.

That means when you join Keel, you're joining a team backed by decades of proven craftsmanship and real-world results.

We build ships, defense systems, aerospace components, and heavy steel structures that serve critical missions and we do it with pride.

Your Mission:

The Senior Program Manager provides leadership, execution oversight, and people management within the Program Management Office (PMO). This role leads high complexity programs that have expanded scope, significant financial impact, cross functional dependencies, or challenging customer environments while also supervising a portion of the PMO staff including assigned Program Managers, Project Managers, and Project Coordinators. The Senior Program Manager functions with a high degree of autonomy, driving successful program delivery, developing PMO talent, and ensuring consistent application of program management standards. The Senior Program Manager manages program level customer, OEM, and prime contractor relationships with autonomy, ensuring effective communication, alignment, and issue resolution. The Senior Program Manager is accountable for advanced program financial performance including EVMS discipline, EAC forecasting, variance analysis, and mentoring PMO staff in cost and schedule integration.

Explore the Depth of the Role:

High Complexity Program Leadership:

• Leads the planning, execution, and governance of programs with elevated complexity, budget or P&L impact, technical challenge, or customer sensitivity. Owns program performance metrics including schedule, cost, risk, and technical outcomes, providing structured updates to the Director as required. Drives resolution of complex program issues and leads recovery plans when performance challenges arise. Ensures strong cross-functional integration with engineering, operations, supply chain, quality, and finance.

Financial Management, EVMS, and Forecasting:

• Oversees program financial performance through disciplined use of Earned Value Management, ensuring accurate measurement of cost and schedule status and maintaining control of the performance baseline. This role develops and updates EACs, analyzes variances, and partners with Finance to align program data with corporate reporting needs. Identifies emerging financial risks early and drives mitigation actions to protect cost, schedule, and margin commitments while also mentoring Program Managers and Project Managers in EVMS fundamentals, forecasting discipline, and cost and schedule integration.

People Leadership:

• Directly supervises assigned Program Managers as designated, Project Managers, and Project Coordinators. Provides coaching, performance feedback, objective setting, development planning, and workload balancing. Participates in hiring and termination decisions alongside the Director. Ensures consistent application of PMO processes, tools, and standards across supervised personnel.

Communication and Executive Reporting:

• The Senior Program Manager serves as an authoritative communicator for assigned programs, representing Keel with clarity and professionalism in all external interactions. This role ensures timely, accurate communication of program status, risks, financial performance, and key decisions to both customers and Keel senior leadership. Establishes consistent communication rhythms across internal and external stakeholders, drives alignment through transparent and structured updates, and models high quality written and verbal communication standards for the PMO team.

Customer, OEM, and Prime Contractor Engagement:

• Manages program level relationships with customers, OEMs, and prime contractors ensuring clarity of expectations, alignment of deliverables, and timely issue resolution. Represents the company in program reviews and technical discussions. Handles most customer or OEM challenges autonomously, involving the Director only when issues exceed program level authority or carry contractual or enterprise risk. Supports Director led activities related to audits, milestone reviews, and high-level contractual engagements.

Scope, Cost, and Change Control:

• Oversee program work orders, change requests, invoicing coordination, and adherence to financial and contractual requirements. Identifies potential scope expansion and value creation opportunities. Ensures disciplined baseline management and change control practices.

Risk Management and Continuous Improvement:

• Identifies and manages program level risks and leads structured problem solving. Drives continuous improvement within assigned teams. Ensures accurate documentation, configuration control, and technical data management.

Program Reporting and Documentation:

• Oversees preparation of dashboards, communications, and program reviews. Ensure all supervised PMO personnel maintain accurate documentation.

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Requirements:

Mission Readiness:

• Bachelor's degree in business, Engineering, Finance, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience. (Advanced degree preferred.)
• Minimum 10-15 years of progressive program management or project management experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership or supervisory capacity.
• Experience in manufacturing or production environments required; heavy plate fabrication or welding-related industries strongly preferred.
• PMP certification preferred.
• Advanced knowledge of program management, including scheduling, risk management, financial oversight, and cross functional coordination.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and coach PMO staff across multiple levels.
• Track record of driving programs to successful, on time, high-quality delivery.
• Strong communication skills for technical, financial, customer facing, and executive engagement.
• Advanced proficiency in EVMS, including development of EACs, ETCs, variance analysis, and integration of cost and schedule data.
• Ability to teach and mentor others in financial performance management, forecasting discipline, and earned value concepts.
• Proficiency with ERP systems such as IFS and tools such as MS Project, Excel, PowerPoint, Smartsheet, and Power BI.
• Ability to manage multiple high impact programs simultaneously.
• Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail, with proven ability to manage multiple complex initiatives in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of welding processes, NDT methods, and AWS codes preferred.

Travel Requirements:

• Between facilities as needed.

Physical Requirements:

• May be required to stand, walk, sit, reach/pull/push with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop or kneel regularly.
• May lift or carry 50lbs. Weights exceeding 50lbs will require mechanical means to maneuver.

Become a part of our Builders and you too can...

• Upholds Safety and Quality Standards
• Embodies Team Spirit
• Relentless Customer Focus
• Conveys Integrity, Trust, and Professionalism
• Executes with Excellence and Velocity
• Inspires Team Members
• Communicates Effectively
• Resolves Problems
• Elevates Those Around Them

What Keel will build for you:

• Comprehensive Benefit Package
• Competitive Pay
• 401K Match
• HSA/FSA
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Time Off
• Internal Referral Bonus Opportunities
• Shift Differentials
• Overtime Potential
• Paid on the Job Training
• Certification Sponsorship Opportunities
• Committed to Individual Career Growth
• We Do Fun Things, Plus More!

Need Assistance?

If you require a reasonable accommodation at any stage of the employment process, please email View email address on click.appcast.io with details about your request and your contact information. Accommodation requests are reviewed individually on a case-by-case basis. Please note that this email address is monitored only for inquiries related to reasonable accommodation requests.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Individuals with Disabilities / Protected Veterans

What we build, builds us.