Quality Program Manager

Quality Program ManagerLeidos' Defense Systems is seeking a Quality Program Manager. Leidos is a key partner to the U.S. Army on the Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) Program, a next-generation, ground-based defense system designed to counter evolving aerial threats including unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), cruise missiles, and rockets. As we transition from development into full-rate production, Leidos continues to expand our Huntsville-based operations to ensure system performance, readiness, and mission assurance.Primary Responsibilities:Leadership & Team DevelopmentLead the IFPC program quality team, ensuring compliance with AS9100, ISO, and Army quality standards.Provide hands-on leadership to the IFPC quality team, mentoring and developing quality engineers and inspectors to ensure efficient operational support and continuous improvement.Coach, train, and guide program quality staff to align with the corporate Quality Management System and Defense Systems Sector requirements.Foster a program quality strategy and culture committed to excellence and Leidos values, enabling rapid manufacturing scaling.Quality Program Management & ComplianceMaintain close coordination with the Leidos site quality team to ensure consistent process control, product acceptance, and effective execution of corrective actions.Oversee inspection and test documentation, ensuring compliance with customer requirements and configuration baselines.Support production readiness reviews, configuration audits, and fulfillment of contractual deliverables related to quality data and acceptance.Customer & Supplier InterfaceServe as the primary interface with external quality stakeholders, including the U.S. Army Program Office, SHIELD IFPC Project Office, and DCMA.Maintain oversight of supplier quality performance, ensuring supplier metrics, audits, and corrective actions align with program standards.Metrics, Analysis & ImprovementEstablish, monitor, and analyze quality metrics (yield, rework, NCR rates, escape rates) and targeted KPIs to drive performance visibility, process health, improvement, and compliance.Analyze KPI trends and inspection data to proactively identify systemic issues, drive root cause investigations, and implement corrective and preventive actions.Drive continual improvement initiatives to enhance product conformity, reduce rework, and strengthen mission assurance.Process & Issue ManagementDevelop, implement, and oversee inspection strategies, including statistically valid sampling plans aligned with customer, regulatory, and corporate standards.Drive Material Review Boards (MRB), Failure Review Boards (FRB), and ensure timely closure of root cause and corrective actions across all program areas.Ensure timely and sustained resolution of internal and external audit findings and requirement escapes by conducting root cause analysis and implementing corrective and preventive measures.Effectively address escalated quality issues in a timely manner.Business Lifecycle & ReportingServe as a stakeholder for quality throughout the business lifecycle, including new business capture, procurement, program execution.Partner with engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain teams to achieve first-pass yield and product reliability objectives.Report regularly to senior leadership on inspection results, KPI performance, audit outcomes, and quality improvement progress.Basic Qualifications:Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality Management, or related discipline with 5+ years of experience, including prior leadership of quality or mission assurance teams in defense/aerospace production. In lieu of degree, 10+ years' experience in a low-rate/ high- rate Manufacturing and Quality production environment. OR Master's degree in Engineering, Quality Management, or related discipline with 3+ years of experience, including prior leadership of quality or mission assurance teams in defense/aerospace production.Proven experience in AS9100/ISO9001 systems, configuration management, and corrective action systems.Strong background in production quality management for complex defense hardware or weapon systems.Demonstrated ability to lead customer interactions with Army quality offices and DCMA.U.S. Citizenship required; must have or be eligible for a Secret clearance.Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.Relevant experience with all aspects of quality in a defense and space-focused manufacturing environment.Demonstrated expertise in root cause analysis and continual improvement.Prior experience with implementing AS9100.Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.Must be a US Citizen, possess a DoD secret clearance or able to obtain and maintain an active secret clearance.Must be able to obtain and maintain credentials to access government installations.Must be proficient in utilizing Microsoft Office products.Must have exceptional verbal and written communication skills.Preferred Qualifications:Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or Six Sigma Black Belt.Experience with Earned Value Management (EVM) and metrics-based quality reporting.Familiarity with IBCS integration and Army missile system production.Experience with Deltek Costpoint, Windchill, Oracle Agile, or Solumina MES systems.Experience in medium-volume/high-mix production environments.Experience in both component fabrication and assembly/integration production environments.