Head of Programme Management

Experience: 5+ years of experience managing DoD programs

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Science, Business Administration, or Project Management.

nLIGHT-DEFENSE Systems, Inc. is one of the nation's leading developers of Directed Energy systems, which is a top modernization priority of the Department of Defense. Our High Energy Laser (HEL) systems, Adaptive Optical (AO) systems, and Acquisition / Pointing / Tracking (APT) solutions are designed to overcome the most difficult challenges facing the deployment of high energy laser solutions to the United States military and our allies. Located in Longmont, Colorado, nLIGHT-DEFENSE Systems, Inc. is a vertically integrated business that leverages internal capabilities - from semiconductor device through target identification - to develop systems that are both high-performance and cost-effective. We continue to invest in capabilities, facilities and technology to bring leading edge HEL solutions to the warfighter. Headquartered in Camas, Washington, nLIGHT is a publicly listed company (NASDAQ: We are seeking an experienced Program Manager to lead the planning, execution, and delivery of complex Department of Defense (DoD) programs. The Program Manager will oversee program scope, cost, schedule, performance, and customer satisfaction while ensuring compliance with DoD policies, contractual requirements, and organizational standards. This role requires strong leadership, stakeholder management, and experience working within DoD acquisition frameworks. Work with Program Technical Leads to develop and manage program plans, resource allocation, schedule, budget, risk definition and tracking, and track execution against program plans and metrics. Provide regular written and verbal reports to peers and management. Implement appropriate business and operations systems in support of program execution needs. The Program Manager must be expert at working with MSOffice based tools (Excel, MS Project, PowerPoint, Word) to support budget management, bill of materials management, cost tracking and controls, and schedule management and controls. Work with Program Technical Leads, engineering teams, and accounting and supply chain to document and report task progress and set goals and objectives. Support configuration management through the system design, development, integration, and test phases. The ideal candidate has a strong technical background, DoD Program Management experience, and is strong at mentorship, teaching, and has experience with agile software development principles and processes.

DoD Personnel Security Clearance. DoD Personnel Security Clearance. Further information on requirements to obtain a security clearance is available at: . Serve as the primary point of contact with DoD customers, stakeholders, and subcontractors.

Lead program planning, budgeting, scheduling, and performance tracking.

Manage program teams across engineering, logistics, security, and support functions.

Program Management Plans, risk registers, decision briefs).

Monitor contract performance, deliverables, and earned value management (EVM) metrics as required.

Identify, mitigate, and manage program risks, issues, and opportunities.

Oversee subcontractor performance and contract modifications.

Actively manage technical teams to ensure efficient and rapid execution of complex systems

5+ years of experience managing DoD programs

• Demonstrated experience working with DoD customers and acquisition processes.
• Proven ability to manage complex programs with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to manage budgets, schedules, and performance metrics.
• Experience with risk management and issue resolution.
• Proficiency with program management tools (MS Project, Jira, EVM tools, etc.).
• Technical Presentation and Report Writing Skills (i.e. good technical writing skills are critical)
• Vendor management experience.

Master's degree (MBA, MS Systems Engineering, or related field).

Experience in functional and performance requirements allocation and tracking.

Configuration Management for laser and electro-optical systems, in particular for high power applications.

11 paid Holidays

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Health (ACA Gold Plan), Vision and Dental Care paid by employer 100% for Employee and 75% for Dependents
• Paid Family Leave, Short and Long Term Disability paid by employer 100%
• Competitive 401k with company match and immediate vesting

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or age. Workplace Discrimination is Illegal If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please contact Human Resources at [email protected]