Job Accountabilities
Program Portfolio Leadership
Lead the Program Management function across the assigned business or group of businesses.
Provide strategic oversight of the entire program portfolio from program award through delivery and closeout.
Ensure programs achieve customer and business objectives for scope, schedule, cost, quality, technical performance, and financial performance.
Establish program priorities and ensure appropriate resources are aligned to business and customer requirements.
Develop, implement, and continuously improve program management policies, processes, tools, and best practices.
Establish effective program governance, review cadence, reporting, and escalation processes.
Lead recovery actions for programs at risk of missing customer, schedule, cost, or financial commitments.
Program Financial Performance
Drive accountability for program financial performance in partnership with Finance and functional leadership.
Monitor revenue, labor hours, material costs, subcontract costs, gross profit, gross margin, and cash conversion across the program portfolio.
Establish and maintain disciplined management of Bid Hours vs. Actual and Forecast Hours.
Ensure Program Managers identify unfavorable labor-hour trends early and take corrective action.
Maintain program gross margins as close as possible to approved bid gross margins.
Identify financial and labor-hour gaps and establish documented recovery plans.
Ensure recovery actions are implemented early enough to close gaps before program completion.
Partner with Finance to improve program forecasting accuracy and financial visibility.
Identify opportunities to prevent gross-margin leakage and improve program profitability.
Schedule & Contract Performance
Ensure programs achieve contractual delivery dates and customer milestones.
Develop and maintain integrated program schedules and milestone plans.
Monitor program performance against contractual requirements and internal commitments.
Identify schedule risks and establish timely recovery plans.
Drive opportunities to pull in customer deliveries ahead of contractual commitments when appropriate.
Ensure effective transition of new programs from award through production and delivery.
Ensure changes to scope, schedule, technical requirements, or customer commitments are appropriately managed.
Customer & Business Management
Develop and maintain strong relationships with key customers and strategic accounts.
Serve as a senior-level escalation point for customer issues and program performance.
Ensure proactive communication with customers regarding program status, risks, opportunities, and recovery actions.
Lead customer program reviews and executive-level business reviews as required.
Partner with customers to resolve issues, manage scope changes, and establish recovery plans.
Support Sales and Business Development activities related to existing and new customer opportunities.
Identify opportunities for follow-on business and growth within existing programs and customer relationships.
Oversee the development of business cases, ROI analyses, opportunity plans, and product/program road maps as appropriate.
KPI & Performance Management
Establish and drive Program Management KPIs aligned with AC site and business objectives.
Monitor and report performance against key metrics including
On-time program start
On-time contractual delivery
Schedule performance and acceleration
Bid Hours vs. Actual/Forecast Hours
Bid Gross Margin vs. Actual/Forecast Gross Margin
Revenue and bookings
Cash conversion and unbilled milestones
Customer satisfaction
Program risks and recovery actions
Provide executive leadership with accurate, timely, and actionable program performance reporting.
Establish corrective-action plans for KPI gaps and ensure accountability for closure.
Drive a culture of early identification, escalation, and resolution of program issues.
Cross-Functional Leadership
Partner with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Planning, Finance, Sales, and other functions to ensure successful program execution.
Ensure programs are appropriately resourced with qualified personnel and required technical and manufacturing capabilities.
Align program requirements with site capacity, labor, equipment, and resource plans.
Establish clear ownership and accountability for cross-functional program deliverables.
Remove organizational barriers and drive timely resolution of execution issues.
Risk & Opportunity Management
Lead identification, assessment, mitigation, and monitoring of risks across the program portfolio.
Manage commercial, technical, schedule, financial, resource, supply chain, and customer risks.
Establish proactive mitigation and contingency plans.
Lead program recovery efforts when performance deviates from plan.
Identify opportunities to improve profitability, reduce risk, accelerate delivery, and improve customer value.
Ensure significant risks and opportunities are escalated to executive leadership in a timely manner.
Program Management Organization
Lead, coach, develop, and retain a high-performing Program Management organization.
Establish clear expectations, accountability, and performance standards for Program Managers.
Assign Program Managers based on program complexity, customer requirements, and business priorities.
Manage staff selection, performance management, development, succession planning, and training.
Develop Program Managers' capabilities in financial management, customer leadership, risk management, and program execution.
Build a culture of accountability, transparency, ownership, and continuous improvement.
Continuous Improvement
Establish and continuously improve Program Management processes, tools, systems, and best practices.
Drive lessons learned and ensure improvements are incorporated into future programs.
Improve forecasting accuracy, program visibility, financial discipline, and execution predictability.
Promote data-driven decision-making and effective use of program management systems.
Establish a consistent cadence for portfolio reviews, program reviews, customer reviews, and executive reporting.
Other Responsibilities
Performs other responsibilities as assigned.
Job Specifications
Education
Education: Post-secondary degree in Engineering, Business, Operations, Manufacturing, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and work experience that will allow successful performance of job expectations.
Experience
Years' Experience: 10–15+ years of relevant experience, including significant experience leading complex aerospace, defense, space, composites, or advanced manufacturing programs.
Preferred experience includes
Leading multiple complex customer programs or a significant program portfolio
Managing program financial performance and profitability
Managing Bid Hours vs. Actual/Forecast Hours
Managing gross margin and cost performance
Integrated program planning and scheduling
Customer and contract management
Risk and recovery management
Leading and developing Program Managers
Cross-functional leadership within a manufacturing environment
Skills
Strong program management methodology and business management experience.
Strong financial acumen, including understanding of revenue, gross margin, labor-hour performance, forecasting, and cost control.
Strong technical background with the ability to understand and evaluate technical specifications, requirements, and capabilities associated with aerospace and advanced manufacturing programs.
Exceptional leadership and strategic thinking capabilities.
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive accountability without direct authority.
Strong customer relationship, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex programs and competing priorities.
Excellent communication and executive presentation skills.
Ability to develop clear strategies, plans, KPIs, and execution roadmaps.
Strong organizational skills with a demonstrated bias toward execution and results.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and program management/ERP systems.
Benefits
At Applied Composites, we recognize how important your career and benefits are to you and your family. We offer a full suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability coverage, accident insurance, critical illness insurance, basic and supplemental life insurance, employee assistance plan, retirement savings and matching, tuition reimbursement and other developmental opportunities. We are committed to supporting the way you live and work.
AC is an Equal Opportunity Employer Veterans/Disabled - Affirmative Action Employer.
This position requires the use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a U.S. person as a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (i.e. 'Green Card Holder'), Political Asylee, or Refugee.
