A growing advanced manufacturing and defense technology business is seeking a Senior Program Manager to lead a high-visibility turnaround within a critical customer program. This is an opportunity for a hands-on leader who thrives in complex operating environments and wants to make an outsized impact in a role with senior executive visibility. This position is ideal for someone who combines structured program leadership, strong communication skills, and the ability to drive performance across manufacturing, engineering, quality, supply chain, and customer-facing stakeholders.
The opportunity
You will step into a highly visible program environment that requires disciplined execution, stakeholder alignment, and strong leadership under pressure. The role sits at the center of a complex hardware-focused program and will be instrumental in improving performance, communication, and operating rhythm across the business.
This is not a maintenance role. It is a turnaround opportunity for someone who is energized by challenge, comfortable in ambiguity, and motivated by the chance to help stabilize and improve a strategically important program.
What you will do
Lead day-to-day execution of a complex hardware-based program
Coordinate across manufacturing, engineering, quality, supply chain, and other key functions to drive delivery and issue resolution
Manage customer communications and help maintain confidence in program execution
Build and maintain a clear operating cadence, including meetings, action tracking, escalation paths, and executive updates
Prepare high-quality materials for leadership reviews and steering committees
Identify execution risks early and drive mitigation across stakeholders
Bring structure and accountability to a fast-moving, high-demand environment
Partner with senior leaders to improve program performance and reduce execution risk
What we are looking for
Significant program leadership, operations, or turnaround experience in a hardware, manufacturing, industrial, aerospace, or defense environment
Proven ability to work across cross-functional teams and drive outcomes in complex organizations
Strong executive communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills
Ability to operate effectively in a high-pressure environment with shifting priorities
Excellent organizational skills and follow-through across many moving workstreams
Experience improving performance in challenged or underperforming programs, operations, or business units
Helpful background
We are open to a range of backgrounds, including:
defense or aerospace program leadership
industrial or advanced manufacturing program management
operations or manufacturing leadership in complex product environments
consulting-trained operators who have moved into hands-on execution roles
leaders from turnaround, transformation, or portfolio company environments
Preferred qualifications
Experience in defense, aerospace, naval, maritime, or similarly regulated manufacturing environments
Exposure to government customers or highly structured customer settings
Active security clearance, or ability to obtain one
Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree is a plus
Personal profile
The right person for this role is:
calm under pressure
highly credible with both executives and operators
proactive, resilient, and willing to lean into difficult situations
energized by challenge rather than discouraged by it
able to combine strategic perspective with detail-oriented follow-through
Compensation
Target compensation is expected to be in the low-to-mid $200Ks, with flexibility for the right candidate. Bonus eligibility is included.