Senior Program Manager, Product Operations

We are seeking a Product Operations Program Manager to serve as a high-impact leader within the Tactical Recon & Strike (TRS) division. This is not a traditional program management role. You will be a strategic problem-solver, deployed to tackle critical business challenges, mature products for high-rate production, and lead transformative internal initiatives.

The ideal candidate has a 'Six Sigma Black Belt' mindset, capable of dissecting complex operational problems, using data to drive decisions, and implementing robust processes that enable scalability and efficiency. You will be the critical link between product development and full-scale production, ensuring our systems are not only designed for performance but also for manufacturability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness.

Success in this position hinges on your ability to:

• Execute with Precision: Dive deep into ambiguous and complex operational challenges, diagnose root causes, and drive solutions to completion.

• Optimise and Mature: Lead the transition of products from development to production readiness, focusing on process optimisation, operational excellence, continuous improvement, design for manufacturability (DFM), and supply chain stability.

• Lead Transformation: Build and manage strategic initiatives, internal transformation efforts, or emergent opportunities that require dedicated, agile leadership to achieve specific, time-sensitive outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Problem Solving: Act as an internal strike team leader to identify, analyse, and resolve the most complex operational, manufacturing, and business process issues that impede product maturity and scalability.

• Product Maturation Leadership: Own the operational strategy for transitioning products from development to stable production. You will drive initiatives in operational excellence, Design for Manufacturability (DFM), process validation (IQ/OQ/PQ), and production readiness reviews.

• Process Excellence & Continuous Improvement: Implement and champion a culture of continuous improvement using methodologies like Lean Six Sigma and DMAIC. Drive initiatives to improve production efficiency, reduce cost of goods sold (COGS), and enhance overall product quality.

• Cross-Functional Initiative Management: Lead high-priority, cross-functional projects that span engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, quality, and finance. You will be responsible for defining project scope, building the plan, and ensuring outcomes are achieved on an accelerated timeline.

• Data-Driven Operations: Develop and implement key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to monitor process health, identify risks, and provide transparent status updates to executive leadership on project status, risks, and milestones.

• Risk Identification & Mitigation: Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate systemic risks,technical, operational, or logistical,that could impact our ability to scale production and meet customer demands.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related technical field.

• 5+ years of experience in program management, operations, or manufacturing, preferably in defence, aerospace, automotive, or other complex hardware industries.

• Demonstrated expertise in process excellence and continuous improvement methodologies.

• Proven track record of leading products through the maturation lifecycle, from low-rate initial production to full-rate, scalable manufacturing.

• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use data to drive decision-making in ambiguous and fast-paced environments.

• Experience managing complex, multi-disciplinary projects and delivering them on-time and on-budget.

• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, supply chain management, quality systems, and production workflows.

• Outstanding communication and leadership abilities, with a proven ability to influence and align cross-functional teams and stakeholders at all levels.

• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a technical or business field.

• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification.

• Experience in a role focused on internal consulting, business transformation, or strategic operations.

• Experience launching new factories or production lines.