Senior Program Director, Next Generation C-UAS Missile (NGCM)

Worker Type

Regular
Job Description

Senior Program Director, Next Generation C-UAS Missile(NGCM)

Location:  Huntsville, Alabama
Business Area:  Kinetic Effects
Reports to:  Vice President, Kinetic Effects

Position Summary

AV is seeking a Senior Program Director to lead the Next Generation C-UAS Missile (NGCM) program and advance the Freedom Eagle-1 (FE-1) missile system from development and demonstration through qualification, operational deployment and production.

The Senior Program Director will serve as the accountable program leader, owning cost, schedule, technical performance, contractual delivery and financial results. This leader will direct an integrated team across engineering, test, manufacturing, quality, supply chain and business functions.

The position requires demonstrated program-level Earned Value Management System (EVMS) leadership and a proven record of transitioning complex defense hardware from prototype development into production. Successful candidates will demonstrate direct ownership of program decisions and measurable execution results.

Key Responsibilities

Program Execution and Financial Accountability

- Own overall program execution, profit and loss, financial forecasts and delivery of contractual commitments.
- Establish and execute an integrated program plan connecting development, qualification, flight testing, customer integration, manufacturing readiness and production.
- Direct program priorities, resource allocation and recovery actions across functional organizations.
- Establish clear accountability for program milestones, deliverables and performance outcomes.
- Lead program reviews with executive leadership and the government customer, presenting accurate performance assessments, decisions required and corrective actions.

EVMS and Integrated Program Controls

- Own the integrated program baseline and ensure alignment among technical scope, schedule, budget and authorized work.
- Lead baseline development and maintenance, including the Work Breakdown Structure, Integrated Master Schedule, control account structure and Performance Measurement Baseline.
- Direct Control Account Managers and partner with Program Finance and Planning to maintain objective performance measurement and credible forecasts.
- Lead program-level Estimate at Completion reviews and approve forecast assumptions, corrective actions and recovery plans within delegated authority.
- Evaluate cost and schedule variances, critical-path changes, supplier performance and risks to program commitments.
- Maintain disciplined baseline change control and ensure authorized changes are incorporated into execution plans.
- Lead program participation in Integrated Baseline Reviews and applicable EVMS reviews or surveillance.

Transition from Prototype to Production

- Own the integrated transition plan from development hardware to a qualified, configuration-controlled and producible missile system.
- Establish measurable readiness criteria for production entry and subsequent increases in production rate.
- Integrate design maturity, qualification results, manufacturing processes, supplier capacity, tooling, facilities, workforce and material availability into the transition plan.
- Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing and Quality to resolve producibility issues and translate approved designs into repeatable manufacturing processes.
- Align facility investments, capital equipment and long-lead procurement with program milestones and production demand.
- Lead production readiness reviews and ensure identified gaps have accountable owners and executable closure plans.
- Drive improvements in yield, cycle time, unit cost, quality and delivery performance as production matures.

Supplier and Subcontractor Performance

- Hold major subcontractors accountable for technical performance, quality, cost, schedule and delivery.
- Integrate supplier commitments and risks into the program baseline and financial forecast.
- Lead supplier performance reviews, recovery plans and executive escalations.
- Partner with Contracts and Subcontracts to establish clear scope, acceptance criteria, reporting requirements and change-control processes.

Customer and Organizational Leadership

- Serve as the principal program interface with the government customer and key industry partners.
- Lead a multidisciplinary team of direct and matrixed personnel, resolving competing priorities and securing functional commitments.
- Maintain an active risk and opportunity process with funded mitigation plans, accountable owners and timely decisions.
- Lead program planning for follow-on development and production awards, including proposals, estimates and negotiations.
- Build a culture of ownership, transparent reporting and disciplined execution.

Required Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, finance or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
- At least 15 years of progressively responsible experience in defense or aerospace, including leadership of complex defense hardware programs.
- Demonstrated experience as the accountable Program Manager or Program Director for a major defense hardware program, with ownership of financial performance, contractual delivery, technical execution and customer commitments.
- Demonstrated program-level EVMS leadership, including responsibility for baseline establishment, integrated cost and schedule performance, Estimate at Completion development, corrective action and baseline change control. Experience must extend beyond individual control account management to overall program performance.
- Demonstrated success leading a defense hardware product from development or prototype testing into initial production, including responsibility for manufacturing readiness, supplier readiness, configuration control and production delivery.
- Experience owning program budgets, financial forecasts, resource allocation and execution recovery plans.
- Experience directing integrated engineering, test, manufacturing, quality, supply chain and business teams.
- Experience managing major subcontractors and resolving significant supplier technical, quality, cost or schedule issues.
- Working knowledge of EIA-748 EVMS principles, integrated scheduling, critical-path management and risk management.
- Experience serving as a principal program representative to government customers and executive leadership.
- Ability to obtain and maintain the security clearance required for the position.
- Ability to travel to customer, supplier, manufacturing and test locations as program needs require.

Candidates must demonstrate accountable ownership and measurable results in the required areas. Experience supporting program reviews, coordinating activities, tracking schedules or preparing reports is relevant but does not, by itself, satisfy the program leadership requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

- Experience leading missile, interceptor, guided weapon, air defense or counter-UAS programs.
- Experience supporting U.S. Army acquisition programs and government program offices.
- Experience leading qualification activities, flight-test campaigns, production readiness reviews and low-rate initial production.
- Experience establishing or expanding manufacturing facilities and production capacity.
- Experience with customer EVMS surveillance and Integrated Baseline Reviews.
- Familiarity with Manufacturing Readiness Levels and Technology Readiness Levels.
- Experience managing development and production across multiple contract types.
- Advanced degree in engineering, business administration or a related discipline.
- Project Management Professional certification.

Measures of Success

- A credible program baseline that integrates technical scope, schedule, resources and financial commitments.
- Accurate forecasts and timely corrective action supported by objective performance data.
- Achievement of development, qualification and deployment milestones.
- A controlled product configuration supported by repeatable manufacturing processes.
- Supplier capacity, facilities, workforce and material availability aligned with production commitments.
- Consistent delivery and transparent communication that sustain customer confidence.

Clearance Level
Secret

The salary range for this role is:
$178,000 - $284,750

AeroVironment considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the location, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills.

ITAR Requirement:

This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment’s determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment’s business requirements. A “U.S. person” according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR § 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.

Benefits :  AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown.  For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit:  http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits .

We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.

Principals only need apply.  NO agencies please.

About AV:

AV isn’t for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best.

We don’t just build defense technology—we redefine what’s possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve.

Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian—but we’re not building history, we’re building what’s next.

If you're ready to build technology that matters—with speed, scale, and purpose—there’s no better place to do it than AV.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.

ITAR