Senior Project Manager

Huntington Beach

The Senior Project Manager is a leadership role responsible for the end-to-end lifecycle of critical organizational initiatives. This individual will architect comprehensive project plans, lead high-performing cross-functional teams through complex development cycles, and implement rigorous internal analysis and auditing frameworks. The primary objective is to ensure all systems and processes not only meet strict functional requirements but are also scalable to support the organization’s long-term growth and operational excellence.

Karman Space & Defense provides concept-to-production solutions for mission-critical systems on spacecraft, launch vehicles, missiles, hypersonics, and integrated defense systems. We believe that solving the industry’s most complex and mission-critical challenges requires relentless determination and a willingness to push the boundaries of possibility. Karman Space & Defense brings to bear unparalleled production capabilities, unmatched engineering expertise, and unflinching analysis to render the impossible, possible.

• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Company Paid Life Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Paid Holidays
• Tuition Reimbursement*

• Develop detailed, integrated project plans that define scope, resource allocation, budgetary requirements, and critical milestones.
• Translate high-level business goals into actionable development plans, ensuring alignment with organizational growth strategies.
• Conduct comprehensive risk assessments and build proactive mitigation strategies to safeguard project timelines and deliverables.

• Lead and motivate functional team members (Engineering, Quality, Operations, Finance, etc.) through the execution phase of development.
• Facilitate regular project meetings and workshops to resolve blockers, manage dependencies, and ensure continuous alignment.
• Serve as the primary liaison between technical teams and senior leadership, providing transparent reporting on progress and health metrics.

• Implement ongoing internal analysis to monitor the performance of newly developed systems and processes against initial requirements.
• Oversee internal audit cycles to ensure compliance with company standards, industry regulations, and quality control protocols.
• Identify variances from project plans and lead corrective action initiatives to return projects to established standards.

• Analyze existing workflows to identify inefficiencies and recommend improvements that foster scalability.
• Ensure all documentation, including SOPs and system architectures, is accurately maintained for future auditability and knowledge transfer.
• Conduct post-implementation reviews to measure impact on organizational growth and capture "lessons learned" for future initiatives.

• Education:
  
  Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Engineering, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
• Experience:
  
  7+ years’ experience in leading complex, cross-functional projects in manufacturing improvements in areas of operations & supply chain; familiar with AS9100, DFARS, CMMC and SOX. Hands-on Experience in Aerospace and Defense Industry is preferred; demonstrated experience with handling aerospace operational audits and business transformation projects is required for this role;
• Certification: PMP (Project Management Professional) or PRINCE2 certification is highly preferred.
• Technical
  
  Skills:
  
  Proficiency in project management software (e.g., MS Project) and data analysis tools.
• Soft Skills:
  
  Exceptional leadership, negotiation, and communication skills; proven ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, certain positions may require applicants to be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S.…