Program Executive Director

Program Executive Director – U.S. Department of State (DoS) Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement / Office of Aviation (INL/A)

We invite applications for the position of Program Executive Director for the U.S. Department of State (DoS) Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement / Office of Aviation (INL/A) Worldwide Aviation Support Services (WASS) program.

This permanent full-time position will be CONUS-based out of Melbourne, FL. Remote work is permissible with required visits. The contract period of performance is 10 years.
NOTE:
Interim employment offered immediately on a consulting basis; full-time employment contingent upon contract award.

The program focuses on aviation support for the eradication and interdiction of illicit drugs, training of contractor and host nation personnel, movement of personnel and equipment, reconnaissance, personnel recovery, medical evacuation, security, and ferrying of aircraft. Fixed Wing (FW), Rotary Wing (RW) and Small Unmanned Aircraft System (SUAS) platforms supported both CONUS and OCONUS:

• FW: DHC-8; C-208; B-1900
• RW: HH-60L; HH-60; UH-1 ST; UH-1 HII
• SUAS:
  Skydio

• Direct enterprise-level DOS INL/A aviation operations and maintenance programs across deployed locations, sustaining contractually required mission readiness, aircraft availability, and operational execution rates.
• Lead integrated flight operations, maintenance, logistics, safety, quality, and contractor performance functions to ensure safe, compliant, and uninterrupted mission support.
• Oversee daily readiness reviews, maintenance priorities, mission schedules, risk items, staffing, and supply constraints to drive timely corrective actions and measurable performance improvement.
• Manage program resources, budgets, manpower, aircraft utilization, and sustainment requirements to meet cost, schedule, safety, readiness, and mission-support objectives.
• Enforce DOS, INL/A, FAA, OEM, host-nation, safety, security, and contractual compliance, supporting zero major safety violations and successful audits, inspections, and program reviews.
• Advise senior government leadership on fleet health, mission execution, contractor performance, operational risks, and strategic priorities, enabling data-driven decisions and improved mission outcomes.
• Drive continuous improvement across aviation operations and maintenance by analyzing KPIs, trend data, and after-action findings to increase mission completion, reduce downtime, improve fleet reliability, and strengthen contractor accountability.
• Track performance measures and goals to ensure variances in established procedures are clearly identified and corrective actions defined to ensure the services provided to the customer are of the highest standards and continually enhance the overall mission of the Department of State Air Wing at CONUS and OCONUS locations.

• Partner with the Capture Manager to shape the overall Program Management, Execution Approach, and technical volumes, ensuring alignment between proposed technical solutions, staffing models, performance metrics, and long-term contract sustainability.
• Lead development of the Program Management, Organizational Structure, Governance, and Performance Management sections of the proposal.
• Validate that proposed maintenance, supply chain, quality, safety, and subcontractor strategies are operationally executable within cost, schedule, and regulatory constraints.
• Collaborate with the Transition Manager to ensure seamless integration between the Transition Approach and steady-state execution plan.
• Work closely with pricing, contracts, HR, supply chain, IT, property, and platform SMEs to ensure labor ramp profiles, indirect support structures, and management controls are realistic and performance driven.
• Participate in solutioning sessions and Black Hat reviews to assess incumbent performance risks, staffing considerations, aircraft divestment complexities, and customer fleet sustainment demands.
• Support color team reviews (Pink, Red, Gold), incorporating evaluator-focused refinements and ensuring compliance with PWS and Section L/M requirements.
• Ensure proposed KPIs, aircraft availability metrics, readiness thresholds, safety controls, and reporting structures are measurable, contract-aligned, and executable from Day One.
• Maintain strict traceability between proposal commitments and post-award management processes to minimize performance risk and protect the potential award fee.
• Upon award, ensure rapid conversion of proposal artifacts into executable program management baselines, including staffing plans, governance boards, reporting cadences, and risk registers.

• Minimum of 15 years of program management experience and a total of 20 years’ professional work experience.
• 7 years of mixed rotary and fixed-wing aircraft fleet management and operation experience. 1,500 hours total flight time with familiarity of aerial…