Senior Program Manager

Built on Experience. Built for Skill. Built for You.

Keel was formed by bringing together three industry leaders combining generations of hands‑on expertise in steel fabrication, shipbuilding, aerospace, and defense manufacturing.

That means when you join Keel, you’re joining a team backed by decades of proven craftsmanship and real‑world results.

We build ships, defense systems, aerospace components, and heavy steel structures that serve critical missions — and we do it with pride.

The Senior Program Manager provides leadership, execution oversight, and people management within the Program Management Office (PMO). This role leads high complexity programs that have expanded scope, significant financial impact, cross functional dependencies, or challenging customer environments while also supervising a portion of the PMO staff including assigned Program Managers, Project Managers, and Project Coordinators. The Senior Program Manager functions with a high degree of autonomy, driving successful program delivery, developing PMO talent, and ensuring consistent application of program management standards.

The Senior Program Manager manages program level customer, OEM, and prime contractor relationships with autonomy, ensuring effective communication, alignment, and issue resolution. The Senior Program Manager is accountable for advanced program financial performance including EVMS discipline, EAC forecasting, variance analysis, and mentoring PMO staff in cost and schedule integration.?

• Leads the planning, execution, and governance of programs with elevated complexity, budget or P&L impact, technical challenge, or customer sensitivity. Owns program performance metrics including schedule, cost, risk, and technical outcomes, providing structured updates to the Director as required. Drives resolution of complex program issues and leads recovery plans when performance challenges arise. Ensures strong cross‑functional integration with engineering, operations, supply chain, quality, and finance.??

• Oversees program financial performance through disciplined use of Earned Value Management, ensuring accurate measurement of cost and schedule status and maintaining control of the performance baseline. This role develops and updates EACs, analyzes variances, and partners with Finance to align program data with corporate reporting needs. Identifies emerging financial risks early and drives mitigation actions to protect cost, schedule, and margin commitments while also mentoring Program Managers and Project Managers in EVMS fundamentals, forecasting discipline, and cost and schedule integration.?

• Directly supervises assigned Program Managers as designated, Project Managers, and Project Coordinators. Provides coaching, performance feedback, objective setting, development planning, and workload balancing. Participates in hiring and termination decisions alongside the Director. Ensures consistent application of PMO processes, tools, and standards across supervised personnel.??

• The Senior Program Manager serves as an authoritative communicator for assigned programs, representing Keel with clarity and professionalism in all external interactions. This role ensures timely, accurate communication of program status, risks, financial performance, and key decisions to both customers and Keel senior leadership. Establishes consistent communication rhythms across internal and external stakeholders, drives alignment through transparent and structured updates, and models high quality written and verbal communication standards for the PMO…