Director, Product Line Management

Regular

The Product Line Director designs, develops and leads activities for a specific group of products for Aero Vironment, including planning through production release and end of product life. This position communicates and facilitates relationships with customers, socializes roadmaps with internal teams, partners with executive and strategy teams, and works daily with Program Management and Engineering. Will define creative, high quality, complex roadmaps for missions, products, and capabilities to achieve the company’s strategic goals.

• Holds complete responsibility, accountability, and authority for a specific loitering munition product line
• Leads the product line through entire lifecycle from inception to sunset
• Provides leadership on new product introduction activities with engineering and operations and ensures alignment with the Go-to-Market plans
• Effectively balances customer and business needs when planning and retiring products
• Establishes, communicates, and achieves buy-in for product line strategies
• Works with customer programs to manage new pursuits and contract negotiations
• Able to provide guidance and direction for new business pursuits and proposal efforts
• Collaborates with Marketing and Business Development to define product pricing, promotion, placement, and preferred features
• Collaborates with stakeholders to develop Product Requirements
• Consults with CTO office and/or engineering on latest technologies and their inclusion within the product roadmap
• Manages prioritization and trade-offs among projects to effectively balance products needs with resource availability
• Interfaces and collaborates with customers to understand concept of operations and problem statements
• Creates buy-in for the product vision both internally and with key customers
• Leads fiscal year budgeting for product line R&D and sustainment activities and holds budget accountability
• Evaluates addressable markets, risks, opportunities, and competitors to support current and future business pursuits
• Provides leadership guidance to the execution teams working within the product line

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related is required or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
• Minimum of 15+ years’ relevant experience
• Experience taking 3 major systems to market in a low rate or full rate production environment
• Proven track record of taking ownership and driving results – is a self-starter and self-directed
• Demonstrated experience managing profit and loss in a technology company
• 5+ years experience managing development budgets
• Experienced in, and is comfortable with, presenting to executive leadership
• Experienced in product road mapping, R&D, and product sustainment activities
• Knowledge of weapon systems and products, with a track record of managing multiple projects simultaneously
• Experience with delivering mature systems to Domestic and International customers
• Experience managing the work of others and job tasking
• Familiarity with managing Profit/Loss
• Demonstrated computer skills and proficiency with office productivity software
• Experience creating and building teams through the use of leadership attributes

• Advanced degree preferred
• Leads with rapid agility to deal with shifting priorities, demands, and timelines
• Leads by example and fosters a culture of leadership and teamwork
• Displays strong critical thinking skills, demonstrated ability to analyze and break down problems into components
• Exhibits exceptional interpersonal and communication skills
• Able to excel in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, where small teams share a broad variety of duties
• Displays…