Program Manager

Position Title: Program Manager
Requisition : 1792
Position Location: Sterling, VA
Position

Reports To:

Product Line Director/Director of Programs
Supervises Others: No

At Trident Systems Space Electronic Systems (SES) division, we believe in the power of using strong engineering principles to drive innovation and solve complex problems. We foster a culture of rigorous engineering and continuous improvement, leveraging the full knowledge of our organization through collaborative product development processes that include design and peer reviews. We combine our expertise in space electronics with right-sized development processes to create innovative, high-performance space-based electronic systems that meet our customers' evolving needs.

We are a mission partner supporting DoD, Intelligence Community, and Civil space customers. We develop complex, radiation effects mitigated, designs that balance competing requirements in modern space programs, delivering cutting‑edge solutions that enable our customers to achieve more in space.

The Program Manager is responsible for leading the execution of one or more technically complex hardware development programs, owning performance across cost, schedule, risk, and customer satisfaction. This role requires demonstrated experience running technical projects independently but not yet overseeing large‑scale portfolios or mentoring entire PM teams.

The Program Manager serves as a primary customer interface, leads cross‑functional execution, coordinates technical and programmatic activities, manages subcontractors, and ensures all contractual and internal commitments are met. This role is ideal for a hands‑on Program Manager who thrives in hardware development environments and is progressing toward leadership of larger flight programs.

• Program Leadership & Customer Engagement
  • Serve as the primary customer‑facing representative for assigned programs.
  • Lead recurring customer meetings, technical interchange meetings, program status reviews, and action‑item follow‑ups.
  • Deliver clear, timely communication on program performance, risks, and issues to customers and internal leadership.
  • Maintain strong customer relationships, resolve concerns, and ensure customer satisfaction.
• Program Execution & Contract Compliance
  • Manage all aspects of program execution including cost, schedule, deliverables, and technical scope.
  • Ensure alignment with Statements of Work (SOW), specifications, and contract requirements.
  • Coordinate with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, Quality, and Contracts to meet program commitments.
  • Support contract modifications, funding actions, and customer‑directed scope changes.
• Financial Management
  • Develop and maintain program budgets, Estimates at Completion (EACs), and financial forecasts.
  • Track labor, material, subcontractor costs, and actuals versus plan.
  • Identify and analyze variances, recommend corrective actions, and prepare monthly financial reporting inputs.
• Schedule Management
  • Build and maintain integrated program schedules using Microsoft Project.
  • Identify critical path, dependencies, resource constraints, and schedule risks.
  • Forecast milestone completion and create recovery plans when deviations occur.
• Risk, Issue, and Opportunity Management
  • Maintain program risk registers, including mitigation strategies, owners, and closure plans.
  • Facilitate routine risk and issue reviews with cross‑functional teams.
  • Identify opportunities to improve cost, schedule, technical performance, or customer value.
• Cross‑Functional Team Leadership
  • Lead integrated program teams across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and other support functions.
  • Develop staffing plans and communicate resource needs to functional managers.
  • Drive accountability, clarity, and coordination across technical and programmatic stakeholders.
  • Mentor and support the development of Associate Program Managers, providing guidance on execution fundamentals, communication practices, and PM best practices.
• Subcontractor and Supplier Management
  • Develop inputs for Statements of Work (SOWs) and requirements packages.
  • Monitor subcontractor execution, schedule…