Associate Director Program Management Jobs in Bothell, WA

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At Blue Origin, we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We're working to develop reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems within a culture of safety, collaboration, and inclusion. Join our team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight!

The Director of Operations Program Management forTeraWavewill own the operational execution and program management infrastructure that keeps one of the most ambitious satellite manufacturing programs in history running at pace and on schedule.

Reporting directly toTeraWaveOperations senior leadership, you will lead and scale the Subassembly Operations Program Management, Operations Scheduling, Configuration Management, and Customer Terminals Operations functions, while driving enterprise-wide operational strategy across build execution, BOM and material management, schedule integrity, configuration control, and operational performance - from new product introduction through high-rate volume production.

The Challenge

TheTeraWavearchitecture consists of 5,408 optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO). This multi-orbit design enables ultra-high-throughput links between global hubs and distributed, multigigabit user connections, particularly in remote, rural, and suburban areas where fiber paths are costly, technically infeasible, or slow to deploy.TeraWaveenterprise-grade user and gateway terminals can be rapidly deployed worldwide and interface with existing high-capacity infrastructure, providingadditionalroute strengthening overall network resilience.

TeraWaveaddresses the unmet needs of customers who are seeking higher throughput, symmetrical upload/download speeds, more redundancy, and rapid scalability. Globally distributed customers can each access speeds of up to 144 Gbps delivered using Q/V-band links from a constellation of 5,280 LEO satellites, while up to 6Tbpscan be accessed via optical links from 128 MEO satellites. Delivering this network on time and at scale requires flawless operations program execution - and that's where you come in.

What You'll Do

Own & Shape Operations Program Execution Strategy

• Serve as the senior program management leader and primary interface betweenTeraWaveOperations and cross-functional executive stakeholders, ensuring operational strategies translate into reliable, on-schedule production outcomes

• Define and own program health visibility across subassembly operations - tracking build quantities, schedule progress,identifyingrisks early, and drivingtimelyresolution of blockers at the leadership level

• Develop andmaintainrealistic production program schedules that reflect ground truth across subassembly operations and manufacturing execution

• Lead operations across the full product development lifecycle - from early NPI phases through volume production ramp - ensuring the right level of strategic and operational engagement at each stage

• Establish and enforce governance mechanisms and executive reporting cadences that give senior leadershipaccurate, real-time insight into operational status

• Define and own risk identification frameworks and mitigation strategies that protect schedule and program commitments at scale

Drive Subassembly Operations Performance

• Lead and scale the Subassembly OPM function, overseeing end-to-end subassembly program execution - from planning and intake through build completion and closeout

• Own build quantity planning, BOM management, and build material management across subassembly operations, ensuring clarity on what needs to be built, when, and with what

• Define and execute long-leadcomponentrisk strategies, including proactive supplier engagement and pipeline management to protect continuity and avoid schedule gaps

• Own cost targets across subassembly operations, driving structural cost reduction per unit as production matures and scales toward high-rate manufacturing

• Ensure subassembly operations are aligned with overall production program requirements, build plans, and configuration baselines

• Partner with engineering and operations leaders to ensure subassembly processes areoptimized, resourced, and executing to plan

• Drive accountability across subassembly operations through clear metrics, structured reviews, and escalation processes

Lead & Elevate the Production Scheduling Function

• Directly lead the Operations Scheduling team, owning the production scheduling function and ensuring the master production schedule reflects current operational realities and program priorities at a director level

• Proactivelyidentifyschedule conflicts and communicate impacts to senior stakeholders ina timelyand clear manner

• Ensure scheduling plans are executable and grounded in capacity, headcount, and material availability

• Drive schedule adherence metrics and lead structured schedule review processes with cross-functional partners and senior leadership

Own Configuration Management

• Lead and own the Configuration Management function,establishingand enforcing processes that ensure product andcomponentconfigurations are accurately defined, controlled, and traceable across the full production lifecycle

• Identifycomponents withviablemulti-source opportunities and drive qualification strategies that reduce unit cost while protecting performance and schedule - translating high-cost single-source dependencies into qualified, competitive supply options

• Partner with engineering, supply chain, and operations teams to ensure configuration baselines aremaintainedand changes are assessed, approved, and implemented with full visibility into cost, schedule, and quality impact

• Drive configuration management discipline through NPI and into volume production, ensuring that configuration integrity is preserved as the program scales toward high-rate manufacturing

• Own the process of breaking down subassemblies toidentifycost reduction opportunities, working cross-functionally to qualify alternative sources and incorporate them into future EVT/DVT build phases and volume production runs

• Establish configuration management governance mechanisms and reporting standards that give leadership clear visibility into configuration status, change history, and qualification progress

Lead Customer Terminals Operations

• Own the end-to-end operations program management forTeraWavecustomer terminals - including enterprise-grade user terminals and gateway terminals - ensuring build execution, scheduling, and material management are aligned with customer deployment commitments

• Partner with engineering, supply chain, and field deployment teams to ensure customer terminal production is planned, resourced, and executing to schedule at the pacerequiredto support global customer deployments

• Manage customer terminal BOM, build quantities, and long-leadcomponentrisk to ensure production readiness and uninterrupted supply to customers worldwide

• Drive cost reduction and yield improvement across customer terminal operations, applying the same rigor and structured improvement frameworks used across subassembly operations

• Ensure customer terminal configurations are controlled and aligned with deployment requirements, customer specifications, and internal quality standards

• Establish clear operational metrics and governance for customer terminal operations, providing senior leadership withaccurate, real-time visibility into production status and customer commitment health

Champion Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Establish scalable, repeatable operational frameworks that support growing production needs and increasing build rates across the enterprise

• Drive first-pass yield improvement and cost-per-unit reduction through structured process improvement, rigorous root cause analysis, and cross-functional accountability

• Establish rapid escalation and containment mechanisms that ensure production issues areidentified, escalated, and resolved with urgency - minimizing impact to schedule and quality

• Lead and sponsor cross-functional operations improvement initiatives that drive efficiency, reduce cycle time, and improve overall production performance

• Deploy process standardization and governance mechanisms across all operations program management functions

• Continuouslyidentifyoperational gaps, performance trends, and enterprise-wide opportunities to enhance execution quality and efficiency

Build, Lead & Develop a High-Performing Organization

• Build, lead, and develop the Subassembly Operations Program Management, Operations Scheduling, Configuration Management, and Customer Terminals Operations organizations, setting strategic direction and driving high performance across all functions

• Define org structure, headcount plans, and capability roadmaps that scale withTeraWaveproduction growth

• Foster an organizational culture of accountability, transparency, urgency, and continuous improvement

• Develop talent at all levels, creating clear growth paths and coaching leaders and team members to expand their impact

• Represent Operations Program Management at theTeraWavesenior leadership level, contributing to and influencing enterprise-wide operational strategy and investment decisions

What You Bring

Minimum Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in operations program management, production program management, or manufacturing program management in a complex, high-stakes production environment

• 5+ years of experience in a senior leadership role managing managers and leading multi-functional operations teams

• Proventrack recordof owning and driving program execution and schedule management at scale across large cross-functional organizations

• Deep understanding of production scheduling, BOM management, build material management, configuration management, and manufacturing program management fundamentals

• Demonstrated experience defining and executing long-leadcomponentrisk strategies and supplier pipeline management to protect production schedules

• Experience owning configuration management functions, including multi-source qualification strategies, configuration baseline control, and change management processes

• Experience leading operations program management for customer-facing hardware programs, including terminal or end-user device production

• Proven ability to develop and scale operational governance frameworks, reporting cadences, and escalation mechanisms for senior leadership visibility

• Experience driving first-pass yield improvement and structural cost reduction in a high-complexity manufacturing environment

• Demonstrated ability to build and scale high-performing operations program management organizations

• Strong executive presence with the ability to present program health, risk, and strategy clearly and confidently to senior and executive leadership

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• BA/BS degree in Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in satellite manufacturing, aerospace, or similarly complex electromechanical production environments

• Experience leading operations across NPI and volume production phases, including the strategic transition from development to high-rate manufacturing

• Demonstrated experience drivingcomponentcost reduction through multi-source qualification and supply chain strategies

• Lean/Six Sigma Black Belt certification withdemonstratedenterprise-level application in a high-complexity manufacturing environment

• Deep familiarity with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), ERP/MRP platforms, configuration management tools, and production scheduling platforms

• PMP or equivalent project management certification

• Proven experience standing up and scaling operations program management organizations from early production through high-rate manufacturing

• Knowledge of AS9100, ISO 9001, or equivalent quality management frameworks

• Master's degree in Engineering, Operations, or Business

Base Pay Range for:

Other site ranges may differ

Culture Statement

Don't meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Blue Origin, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Export Control Regulations

Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S.as a refugee or granted asylum.

Background Check

• Required for all positions: Blue's Standard Background Check

• Required for Certain Job Profiles: Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check if at any time the role requires one to be on a military installation

• Required for Certain Job Profiles: Driv...