Contingent Workforce Program Manager Jobs in California

About The Role:
As Anduril continues to scale at an unprecedented pace, our need for a flexible, high-quality, and strategically managed workforce has become a critical priority. We are seeking a foundational leader to build our Contingent Workforce Program from the ground up. This is a "zero to one" opportunity to design, implement, and lead the entire strategy and operational engine for how we engage non-employee talent across the company.
You will be the architect and single-threaded owner of this new function. Your initial and most urgent focus will be on creating a streamlined, efficient Contract-to-Hire (C2H) program for our rapidly growing Production & Manufacturing facilities. From there, you will expand the program's scope to encompass all contingent labor globally, ensuring we have the right policies, processes, and partners to support Anduril's dynamic talent needs.
This high-visibility role requires a player-coach who can develop a long-term global strategy while simultaneously rolling up their sleeves to build the initial processes, manage key vendor relationships, and solve our most immediate challenges.

What You'll Do:

• Strategy & Program Design (The Architect):
• Design and build Anduril's comprehensive Contingent Workforce Program from the ground up, establishing the vision, policies, and governance for how we engage contractors, freelancers, and temporary staff.
• Develop a strategic framework that defines when, why, and how different parts of the business should leverage contingent workers versus full-time employees.
• Establish clear guidelines and playbooks to manage risk, ensure compliance with co-employment laws, and maintain our high bar for talent and security.
• Process & Operational Excellence (The Builder):
• Build and implement a standardized, end-to-end lifecycle process for contingent workers, from intake and sourcing to onboarding, performance management, and off-boarding.
• Immediately design and launch a scalable Contract-to-Hire (C2H) program to support the high-volume needs of our Production organization.
• Evaluate, select, and implement the necessary technology (e.g., Vendor Management System - VMS) to streamline operations, manage data, and provide clear visibility into spend and performance.
• Vendor & Performance Management (The Partner):
• Lead the strategy for our staffing agency partnerships. Consolidate and manage our vendor list, negotiate contracts, and establish service-level agreements (SLAs) and performance scorecards.
• Establish and lead quarterly business reviews (QBRs) with key partners to drive accountability and continuous improvement.
• Serve as the central point of contact for all vendor relationships, ensuring they are true partners who understand Anduril's mission and talent bar.
• Stakeholder Partnership & Execution (The Player-Coach):
• Serve as the trusted advisor to business leaders across Production, Engineering, and G&A on all matters related to contingent staffing.
• Partner closely with Talent Acquisition, Finance, Legal, and IT to ensure seamless integration, budget alignment, and process compliance.
• In the initial build phase, act as a hands-on leader, directly managing key relationships, troubleshooting operational issues, and driving the first cohorts of the C2H program to success.

Who You Are:
You are a builder and a strategist, with a proven history of creating order from chaos and scaling programs in complex, fast-paced environments. You think in terms of systems and processes, but you understand that success comes from strong partnerships and a relentless focus on execution. You are just as comfortable presenting a five-year strategy to executives as you are negotiating a new MSA with a vendor or solving a payroll issue for a contractor.

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years of progressive experience in Talent Acquisition, HR, or Procurement, with a minimum of 7+ years in a role specifically dedicated to building and/or leading a Contingent Workforce Program.
• Proven experience designing and implementing a contingent staffing program from the ground up (a true "zero to one" build) in a high-growth environment.
• Deep subject matter expertise in contingent workforce management, including vendor management (VMS/MSP), co-employment risk, worker classification, and global labor laws.
• Demonstrated experience managing a portfolio of staffing vendors, including contract negotiation, performance management, and consolidation.
• Strong business acumen and experience partnering with and influencing senior leadership across multiple functions (e.g., Operations, Finance, Legal).
• Exceptional program management and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience building and managing high-volume Contract-to-Hire (C2H) programs, particularly for manufacturing, production, or skilled-trade environments.
• Experience in the defense, aerospace, automotive, or other hardware-intensive industries.
• Global program management experience.
• Hands-on experience with implementing and managing a Vendor Management System (VMS) like Fieldglass, Beeline, or similar.