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Director Of Program Operations Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Reports To The Program Director will report to the School Manager of the location. Job Overview We ... Ensure program operations and activities adhere to legal guidelines and internal policies. Keep ...

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Director Of Program Operations information

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$34K

$107.7K

$179.5K

How much do director of program operations jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for director of program operations in the United States is $107,680.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $75,500.00 and $135,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a director of program operations do?

A director of program operations oversees the planning, implementation, and management of organizational programs to ensure they meet goals and standards. They coordinate teams, allocate resources, monitor progress, and optimize processes, often using project management tools. Strong leadership, strategic thinking, and experience in operations are essential for this role.

How does a Director of Program Operations typically collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure program success?

As a Director of Program Operations, you will frequently collaborate with cross-functional teams such as finance, human resources, project management, and external partners. You are responsible for facilitating clear communication, aligning resources, and ensuring that all departments are working toward shared objectives. Effective Directors often lead regular interdepartmental meetings, oversee progress updates, and swiftly resolve any roadblocks. This collaboration is essential for driving program efficiency, achieving milestones on time, and ultimately delivering successful outcomes.

Is a program director higher than a program manager?

A Program Director typically holds a higher-level leadership role than a Program Manager, overseeing multiple projects or programs and setting strategic goals. Program Managers focus on managing specific projects within the program, ensuring they meet objectives, budgets, and deadlines. The hierarchy can vary by organization, but generally, the Program Director has broader responsibilities and authority.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Director Of Program Operations, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Director Of Program Operations, you need strong leadership, strategic planning, and project management skills, often supported by a bachelor's or master's degree in business, management, or a related field. Familiarity with project management software (such as Asana or MS Project), budgeting tools, and data analysis systems is typically required. Exceptional communication, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities help you lead teams and drive organizational goals. These competencies ensure programs run efficiently, meet objectives, and adapt to organizational needs.

What jobs pay 500,000 a year in the US?

In the US, high-level executive roles such as CEOs, CFOs, and other C-suite positions often have total compensation exceeding $500,000 annually, especially in large corporations. Certain specialized medical professionals, successful entrepreneurs, and top-tier investment bankers can also reach or surpass this income level, often through bonuses, stock options, or profit sharing. For a Director of Program Operations, reaching this salary typically requires extensive experience, leadership in large organizations, and often performance-based incentives.

What is the difference between Director Of Program Operations vs Program Manager?

AspectDirector Of Program OperationsProgram Manager
ResponsibilitiesOversees multiple projects and programs, sets strategic goals, manages teams, and aligns programs with organizational objectives.Manages specific projects, coordinates resources, and ensures project deliverables are met within scope and budget.
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree; often master's; experience in program management; leadership skills.Bachelor's degree; project management experience; certifications like PMP are common.
Work EnvironmentExecutive-level setting, often in corporate or nonprofit organizations, with strategic planning focus.Project teams, cross-functional departments, and operational settings.

The main difference is that the Director Of Program Operations focuses on strategic oversight and managing multiple programs, while a Program Manager handles individual projects. The director role involves higher-level planning and leadership, whereas the program manager concentrates on day-to-day project execution.

Which is higher, COO or director of operations?

A COO (Chief Operating Officer) is generally higher than a Director of Program Operations, as the COO is part of the executive leadership team responsible for overall company strategy and operations. The Director of Program Operations typically reports to senior executives like the COO and focuses on managing specific programs or departments within the organization.
More about Director Of Program Operations jobs
What cities are hiring for Director Of Program Operations jobs? Cities with the most Director Of Program Operations job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Of Program Operations jobs? The most popular types of Of Program Operations jobs are:
What states have the most Director Of Program Operations jobs? States with the most job openings for Director Of Program Operations jobs include:
Infographic showing various Director Of Program Operations job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 14% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 93% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $107,680 per year, or $51.8 per hour.
Director, Program Operations

Director, Program Operations

Blue Origin, LLC

Seattle, WA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 16 days ago


Blue Origin rating

8.7

Company rating: 8.7 out of 10

Based on 91 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

14th of 61 rated aerospace companies


Job description

Application close date:
Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.
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!
This role is part of Blue Origin Operations, which is comprised of Integrated Supply Chain, Test Operations, Safety, Quality, and Mission Assurance. This includes Manufacturing and Supply Chain support across all Blue Origin facilities.
The Director of Operations Program Management for TeraWave will 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 to TeraWave Operations 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
The TeraWave architecture 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. TeraWave enterprise-grade user and gateway terminals can be rapidly deployed worldwide and interface with existing high-capacity infrastructure, providing additional route strengthening overall network resilience.
TeraWave addresses 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 6 Tbps can 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 between TeraWave Operations 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, identifying risks early, and driving timely resolution of blockers at the leadership level
  • Develop and maintain realistic 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 leadership accurate, 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-lead component risk 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 are optimized, 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
  • Proactively identify schedule conflicts and communicate impacts to senior stakeholders in a timely and 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, establishing and enforcing processes that ensure product and component configurations are accurately defined, controlled, and traceable across the full production lifecycle
  • Identify components with viable multi-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 are maintained and 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 to identify cost 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 for TeraWave customer 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 pace required to support global customer deployments
  • Manage customer terminal BOM, build quantities, and long-lead component risk 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 with accurate, 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 are identified, 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
  • Continuously identify operational 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 with TeraWave production 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 the TeraWave senior 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
  • Proven track record of 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-lead component risk 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 driving component cost reduction through multi-source qualification and supply chain strategies
  • Lean/Six Sigma Black Belt certification with demonstrated enterprise-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:
WA applicants is $203,165.00 - $284,430.30
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

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About Blue Origin

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Blue Origin is a private aerospace manufacturing and suborbital spaceflight services company based in Kent, Washington, USA. Established in 2000 by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the company operates in the cutting-edge aerospace industry aiming to build a future where millions of people can live and work in space. They develop a variety of technologies, with a focus on reusable rocket systems which significantly reduce the cost of space travel. Blue Origin's core mission is to make this vision come to life by incrementally building on its successes with an ultimate vision of dramatic cost reduction and increased reliance on reusable spacecraft.

Industry

Space research administration

Company size

1,001 - 5,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Kent, WA, US

Year founded

2000