Director Program Management Jobs in Santa Ana, CA

Applied Composites (AC) is seeking a Director, Program Management to lead the Program Management function for a business or group of businesses and provide strategic and operational leadership across the assigned program portfolio. This role oversees multiple programs from program award through production, delivery, and closeout, ensuring alignment with customer commitments and AC's business objectives.

The Director is accountable for program execution, schedule, cost, labor performance, gross margin, customer satisfaction, and contractual performance. This role establishes program management standards, drives key performance indicators (KPIs), and provides leadership and accountability across the Program Management organization.

A critical responsibility is ensuring program performance remains aligned with the original bid assumptions, including labor hours and gross profit margin. The Director will monitor Bid Hours vs. Actual/Forecast Hours and Bid Gross Margin vs. Forecast/Actual Gross Margin, identify gaps early, and establish and drive corrective action plans to close performance gaps before program completion.

The Director partners closely with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Finance, Sales, and other functions to ensure successful program execution and serves as a senior-level interface with customers and executive leadership.

About AC

Come and join the Applied Composites team. We are a leading provider of complex composite components, assemblies, engineering and tooling to the aerospace, defense and space system markets. Our employees are treated with respect and given the support, knowledge, and resources they need to thrive. If you are looking for a company that values and develops its employees while offering engaging work, Applied Composites may be the place for you.

Job Accountabilities

Program Portfolio Leadership

• Lead the Program Management function across the assigned business or group of businesses.
• Provide strategic oversight of the entire program portfolio from program award through delivery and closeout.
• Ensure programs achieve customer and business objectives for scope, schedule, cost, quality, technical performance, and financial performance.
• Establish program priorities and ensure appropriate resources are aligned to business and customer requirements.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve program management policies, processes, tools, and best practices.
• Establish effective program governance, review cadence, reporting, and escalation processes.
• Lead recovery actions for programs at risk of missing customer, schedule, cost, or financial commitments.

Program Financial Performance

• Drive accountability for program financial performance in partnership with Finance and functional leadership.
• Monitor revenue, labor hours, material costs, subcontract costs, gross profit, gross margin, and cash conversion across the program portfolio.
• Establish and maintain disciplined management of Bid Hours vs. Actual and Forecast Hours.
• Ensure Program Managers identify unfavorable labor-hour trends early and take corrective action.
• Maintain program gross margins as close as possible to approved bid gross margins.
• Identify financial and labor-hour gaps and establish documented recovery plans.
• Ensure recovery actions are implemented early enough to close gaps before program completion.
• Partner with Finance to improve program forecasting accuracy and financial visibility.
• Identify opportunities to prevent gross-margin leakage and improve program profitability.

Schedule & Contract Performance

• Ensure programs achieve contractual delivery dates and customer milestones.
• Develop and maintain integrated program schedules and milestone plans.
• Monitor program performance against contractual requirements and internal commitments.
• Identify schedule risks and establish timely recovery plans.
• Drive opportunities to pull in customer deliveries ahead of contractual commitments when appropriate.
• Ensure effective transition of new programs from award through production and delivery.
• Ensure changes to scope, schedule, technical requirements, or customer commitments are appropriately managed.

Customer & Business Management

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key customers and strategic accounts.
• Serve as a senior-level escalation point for customer issues and program performance.
• Ensure proactive communication with customers regarding program status, risks, opportunities, and recovery actions.
• Lead customer program reviews and executive-level business reviews as required.
• Partner with customers to resolve issues, manage scope changes, and establish recovery plans.
• Support Sales and Business Development activities related to existing and new customer opportunities.
• Identify opportunities for follow-on business and growth within existing programs and customer relationships.
• Oversee the development of business cases, ROI analyses, opportunity plans, and product/program road maps as appropriate.

KPI & Performance Management

• Establish and drive Program Management KPIs aligned with AC site and business objectives.
• Monitor and report performance against key metrics including: 
  • On-time program start
  • On-time contractual delivery
  • Schedule performance and acceleration
  • Bid Hours vs. Actual/Forecast Hours
  • Bid Gross Margin vs. Actual/Forecast Gross Margin
  • Revenue and bookings
  • Cash conversion and unbilled milestones
  • Customer satisfaction
  • Program risks and recovery actions
• Provide executive leadership with accurate, timely, and actionable program performance reporting.
• Establish corrective-action plans for KPI gaps and ensure accountability for closure.
• Drive a culture of early identification, escalation, and resolution of program issues.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Planning, Finance, Sales, and other functions to ensure successful program execution.
• Ensure programs are appropriately resourced with qualified personnel and required technical and manufacturing capabilities.
• Align program requirements with site capacity, labor, equipment, and resource plans.
• Establish clear ownership and accountability for cross-functional program deliverables.
• Remove organizational barriers and drive timely resolution of execution issues.

Risk & Opportunity Management

• Lead identification, assessment, mitigation, and monitoring of risks across the program portfolio.
• Manage commercial, technical, schedule, financial, resource, supply chain, and customer risks.
• Establish proactive mitigation and contingency plans.
• Lead program recovery efforts when performance deviates from plan.
• Identify opportunities to improve profitability, reduce risk, accelerate delivery, and improve customer value.
• Ensure significant risks and opportunities are escalated to executive leadership in a timely manner.

Program Management Organization

• Lead, coach, develop, and retain a high-performing Program Management organization.
• Establish clear expectations, accountability, and performance standards for Program Managers.
• Assign Program Managers based on program complexity, customer requirements, and business priorities.
• Manage staff selection, performance management, development, succession planning, and training.
• Develop Program Managers' capabilities in financial management, customer leadership, risk management, and program execution.
• Build a culture of accountability, transparency, ownership, and continuous improvement.

Continuous Improvement

• Establish and continuously improve Program Management processes, tools, systems, and best practices.
• Drive lessons learned and ensure improvements are incorporated into future programs.
• Improve forecasting accuracy, program visibility, financial discipline, and execution predictability.
• Promote data-driven decision-making and effective use of program management systems.
• Establish a consistent cadence for portfolio reviews, program reviews, customer reviews, and executive reporting.

Other Responsibilities

• Performs other responsibilities as assigned.

Job Specifications

Education

Education: Post-secondary degree in Engineering, Business, Operations, Manufacturing, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and work experience that will allow successful performance of job expectations.

Experience

Years' Experience: 10–15+ years of relevant experience, including significant experience leading complex aerospace, defense, space, composites, or advanced manufacturing programs.

Preferred experience includes:

• Leading multiple complex customer programs or a significant program portfolio
• Managing program financial performance and profitability
• Managing Bid Hours vs. Actual/Forecast Hours
• Managing gross margin and cost performance
• Integrated program planning and scheduling
• Customer and contract management
• Risk and recovery management
• Leading and developing Program Managers
• Cross-functional leadership within a manufacturing environment

Skills

• Strong program management methodology and business management experience.
• Strong financial acumen, including understanding of revenue, gross margin, labor-hour performance, forecasting, and cost control.
• Strong technical background with the ability to understand and evaluate technical specifications, requirements, and capabilities associated with aerospace and advanced manufacturing programs.
• Exceptional leadership and strategic thinking capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive accountability without direct authority.
• Strong customer relationship, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex programs and competing priorities.
• Excellent communication and executive presentation skills.
• Ability to develop clear strategies, plans, KPIs, and execution roadmaps.
• Strong organizational skills with a demonstrated bias toward execution and results.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and program management/ERP systems.

 Benefits:
 
 At Applied Composites, we recognize how important your career and benefits are to you and your family. We offer a full suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability coverage, accident insurance, critical illness insurance, basic and supplemental life insurance, employee assistance plan, retirement savings and matching, tuition reimbursement and other developmental opportunities. We are committed to supporting the way you live and work.

AC is an Equal Opportunity Employer Veterans/Disabled - Affirmative Action Employer.

This position requires the use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a U.S. person as a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (i.e. 'Green Card Holder'), Political Asylee, or Refugee.