Program Manager Contract Jobs in Little Rock, AR

Description

Job Summary:

The Program Manager is a strategic leader responsible for the end-to-end execution, financial performance, and customer satisfaction of assigned programs at BEI Precision. Reporting directly to the Vice President of Engineering, this role owns the overall health of programs from contract award through Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE), New Product Introduction (NPI), and successful transition to full-rate manufacturing.

Serving as the primary executive interface to the customer during program execution, the Program Manager ensures commitments are met across schedule, scope, cost, and technical performance. This leader drives cross-functional alignment across Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and Finance to deliver results consistent with BEI Precision's performance standards and Arxis' ACE management system - Accountability, Collaboration, and Empowerment.

This role requires disciplined execution, financial rigor, proactive risk management, and strong customer engagement, particularly within aerospace and/or space industry environments. The position is full-time and primarily on-site at BEI's facility in Maumelle, Arkansas.

Requirements

  Required Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Advanced program and project management methodologies
• Aerospace and/or space industry program requirements and compliance standards
• Engineering development lifecycles and stage-gate processes
• New Product Introduction (NPI) and production readiness processes
• Contract structures, statement of work analysis, and risk allocation
• Integrated master scheduling tools (Microsoft Project or similar)
• Financial performance tracking and forecasting, ETC modeling, and milestone-based billing structures

Ability to:

• Lead complex, cross-functional programs without direct authority
• Balance customer expectations with operational realities and financial objectives
• Translate technical and financial data into executive-level insights
• Drive accountability and execution across multiple departments
• Build strong, professional relationships with customers and internal stakeholders
• Manage multiple high-priority programs simultaneously
• Anticipate and mitigate risk before impact to cost or schedule
• Communicate effectively at executive, customer, and operational levels
• Operate decisively in a fast-paced, performance-driven environment
• Develop, maintain, and control integrated master schedules using Microsoft Project or equivalent tools across multiple functional areas.
• Drive cross-functional execution across Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, and Finance to meet contractual milestones.
• Lead structured program reviews with executive leadership, providing clear visibility into percent complete, Estimate to Complete (ETC), earned value performance, contract milestone status, and risk mitigation plans.
• Identify, escalate, and mitigate program risks; develop recovery strategies when performance deviates from plan.
• Ensure effective transition of new products into manufacturing, balancing technical readiness, operational capability, and financial targets.
• Support contract reviews and participate in customer negotiations to ensure scope clarity, risk alignment, and margin protection.
• Establish and reinforce a culture of accountability, ownership, and execution discipline aligned with Arxis core principles: Dream Big, Have Fun, and GSD (Get Stuff Done).
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen forecasting accuracy, cross-functional collaboration, and program governance.

Required Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Advanced program and project management methodologies
• Aerospace and/or space industry program requirements and compliance standards
• Engineering development lifecycles and stage-gate processes
• New Product Introduction (NPI) and production readiness processes
• Contract structures, statement of work analysis, and risk allocation
• Integrated master scheduling tools (Microsoft Project or similar)
• Financial performance tracking and forecasting, ETC modeling, and milestone-based billing structures

Ability to:

• Lead complex, cross-functional programs without direct authority
• Balance customer expectations with operational realities and financial objectives
• Translate technical and financial data into executive-level insights
• Drive accountability and execution across multiple departments
• Build strong, professional relationships with customers and internal stakeholders
• Manage multiple high-priority programs simultaneously
• Anticipate and mitigate risk before impact to cost or schedule
• Communicate effectively at executive, customer, and operational levels
• Operate decisively in a fast-paced, performance-driven environment

Education and Experience:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Technical Discipline, or related field required
• Strong technical foundation and understanding of engineering workflows
• Program Management Professional (PMP) certification preferred

Experience:

• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive program or project management experience
• Aerospace and/or space industry experience strongly preferred
• Demonstrated success managing NRE and NPI programs from development through manufacturing transition
• Experience applying Earned Value Management principles in a production or development environment
• Exposure to contract review, negotiation, and customer commercial discussions highly preferred
• Experience presenting to executive leadership and customers