Director of Programs 2 - Flight Test Operations & Aircraft Modification
Northrop Grumman
Edwards Air Force Base, CA (In Person)
$332,900 Salary, Full-Time
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Job Description
- Flight Test Operations & Aircraft Modification Northrop Grumman 3.
Northrop Grumman :
93% say the CEO supports gender diversity Ratings are based on anonymous reviews by Fairygodboss members. See all reviews Back-up Care Advantage offers employees a safety net for those days when regular care arrangements fall through. Sitter City offers access to babysitters, dog walkers & caregivers who can assist with special needs, companion care, housekeeping & more. We've partnered with College Coach, an organization that can assist employees and their families through important educational challenges. #R10227701
Position summary re not only part of history, they're making history.Northrop Grumman's Aeronautics Systems Sector is seeking a
- Director of Programs 2
- Flight Test Operations & Aircraft Modification
- for a large-scale program located in Palmdale, CA .
- own the end-to-end flight-test execution and aircraft modification plan. Lead the program team to ensure successful Flight Test Operations within cost, schedule, and technical performance. Serve as the NG site leader working directly with the customer to maintain transparent communication and expectation management. Daily Rhythm & Cost Management
- run the daily rhythm meetings, maintain rigorous cost management discipline, and provide accurate estimates to complete (ETC).
- oversee flight test preparation, aircraft readiness, test-equipment integration, and safety. Collaborate with functional teams to coordinate test pilots, engineers, technicians, and program support teams to conduct test flights, data acquisition, and post-flight analyses. Technical & Regulatory Compliance
- partner with stakeholders to ensure all test activities meet applicable aviation regulations (FAA, EASA, military specifications) and internal safety and quality standards. Review and approve test plans, risk assessments, and modification proposals for technical feasibility. Change Management
- lead the Flight Test Operations change management process, evaluate change requests, assess impact on cost/schedule/technical performance, and collaborate with stakeholders for approvals and ensure traceability of all changes. Ensure the team fully understands contract scope and follows formal change control processes for all modifications. Risk, Issue & Opportunity Management
- conduct systematic risk assessments, develop mitigation plans, and track opportunity realization. Identify, prioritize, and mitigate risks; resolve issues, capture and realize opportunities to protect schedule and cost. Stakeholder Management
- establish and maintain strong customer relationships to enable effective flight test execution and collaboration. Facilitate cross-functional meetings and foster a safety-first culture that promotes continuous learning initiatives. Baseline & Earned Value Management
- enforce adherence to program, business, and technical baselines; utilize Earned Value Management (EVM) to manage cost schedule performance. Communication & Culture
- drive timely decision making, communicate outcomes clearly across the program, and foster a culture of ownership and joint accountability.
Basic Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree and 10 years (or Bachelor of Science in STEM and 9 years) of program management experience as defined below, OR a master's degree and 8 years (or Master of Science in STEM and 7 years) of program or management experience as defined below. Related experience includes management and/or military program leadership experience to include a background in program management, engineering, production, or aircraft manufacturing. Formal people-leadership experience (team lead, manager or equivalent) in a program-oriented environment Experience with control-account-management (CAM) frameworks and baseline-integrity for sustainment labor pools Experience with cost-modeling, Earned-Value Management (EVM), and Total-Cost-Management (TCM) techniques Active DoD Secret Clearance (or higher) last investigated within 6 years or enrolled in continuous evaluation and the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needsPreferred Qualifications:
MS or MBA degree A minimum of 10 years of experience in engineering, manufacturing or production program management specific roles A minimum of 8 years of experience in process in research & development, process maturation or product life cycle development in both EMD and Production Programs Demonstrated experience developing, communicating, and implementing new processes for flight test operation Previous flight test execution experience or pilot Expertise with enterprise-wide schedule-integration and cost-analysis tools Experience with CAM structures, including budget authority, funding allocation, and periodic performance reviews Demonstrated ability to drive Return-to-Green (RTG) plans and manage program rhythm (monthly/quarterly performance reviews, variance analysis, corrective-action tracking) Strong stakeholder-engagement skills- track record of building trusted relationships with senior DoD customers, internal acquisition teams, suppliers, and finance partners Current Special Program Access (PAR) Proven record of risk/opportunity identification, assessment and mitigation in a multi-discrete-team setting
Primary Level Salary Range:
$266,300.00- $399,500.
Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.
The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.
Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://https://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions. Why you should apply for a job to
Northrop Grumman :
93% say the CEO supports gender diversity Ratings are based on anonymous reviews by Fairygodboss members. See all reviews Back-up Care Advantage offers employees a safety net for those days when regular care arrangements fall through. Sitter City offers access to babysitters, dog walkers & caregivers who can assist with special needs, companion care, housekeeping & more. We've partnered with College Coach, an organization that can assist employees and their families through important educational challenges.Similar remote jobs
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