BigFoot Staffing is seeking a Program Manager on behalf of our client, a privately owned engineering and manufacturing company serving aerospace, defense, and commercial markets. This is a hands-on opportunity for someone who enjoys owning customer relationships, coordinating technical teams, and delivering on commitments in a fast-moving environment.
About the Role
You’ll manage approximately 10 projects at varying stages, with typical project timelines of around nine months. As the primary customer contact, you’ll own budgets, schedules, communication, and coordination across engineering, procurement, production, and suppliers. You’ll also directly supervise a Project Coordinator that assists in this work.
This team moves quickly and expects initiative. You’ll receive onboarding, but success requires learning the operation, finding answers independently, and making informed decisions without waiting for step-by-step direction. Expect competing priorities, frequent decisions, and a demanding pace where follow-through matters.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead projects from initial requirements and planning through production, delivery, and closeout.
- Serve as the primary customer contact, managing expectations, communicating progress, and addressing concerns.
- Develop and maintain project budgets, schedules, resource plans, and milestones.
- Coordinate engineering, purchasing, suppliers, and production to keep work moving.
- Negotiate resource priorities across departments and resolve competing demands.
- Identify risks, manage scope changes, and address obstacles before they affect delivery.
- Maintain enough technical understanding to discuss project needs, ask informed questions, and connect customers with the right answers.
- Track project performance and provide clear updates to customers and leadership.
- Supervise and develop a Project Coordinator.
- Improve processes while maintaining accountability for daily execution.
What You Bring
- At least five years of program or project management experience; five to 10 years preferred.
- Demonstrated experience directly managing external customer relationships.
- Experience delivering projects in an engineering or manufacturing environment.
- Strong command of traditional Waterfall project management methods.
- Experience managing multiple concurrent projects with relatively short delivery cycles.
- Ability to influence teams and secure resources across departments.
- Confidence owning budgets, schedules, customer communication, and difficult conversations.
- A practical, hands-on approach and the willingness to work beyond a narrowly defined job scope.
- Strong organization, problem-solving, and Microsoft Office skills.
- PMP certification preferred.
- Electrical, mechanical, or other technical experience preferred; a technical degree is not required.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience preferred.
- U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status, as specified by the client for this position.
Work Environment & Schedule
- Onsite role with regular interaction across office and production teams.
- Fast-paced environment with high expectations for ownership, responsiveness, and dependable delivery.
- 9/80 schedule with extended workdays and alternating Fridays scheduled off. Project demands frequently require administrative work or catch-up on those Fridays, with additional time as needed to meet commitments.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to work at a desk and computer for extended periods.
- Ability to move throughout a production facility.
- Ability to lift up to 15 pounds occasionally.
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to perform the essential functions.
Compensation & Benefits
- $155,000–$165,000 annual base salary, depending on experience.
- Discretionary profit-sharing opportunity; payouts are not guaranteed.
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance with multiple plan options.
- Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account options.
- 401(k).
- Paid holidays and paid time off that increases with tenure.
- Company-paid life insurance, with additional voluntary coverage available.
- Employee Assistance Program.
- Training and professional development opportunities.
Ready to take ownership and keep complex projects moving? Apply today through BigFoot Staffing.
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