RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes
CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret
TRAVEL: Yes, 25% of the TimeDescription
At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work - and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.
Northrop Grumman’s Aeronautics Systems sector is seeking a Program Manager 3 to serve as the Development Sub-IPT Lead in support of Test and Evaluation. This role will provide integrated program management leadership across development activities, including lab capabilities, lab design and operations, system test, test hardware, instrumentation, software, and ground and flight test readiness. Reporting to the Test & Evaluation IPT Lead, the Development Sub-IPT Lead will act as a key leadership counterpart, driving day-to-day development execution and helping to ensure consistent program management coverage across the organization. This position will be located in Melbourne, FL.
The selected candidate will provide day-to-day leadership and programmatic oversight across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and mission assurance to ensure the timely release of technical data, configuration baselines, and test hardware required to meet development and test schedules. This leader will own financial and execution performance for the Development Sub-IPT, including managing cost, schedule, baseline integrity, and associated capital and direct budgets, and will coordinate internal teams, suppliers, and customers to ensure development activities are planned, resourced, and executed in an integrated manner that supports test and evaluation objectives and overall program objectives.
The selected candidate will interface regularly with Program Leadership, Business Operations, Program Integration, other IPTs, functional organizations, and customers to align scope, budget, and schedule with development and test delivery objectives. They will serve as a key leadership member of the Test & Evaluation organization, working closely with the IPT Lead to guide the broader team, coordinate with internal and external teammates, suppliers, and customers, and support predictable execution while upholding Northrop Grumman’s values.
Leaders at Northrop Grumman live our values daily and encourage their teams to do the same. We do the right thing by upholding the highest ethical standards and fostering a safe, respectful environment that attracts, retains, and inspires a diverse and engaged team. We do what we promise by holding ourselves and others accountable to deliver predictable, balanced results. We commit to shared success by operating as OneNG and removing barriers for our teams. And we pioneer by setting a vision that shapes the future and inspires others to follow.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide programmatic leadership for the Development Sub-IPT, integrating lab development, lab design and operations, system test, test hardware build, instrumentation, software, and ground/flight test preparation to support Test and Evaluation and overall program objectives.
- Partner with the Test & Evaluation IPT Lead as a key leadership counterpart, helping guide priorities, drive day-to-day development execution, and ensure consistent program management coverage across the organization.
- Own cost, schedule, and technical execution for the Development Sub-IPT, including development and maintenance of integrated master schedules, budgets, sales forecasts, and resource plans aligned to test needs, program baselines, and financial objectives (including capital and direct budgets).
- Provide direction to technical leads within Test & Evaluation (lab design and operations, system test, instrumentation, software, ground and flight test) and partner with peer IPTs and functional organizations (Systems Engineering, Air Vehicle, Mission Systems, Production, Mission Assurance, and Supply Chain) to ensure development plans are integrated, requirements are clear and traceable, and cross‑team dependencies are actively managed.
- Oversee test readiness for assigned scope by driving completion of development activities for test articles, lab configurations, system test, instrumentation, and software; resolving issues; developing mitigation plans; removing execution roadblocks; and identifying opportunities to accelerate capability delivery.
- Oversee risk, issue, and opportunity management for the Development Sub-IPT, including identification, prioritization, mitigation planning, closure actions, and reporting to program leadership, customers, and other stakeholders.
- Lead change management for development- and test-impacting content, including engineering changes and configuration-control activities, ensuring changes are evaluated, communicated, and implemented in a controlled manner across internal teams, suppliers, and customer interfaces as required.
- Provide direction and oversight to supporting program managers and analysts (including supplier-integration roles) to ensure alignment with Development Sub-IPT objectives, program baselines, execution priorities, and financial commitments.
- Monitor and report performance metrics such as execution to plan, release throughput, change cycle time, supplier and test readiness, quality, and cost/schedule performance, and drive corrective actions and continuous improvement in partnership with customers and internal stakeholders.
- Foster strong, proactive communication with customers, Program Leadership, other IPTs, Business Area and Operating Unit leadership, suppliers, and cross-functional partners to align expectations, surface issues early, and support integrated decision-making.
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree and 11 years of related professional and/or military experience; or master’s degree and 9 years of related professional and/or military experience.
- Experience in program management and/or engineering leadership overseeing development and test execution, including delivery of test hardware, lab capabilities, instrumentation, system test, software, technical data, and requirements within an IPT environment.
- Proven leadership of cross-functional teams with accountability for cost, schedule, risk, and performance on complex aerospace or defense programs.
- Experience coordinating development and/or production execution, including collaboration with engineering, Production, Supply Chain, and Mission Assurance/Quality organizations.
- Familiarity with configuration management and engineering change processes.
- Strong background in customer engagement, program reporting, and contract execution.
- Demonstrated experience managing complex responsibilities involving multiple internal and external stakeholders, including customers and suppliers.
- Familiarity with government and military contracts and acquisition processes.
- Active U.S. Government Secret clearance or higher.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Top Secret clearance and special program access as required.
- Ability and willingness to travel up to 25% of the time.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree in a STEM, Business Administration, Program Management, or related discipline.
- Experience managing test-related programs or projects, including coordination of lab capabilities, lab design and operations, system test, test hardware, instrumentation, software, technical data, requirements, configuration changes, and supplier deliverables and inputs across lab, ground, and flight test environments.
- Active TS clearance.
- Experience leading IPTs or sub-IPTs through development-to-test and development-to-production transitions in an aerospace or defense environment.
- Experience with Earned Value Management, including assessing performance and forecasting Estimates at Completion.
- Experience with SOW development, BOE creation, and negotiations.
- Five or more years of experience managing complex cost accounts, including capital and direct budgets and sales forecasts.
- Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships across engineering, Production, Supply Chain, Mission Assurance, Business Operations, Product Support, suppliers, and customer organizations.
- Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to brief leadership, engage customers and suppliers, and translate technical content for stakeholders at all levels.
- Demonstrated ability to delegate effectively and maintain accountability for overall team and sub-IPT success.
- Strategic thinker with a proven record of implementing continuous improvement actions to improve test readiness, delivery outcomes, and organizational performance.
Primary Level Salary Range: $166,700.00 - $250,100.00
The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.
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://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.