Job Description:

Are you ready to soar with us? Aerovel, a trailblazer in the unmanned aircraft industry, is seeking a Head of Program, Unmanned Aircrew System Program Manager. In this role, you will serve as the primary Airbus representative, driving customer satisfaction and ensuring the successful execution of Flexrotor programs. You will be responsible for delivering on contractual obligations with excellence, on-time, and within budget, while safeguarding the company&39;s profitability. This role requires strategic leadership to develop and expand the program division, in-service activities, the flight training department and positioning the company for significant growth. You will also oversee customer-funded R&D and technical integrations, ensuring alignment with customer needs and contractual commitments.

Meet the Team:

The Airbus Helicopters Flexrotor Program offers one of the most sophisticated small tactical unmanned aerial systems (STUAS) with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL). It can be used day or night by US and allied forces for a diverse range of intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) on land and at sea.

Your Working Environment:

Nestled in the heart of the spectacular Columbia River Gorge in Bingen, WA, our workplace offers innovation and the ability to contribute to game-changing solutions while enjoying the flexibility to spread your wings. Whether it&39;s solving complex challenges, or celebrating victories, you’ll be part of a cohesive crew that thrives on innovation and the beauty that the Northwest has to offer!

How We Care for You:

• Financial Rewards: Competitive base salary, incentive compensation which may include profit sharing schemes, retirement savings plan and the ability to participate in an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”)

• Work/Life Balance: Paid time off including personal time, holidays and a generous paid parental leave program.

• Health & Welfare: Comprehensive insurance coverage including medical (traditional and high-deductible health plans), prescription, dental, vision, life, disability, Employee Assistance Plan (“EAP”) and other supplemental benefit coverages.

• Individual Development: Upskilling and development opportunities through our global Leadership University, including unlimited access to 10,000&43; e-learning courses focusing on ways to develop your employability, certifications, career path as well as the opportunity to participate in accelerated development programmes and both national and international mobility.

Your Challenges:

1. Strategic Program Management & Customer Relations (50):

• Customer Relationship & Satisfaction: 

• Act as the senior point of contact for customers, fostering strong, long-term relationships at all levels.

• Conduct regular face-to-face contract reviews, ensuring alignment and proactive issue resolution.

• Champion customers needs within the organization, driving a customer-centric culture.

• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure program success and customer satisfaction.

• Manage relationship with current customers.

• Program Execution & Profitability: 

• Manage a portfolio of Flexrotor programs, ensuring adherence to cost, schedule, and performance objectives.

• Develop and manage comprehensive program plans, budgets, and schedules.

• Proactively identify and mitigate program risks and capitalize on opportunities.

• Contribute to proposal and pricing activities, ensuring competitive and profitable offers.

• Drive new business opportunities within existing customer accounts, expanding program scope and revenue.

• Ensure seamless collaboration with Airbus stakeholders and program organizations.

• Provide regular and transparent reporting on contract status and progress to the COO and MD.

• Meet sales target from on-going programs by ensuring recurring business and capture of growth opportunities within the account.

• Strategic Growth & Development: 

• Develop and implement customer road maps to expand existing programs, capabilities, and relationships.

• Communicate program requirements and objectives effectively to internal teams and stakeholders.

• Collaborate with support functions, partners, operators, and subcontractors to ensure contractual compliance.

2. Program Management Organization, Technical Leadership (35):

• Team Development & Leadership: 

• Build and lead a team of project managers and training personnel, fostering a high-performance culture.

• Develop and implement a robust program management plan, establishing standardized processes and routines.

• In-Service & Operational Development: 

• Structure and develop in-service support activities, including maintenance planning, training, and technical support.

• Establish and manage flight operations activities to support customer demonstrations and internal development.

• Monitor system reliability and create and follow up on maturity action plans.

• Technical Oversight & Evaluation: 

• Contribute to the evaluation of Request for Proposals (RFPs) and review Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) estimates.

• Review and approve technical proposals, ensuring alignment with customer requirements and company capabilities.

• Manage the execution of technical activities, ensuring adherence to schedule and budget constraints.

• Serve as the primary technical communicator and arbiter, both internally and with customers.

• Initiate, manage, and coordinate technical design reviews.

• Support subcontract activities by overseeing suppliers’ technical activities, including specification compliance, technical document review, attendance at design review meetings, witnessing of qualification and production tests.   

• Customer Funded R&D and Integration: 

• Oversee Customer funded R&D projects.

• Oversee integration of new sensors, functionalities in accordance with customer requirements and contractual commitments.

3. Flight Training Department Leadership (15):

• Flight Training Profit Center: 

• Oversee the flight training department, transforming it into a profitable revenue stream.

• Ensure the delivery of high-quality flight training programs, maximizing drone operator proficiency and customer satisfaction.

• Develop and implement strategic plans to expand the flight training department&39;s reach and market share.

• Coordinate with approved training centers worldwide, ensuring the diffusion of standardized training practices and best practices.

Additional Responsibilities: 

Other duties as assigned

Your Boarding Pass:

• Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical, Business, Industrial or Manufacturing Engineering or an equivalent combination of education and experience

• Minimum of ten (10) years of experience in program management, engineering, or business.

• Minimum of four (4) years of experience with management experience with products and/or technologies for U.S. Government, international, and/or commercial customers 

• Experience in Unmanned Aircrew Systems industry to include land and maritime operational leadership, customer interaction, contract management, and budget execution.

• Experience with U.S. Government contracting requirements, including fixed price and cost-plus contracts

• Ability to obtain and maintain a US government/DoD security clearance

• Authorized to Work in the US

• Ability to communicate effectively in verbal and written form in English 

• Microsoft Office Suite or Google equivalent

• 25 Domestic and International

​

Preferred Education/Skills:

• Advanced degree

• Active DoD security clearance holders preferred

• Onsite or remote:  75 

• Vision: able to see and read computer screens and other electronic equipment with screens, able to read documents, reports and engineering drawings.  daily. 
• Hearing: able to participate in conversations in person and via teleconference or phone and to hear sounds on the production floor including safety warnings or alarms. daily
• Speaking:  able to speak in conversations and meetings, deliver information and participate in communications. daily
• Equipment Operation (personal computer, telephone, copies, fax machine, and related office equipment and using electronic identification card to enter building floors and internal doors): able to operate most office and personal electronic equipment and some tools including production tools such as hydraulic lifts. daily
• Carrying: able to carry documents, tools, drawings, electronic equipment up to 30lbs/14kgs. infrequently
• Lifting:  able to lift documents, tools, drawings, electronic equipment up to 30lbs/14kgs. infrequently
• Pushing / Pulling:  able to push and pull small office furniture and some equipment and tools. infrequently
• Sitting:  able to sit for long periods of time in meetings, working on the computer. daily
• Squatting / Kneeling:  able to squat or kneel to retrieve or replace items stored on low shelving. infrequently
• Standing: able to stand for discussions in offices or on the production floor. daily
• Travel:  able to travel independently and at short notice. frequently
• Walking (include routine walking such as to a shared printer to retrieve documents):  able to walk through office and production areas including uneven surfaces. daily
• Personal Protective Equipment required:  Required PPE includes, but is not limited to, Safety Shoes, Safety Glasses, Hearing Protection, Respirators/Masks, and/or Protective Gloves as required by site and/or customer site
• Administrative position only PPE required: Steel-toed shoes are required for all shop floor visits, appropriate hearing/eye protection may also be required when visiting the shop floor.

Salary range based on the required profile: $174,000 - $278,400 per year, depending on experience. Actual minimum and maximum may vary based on geographic differential. Individual pay is based on skills, experience, and other relevant factors.

Take your career to a new level and apply online now!

This job requires an awareness of any potential compliance risks and a commitment to act with integrity, as the foundation for the Company’s success, reputation and sustainable growth.

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Airbus is, and always has been, committed to equal opportunities for all. As such, we will never ask for any type of monetary exchange in the frame of a recruitment process. Any impersonation of Airbus to do so should be reported to emsom&64;airbus.com.

At Airbus, we support you to work, connect and collaborate more easily and flexibly. Wherever possible, we foster flexible working arrangements to stimulate innovative thinking.