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Director of Programs 2

Northrop Grumman Space Systems
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El Segundo, CA, USA
Jul 29, 2026
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: YesCLEARANCE TYPE: Top SecretTRAVEL: Yes, 25% of the Time

Description

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 Aeronautics Systems (NGAS) sector is currently hiring a Director of Programs 2 to join the Research & Advanced Design (R&AD) Division.  This leadership position will serve as the senior leader of our Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP) Directorate. This leadership opportunity is based in El Segundo, CA and will frequently travel to other NGAS sites and customer locations.

The ACP Director is responsible for the operations and execution of the ACP Directorate scope of work, focusing on leadership and cross sector and division integration of ACP technology and products. 

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Organizational Leadership:

  • Lead the ACP Directorate in developing and translating the strategic vision into long range plans and short/intermediate-term technical direction to the ACP organization
  • Perform financial and performance analyses to develop and implement long-term staffing plans and process improvements
  • Provide mentorship and growth opportunities to the ACP organization in order to grow a strong leadership bench
  • Support the ACP Director in establishing a culture that values open communication, shared values, and a commitment to personal and professional growth
  • Lead and staff a technically diverse team of engineers and managers while executing a baseline schedule and budget with earned value principles

Program Execution:

  • Leading profit and loss for programs executing within the ACP portfolio
  • Utilize earned value management and other financial tools to plan, execute, and report status against baseline budgets
  • Support the integrated planning of complex interdependent projects to support ACP program milestones, balancing prioritization of Engineering resources between competing projects and teams
  • Ensure schedules and program plans are credible, substantiated by quantitative data, and bound by risks and opportunities
  • Support a comprehensive risk and opportunity management program for the ACP organization
  • Ensure major subcontract partners execute their contractual obligations and meet program expectations for cost, schedule, and technical performance
  • Ensuring program team understands and adheres to contract scope, and manages change through control board activities, and drives performance towards milestones
  • Cultivating customer relationships and intimacy

Communication

  • Negotiate competing priorities and interests across a wide range of internal and external stakeholder communities to pursue the best course of action for the ACP programs
  • Establish and maintain strong relationships with a wide range of distinct customer communities, subcontractors, and industry partners
  • Provide regular briefings, reports, and other communications to executive leadership
  • Ensure consistency and effectiveness of external program communications, such as contracts letters; requests for information, quotes, or proposals (RFI, RFQ, RFP)

Technical Excellence:

  • Ensure adherence to the ACP Product line technical baseline and associated processes for the organization
  • Help lead the design and development of hardware and software system components based on system level allocations
  • Balance quality standards for technical artifacts (e.g. Technical Data Packages, Product Data Packages) with the rapid pace of design and development of hardware and software, procurement, assembly, and integration of test assets and early prototypes
  • Make informed decisions between conflicting technical approaches based upon programs cost, schedule, and technical impacts and risk
  • May be required to travel up to 25% of the time

Our Leaders at Northrop Grumman live our values daily and encourage our teams to do the same. We do the right thing: upholding the highest ethical standards and facilitating a safe and respectful environment that attracts, retains, and inspires a diverse and engaged team. We do what we promise: holding yourself and others accountable to meet predictable and balanced results. We commit to shared success:operating as OneNG and removing barriers for our teams. Finally, We pioneer: setting a vision that shapes the future and inspires others.

Basic Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree and 12 years of related experience supporting U.S. Government contracts and customers and/or project management in other industries, or Master’s degree and 10 years of related experience supporting U.S. Government contracts and customers and/or project management in other industries
  • 5 years of previous program management experience leading large teams
  • 3 years of experience with program execution for complex, geographically diverse program execution
  • Experience leading the performance of tasks on schedule, at cost and achieving all requirements as either project lead, integrated program team or cost account manager
  • Your ability to transfer and maintain the final adjudicated U.S. government Top Secret clearance (must be in-scope or enrolled in Continuous Evaluation) and any program access(es) required for the position within a reasonable period of time, as determined by the Company
  • Ability to obtain and maintain SCI
  • Experience briefing Sector and Corporate Leaders

Preferred Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) discipline or a Master of Science in a STEM discipline
  • Active U.S. government Top Secret clearance with SCI
  • Active SAP/SAR clearance(s)
  • Experience with AFMCLC Programs and Leadership
  • Experience developing and integrating components for autonomous aircraft and air dominance systems
  • Experience with agile SW development principles, as applied to defense program execution
  • Strong understanding and broad application of engineering systems (engineering standards, configuration management, material review board, process control, tooling, facilities, software, etc.)
  • Strong oral and written communication skills, including demonstrated experience with high value customer presentations, with ability to focus on multiple projects with competing priorities
  • Demonstrated experience in making sound decisions in uncertain and difficult situations
Primary Level Salary Range: $266,300.00 - $399,500.00The 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.

Job ID

R10241678

Security Clearance

TS/SCI
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