Kratos Defense and Security Solutions

Senior Program Manager - DoD Systems Development

Kratos Defense and Security Solutions • $120K — $145K *
Birmingham, AL 35242In-Person
Aerospace & Defense
11 - 15 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain DoD SECRET security clearance.
  • Minimum 12 years of project/program management experience.
  • Direct experience managing programs with TAGM, DEVCOM, C5ISR, or similar U.S. Army R&D organizations.
  • Proven ability to manage DoD OTA contracts (CPFF and FFP).
  • Strong financial management skills, including earned value management (EVM).
  • Experience in advanced manufacturing and integration of complex sensors.

Responsibilities

  • Lead execution of early-phase DoD systems development program, ensuring alignment with technical and contractual objectives.
  • Manage lifecycle phases including design, integration, ground and flight testing, and transition to production.
  • Direct teams and oversee subcontractors to ensure coordinated performance across integrated product teams (IPTs).
  • Serve as primary interface with DoD customers, providing updates on technical, financial, and schedule matters.
  • Monitor risks and opportunities, driving necessary corrective actions and planning.
  • Support proposal development through requirements analysis and technical documentation.
  • Coordinate with senior leadership on program status and strategic decisions.

Benefits

  • Work with a leading defense solutions company.
  • Involvement in cutting-edge DoD systems development.
  • Opportunities for professional growth and advancement.
  • Engagement with senior leadership and key stakeholders.
  • Regularly engage in multidisciplinary coordination across team functions.
Full Job Description
Position Summary:

Kratos is seeking a highly qualified Senior Program Manager to lead an active, early-phase DoD systems development effort within the Weapons and Defense Solutions Group. This role manages all programmatic, technical, contractual, and financial aspects of a large multi-million-dollar DoD program, ensuring disciplined execution throughout the development lifecycle. The selected PM will assume leadership of an underway program, drive performance across integrated teams, and maintain strong communication with internal leadership, subcontractors, and DoD stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities:
  • Lead execution of an early-phase DoD systems development program already in progress, ensuring alignment with technical, schedule, cost, and contractual objectives.
  • Manage all lifecycle phases including requirements refinement, detailed design, integration, ground test, flight test, transition to production, and sustainment planning.
  • Direct internal engineering teams and oversee subcontractors and key suppliers; ensure coordinated performance across integrated product teams (IPTs).
  • Serve as the primary program interface with DoD customers, delivering regular technical, financial, and schedule reports.
  • Monitor technical maturity, risks, opportunities, and evolving capability needs; drive corrective actions and strategic planning as required.
  • Support proposal development including requirements analysis, technical content, cost estimates, and customer-facing documentation.
  • Coordinate with senior leadership on program status, resource needs, and strategic decisions.
  • Ensure compliance with DoD processes, contractual obligations, and internal Kratos program management standards.
  • Experience overseeing low-rate and full-rate production of complex defense hardware, including coordination across manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and government stakeholders.
  • Experience leading Production Readiness Reviews (PRRs), Manufacturing Readiness Assessments (MRAs), First Article Testing (FAT), and quality assurance processes.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage aggressive production schedules and mitigate manufacturing risks.
Production & Manufacturing Leadership:
  • Experience overseeing low-rate and full-rate production of complex defense hardware, including coordination across manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and government stakeholders.
  • Experience leading Production Readiness Reviews (PRRs), Manufacturing Readiness Assessments (MRAs), First Article Testing (FAT), and quality assurance processes.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage aggressive production schedules and mitigate manufacturing risks.


Required:
  • U.S. Citizenship.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD SECRET security clearance.
  • Minimum 12 years of experience in project/program management.
  • Direct experience successfully managing programs with TAGM, DEVCOM, C5ISR, or other U.S. Army R&D organizations.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage DoD OTA contracts (CPFF and FFP).
  • Familiarity with DoD acquisition processes, requirements flow-down, and configuration management.
  • Strong financial management skills, including earned value management (EVM).
  • Experience managing programs involving advanced manufacturing, hardware development, and integration of complex sensors.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage aggressive schedules and mitigate technical risks for hardware development and manufacturing contracts.
  • Experience coordinating development and test activities across contractor facilities and government ranges/labs.

Preferred:
  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in engineering, physics, or related management studies.
  • Formal project management certification (e.g., PMP).
  • Experience with missile or weapons system development programs.
  • Experience with Technology Readiness Level (TRL) progression toward production readiness.
  • Understanding of Diminishing Manufacturing Sources (DMS)/obsolescence management, including sustaining engineering and component lifecycle analysis.

Work Location & Travel:
  • Primary work location: Birmingham, Alabama.
  • Regular travel required to customer sites, subcontractor facilities, and test locations.

About Kratos Defense and Security Solutions

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. provides mission critical products, solutions, and services in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Kratos Government Solutions, Unmanned Systems, and Public Safety & Security. The Kratos Government Solutions segment offers microwave electronic products, satellite communications, training systems, modular systems, and defense and rocket support services. The Unmanned Systems segment provides unmanned aerial, ground, and seaborne, as well as command, control, and communications systems. The Public Safety & Security segment designs, engineers, deploys, operates, integrates, maintains, and operates security and surveillance solutions for homeland security, public safety, critical infrastructure, government, and commercial customers. The company serves national security related agencies, the department of defense, intelligence agencies, and classified agencies, as well as international government agencies and domestic and international commercial customers; and critical infrastructure, power generation, power transport, nuclear energy, financial, IT, healthcare, education, transportation, and petro-chemical industries, as well as government and military customers. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.
Learn more about Kratos Defense and Security Solutions
Size
3,300 employees
Market Cap
$1.1 billion
Industry
Aerospace & Defense
Net Income
$79.6 million
Founded
1994
5 Year Trend
+8.4%
Revenue
$747.6 million
NASDAQ
KTOS
* Ladders Estimates

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