The Senior Program Manager - Unmanned Systems is responsible for end-to-end leadership and regional portfolio management of complex unmanned systems programs (air, ground, maritime, or multi-domain) from capture to proposal development, engineering, production, deployment, and sustainment. This role owns customer satisfaction, cost, schedule, and technical performance for the portfolio and leads strategic initiatives across the region that drive new revenue opportunities and may also include leadership and management of a team of program management professionals.
Key Responsibilities
Program Leadership & Execution:
- Lead planning and execution of one or more complex, multi-year unmanned systems programs and regional portfolio of programs
- Provide strategic leadership and governance for a regional portfolio of complex, multi-year unmanned systems programs
- Manage portfolio scorecard for program baselines (scope, schedule, budget)
- Execute program plan with engineering, logistics, operations, supply chain, quality, and functional support teams and identify improvement opportunities
- Proactively assess portfolio health (cost, schedule, performance), risks and issues; develop and implement mitigation and recovery plans
- Prioritize resources, investments, and risk mitigation across programs to meet regional growth, margin, and strategic objectives
- Ensure portfolio-wide adherence to technical performance, safety, and regulatory requirements (e.g., airworthiness, certification, range/test) and resolve cross-program integration issues.
Customer & Stakeholder Management:
- Establish and nurture stakeholder relationships with key regional customers and partners
- Oversee customer satisfaction, communications, and contract performance across programs; empower program managers to maintain strong relationships and contractual compliance
- Develop multi-year customer engagement strategies and portfolio-level partnership plans to maximize growth and retention.
- Collaborate with executive leadership to define regional portfolio objectives, performance targets, and investment priorities
- Consolidate and present integrated portfolio performance, risks, and opportunities to Insitu and Boeing senior leadership
Financial & Contract Management:
- Own portfolio P&L performance, including revenue forecasting, margin, and cash flow projections
- Develop and manage portfolio budgets; monitor EVM or equivalent performance metrics as applicable
- Ensure timely, accurate reporting and support internal financial reviews
Strategic Planning & Business Growth:
- Develop & deploy regional execution strategy in collaboration with Global Growth & Program Managers
- Support capture activities, including customer engagement, solution strategy, teaming, and price-to-win.
- Support proposal efforts: requirements analysis, WBS, schedules, risk registers, and management volumes.
- Identify growth opportunities (follow-on contracts, upgrades, new mission sets) within existing portfolio
- Provide strategic input on product roadmaps for unmanned systems and related services (payloads, autonomy, C2, data services).
-Continuously scan and respond to market and customer trends to identify and shape new opportunities for revenue growth
Team Leadership & Continuous Improvement:
- Manage program managers, support performance management, coaching, and succession planning tasks
- Lead portfolio teams; establish priorities, ensure accountability, and effective communication across functional IPT
- Mentor and develop program managers in program management best practices
- Champion a culture of safety, quality, ethical conduct, and continuous improvement across all programs in the region
- Drive process improvements across program management and lifecycle governance
- Own execution metrics for unmanned systems portfolio
- Drive swift decision-making across programs.
- Standardize best practices in planning, execution, and reporting; ensure consistent application by teams
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or related field.
- 12+ years of progressive experience in program or project management, with at least 8 years managing complex aerospace, defense or unmanned systems programs.
- Demonstrated success managing full lifecycle portfolio of programs (concept through deployment/sustainment)
- Proven ability to manage cost, schedule, and technical performance; experience with gated development and phase reviews
- Strong understanding of unmanned systems architectures, subsystems, and mission applications.
- Experience working with government and/or commercial acquisition frameworks
- Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
- Proficiency with program management tools (e.g., MS Project or Primavera, requirements matrix, risk registers, dashboards).
- Ability to travel as required (typically 10-25%).
- Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master's degree in Engineering, Business (MBA), or related technical discipline.
- PMP, PgMP, or DAU/Defense Acquisition certification (or equivalent).
- Experience with:
- Military or commercial UAS development, integration, and fielding - Acquisition and Services
- Earned Value Management (EVM)
- Agile or hybrid Agile/waterfall development environments.
- Direct experience interfacing with DoD service branches and international defense customers
Key Competencies
- Strategic thinking and ability to translate regional customer needs into executable plans
- Strong systems thinking and ability to manage technical complexity and integration.
- Decisive, organized, and comfortable operating in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.
- High integrity and commitment to safety, compliance, and mission success.
In-Office Requirement Statement:
This role requires hands-on work on our products/collaboration with on-site teams, and will need to work onsite full-time in Bingen, WA.
Relocation Statement:
This position is eligible for relocation assistance. Visit our Careers - Insitu page to learn more about our benefits, 9/80 work schedule and flexible work model.
At Insitu, we strive to deliver a Total Rewards package that will attract, engage and retain the top talent. Elements of the Total Rewards package include competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities.
Insitu also provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability programs and a number of programs that provide for both paid and unpaid time away from work.
The specific programs and options available to any given employee may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire.
Please note that the salary information show below is a general guideline only. Salaries are based upon candidate experience, qualifications and work location.
Typical Hiring Range: 153,010.00 - 210,683.00
