Senior Program Manager

Winchester Interconnect

$145K — $165K *
Aerospace & Defense
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in engineering or business; advanced degree (MBA) preferred.
  • 7-10+ years of experience in Program Management, Product Management, or Key Account Management.
  • PMP certification preferred, with emphasis in Critical Chain Project Management and experience in P&L Management.
  • Experience in space, aerospace, defense, or high-reliability electronic manufacturing industry.
  • Strong technical knowledge of interconnect products, complex wire harnesses, and cable assemblies.
  • Proven ability to lead New Product Introduction (NPI) projects and manage the full product lifecycle.
  • Strong communication and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

  • Develop and execute customer strategies to drive Year-over-Year (YOY) revenue growth and achieve targeted Gross Margins.
  • Serve as the primary liaison between the customer and all internal functions, managing stakeholder relationships.
  • Lead New Product Introduction (NPI) projects, ensuring success from concept to full-rate production.
  • Provide project support, managing customer documentation to ensure timely delivery of quality products.
  • Lead the request for quote (RFQ) process, coordinating costs and developing pricing proposals.
  • Manage contract reviews and internal production schedules to prioritize jobs according to customer needs.
  • Facilitate customer reviews and ensure all follow-up actions are completed.

Benefits

  • Robust career development opportunities.
  • Encouraging and innovative work culture focused on collaboration.
  • Support for pursuing high-impact initiatives that drive business forward.
  • Opportunities to work on high-visibility projects within aerospace and defense sectors.
Full Job Description
Position Summary:

As our Senior Program Manager, you will serve as the strategic and tactical owner for our most critical aerospace and defense customer accounts. This is a high-visibility leadership role where you will be responsible for the entire program lifecycle, acting as the primary point of contact for the customer and the "voice of the customer" within our facility.

You will manage all customer activities, from leading New Product Introduction (NPI) projects and managing technical requirements to ensuring flawless execution on the production floor. You will use your business acumen to develop customer roadmaps, drive productivity/margin expansion, and collaborate with Business Development to ensure profitable sales growth. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader with a strong technical background and a proven ability to manage complex projects and high-value customer relationships.

This position reports to the Senior Director, Strategic Programs. You will act as the bridge between key clients and the internal organization. This role involves capturing client requirements, developing program roadmaps, and leading a cross-functional team to meet both internal and external metrics and objectives.

Qualifications & Requirements:
  • Bachelor's degree in engineering or business; an advanced degree (MBA) is a strong plus.
  • 7-10+ years of experience in Program Management, Product Management, or Key Account Management.
  • PMP certification is preferred with a strong emphasis in Critical Chain Project Management. Experience in P&L Management is a plus.
  • Required experience in the space, aerospace, defense, or high-reliability electronic manufacturing industry.
  • Strong technical knowledge of interconnect products, complex wire harnesses, overmolded assemblies, and cable assemblies.
  • Demonstrated competency in product quoting, pricing strategies, and P&L (Profit & Loss) management.
  • Proven ability to lead New Product Introduction (NPI) projects and manage the full product lifecycle.
  • Experience with AS9100 or similar aerospace quality management systems is highly preferred.
  • Strong ability to read and interpret technical data packages (TDPs), blueprints, and specifications.
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident (Green Card Holder) to comply with ITAR regulations.
  • Exceptional organizational, project management, and analytical skills; ability to develop and manage Gantt charts and program timelines.
  • Polished communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to represent the company with integrity and professionalism.
  • Proficient with Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, strong proficiency in Excel) and ERP/MRP & CRM systems.

Our core values - Accountability, Collaboration, and Empowerment(ACE) - are the foundation of how we operate and drive success. You will take ownership of your contributions, collaborate with a team that gets stuff done, and be empowered to innovate and pursue bold initiatives that drive our business forward.

Are You Our Next ACE?
  • Develop and execute customer strategies to drive Year-over-Year (YOY) revenue growth and achieve targeted Gross Margins; you are empowered to execute all business initiatives required to generate demand and profitable growth.
  • Serve as the central bridge and primary liaison between the customer and all internal functions (Operations, Production, Supply Chain, Planning, Engineering, Quality and Sales), managing the relationship across all customer stakeholders.
  • Lead all New Product Introduction (NPI) projects for your accounts, serving as the customer champion for innovation, managing the program's lifecycle from concept to full-rate production, and ensuring successful NPI expansion.
  • Provide end-to-end project support, including the management of all customer documentation, to ensure quality products are delivered on time to the customer's standards.
  • Lead the request for quote (RFQ) process by validating the Technical Data Package (TDP), coordinating with internal teams to establish costs, developing pricing, and delivering formal proposals.
  • Manage the contract review process for new orders, actively monitor internal production schedules, and prioritize jobs to support customer needs, providing timely and accurate status updates.
  • Lead all customer reviews (e.g., QBRs, design reviews), disseminate meeting notes, and drive all post-meeting follow-up actions to completion.
  • Process and manage all customer change orders, ensuring that all cost, schedule, and technical impacts are captured, quoted, and communicated effectively.
  • Partner with the Sales team to gather valuable Voice of the Customer (VoC), market trends, and competitive landscape intelligence to identify new profitable opportunities and support future product roadmaps.
  • Comply with all company policies and procedures.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Systems You'll Use:
  • Google Workspace / ADP / Syspro / QMS / Smartviews / Salesforce / Planful / AwardCo

Pay Transparency:

Winchester Interconnect Corporation is committed to pay transparency. The pay range for this position is $145,000 - $165,000 per year plus 15% AIP. Exact salary will be contingent upon your experience, education, skills, and any other factors Winchester Interconnect Corporation considers relevant to the hiring decision.

For a sneak peek into some of our benefits and to learn more about our career opportunities, click here https://www.winconn.com/jobs/.

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