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Program Manager - PMO

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Program Manager (PM) is responsible for establishing and leading the Program Management Office (PMO) to ensure consistent, disciplined execution of project management practices across aircraft engineering, modification, and maintenance (MRO) programs.

This role provides program-level governance, integration, and performance oversight, with accountability for schedule, cost, risk, and customer commitments. The PM does not directly manage production execution but works with stakeholders to ensure that all work is aligned to approved scope, properly planned, and delivered in accordance with program objectives.

Production and technical teams retain responsibility for executing work in accordance with engineering task cards, technical data, and regulatory requirements. The PMO, led by the Program Manager, ensures transparency, coordination, and control across all program elements.

In addition, the PM will lead business transformation initiatives, driving standardization, process improvement, and maturity of project management capabilities across the organization.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

PMO Leadership & Governance

Establish, implement, and continuously improve the PMO framework, including tools, standards, and governance processes.
Drive consistent application of project management best practices across all programs and business units.
Define program governance structures, reporting cadences, and escalation pathways.
Ensure alignment between program objectives, customer requirements, and internal operational capabilities.

Scope Management

Ensure all work remains aligned with approved configuration and contractual scope.
Govern scope changes through structured processes, ensuring proper evaluation, approval, and documentation.

Schedule Management

Develop and maintain the integrated program master schedule.
Track dependencies across functions and aircraft inputs, identifying and resolving cross program bottlenecks.
Provide forward looking visibility on milestones, risks, and delivery performance.

Cost & Budget Control

Monitor program financial performance, including labor, material, and sub-contractor costs.
Track actuals against budget and forecast, highlighting variances and driving corrective actions.
Partner with finance and operations to ensure cost transparency and accountability.

Risk & Issue Management

Establish and maintain program level risk and issue registers.
Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate risks that impact schedule, cost, or delivery.
Drive cross-functional resolution of critical issues.

Customer & Stakeholder Management

Serve as the primary interface for program level communication with customers.
Provide accurate, timely, and transparent reporting on program performance.
Manage stakeholder expectations and ensure alignment on priorities, risks, and changes.
Coordinate internally across engineering, operations, supply chain, and quality to ensure a unified customer approach.

Change & Configuration Management

Lead structured change management processes for engineering, scope, and customer driven changes.
Ensure all changes are assessed for cost, schedule, and risk impacts prior to approval.
Maintain alignment between configuration, contractual requirements, and program execution.

Business Transformation & Continuous Improvement

Lead initiatives to mature PMO capabilities, tools, and ways of working across the organization.
Drive standardization, efficiency, and data driven decision making in program management.
Implement best practices (e.g., Lean, Agile, digital PM tools) to enhance delivery performance.
Support organizational change management to embed sustainable improvements.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

10+ years of program/project management experience in aviation MRO, aerospace, or complex engineering environments
Proven experience operating within or establishing a PMO or program governance structure
Formal project management training or certification (PMBOK, PRINCE2, or equivalent)
Strong understanding of program controls (scope, schedule, cost, risk)
Demonstrated ability to influence cross functional teams without direct authority

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience in aircraft modification, heavy maintenance, or multi-aircraft programs
Familiarity with aviation regulatory environments (FAA, EASA)
Experience leading transformation, process improvement, or operational excellence initiatives, including Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies

SUCCESS FACTORS/JOB COMPETENCIES:

Strong understanding of aircraft component production functions, procedures, and standards
Strong systems thinker with the ability to manage complexity across multiple workstreams
Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, including customer facing experience
High level of commercial awareness and financial acumen
Structured, disciplined approach to governance and decision making
Ability to operate effectively without direct control of execution teams
Resilient, adaptable, and comfortable in fast paced, evolving environments
Commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: This job operates in indoor and, occasionally, outdoor settings. The indoor settings include office and warehouse/airplane hangar environment, which will require the use of standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. The outdoor settings include airplane runways and parking lots. The noise level in the work environment is occasionally loud. Occasionally subject to varying inside and/or outside temperatures, which may include extreme heat (temperatures above 100 degrees) or extreme cold (temperatures below 32 degrees). While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to fumes or airborne particles, moving mechanical parts and vibration. The employee is occasionally exposed to a variety of extreme conditions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit or stand. The employee frequently is required to use the fingers to make small movements such as typing, picking up small objects, or pinching fingers together. This would also occasionally require the ability to walk; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. Light work; exerts up to 50 lbs. occasionally and/or up to 20 lbs. frequently. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

TRAVEL: Minimum travel (15% or less) is expected for this position.

WORK AUTHORIZATION/SECURITY CLEARANCE: Must be able to legally work in the US without sponsorship. Must be able to pass a post-offer DOT drug test upon hire.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLAN: Aspire MRO provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. Aspire will also take affirmative action as called for by applicable laws and Executive Orders to ensure that minority group individuals, females, disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, other protected veterans, Armed Forces service medal veterans, and qualified disabled persons are introduced into our workforce and considered for promotional opportunities.

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