Program Manager

Ascent Aerospace – Inspiring the next generation of flight!

Ascent Aerospace is a world-renowned, single-source provider of production and automated assembly systems for the aerospace and defense industry. We provide high-precision advanced automated equipment as well as a full suite of both mold and assembly tooling required for the aerospace manufacturing market, including the largest Invar molds ever made— making us the largest tooling group in the industry. We work with our customers to develop their project and see it through, from process engineering to build and installation, to ensure it is an efficient and cost-effective solution. As a true, single-source integrator, we have proven tools to surpass our customer expectations. We have greater control of timing and schedules, which allows for 100% accountability, and avoids costly mark-ups, ultimately saving our customers money. The result: a group of businesses, each an industry leader within their own discipline, now acting as one truly integrated supply base. 

SUMMARY OF POSITION

The program manager plays a critical leadership role in overseeing the execution, coordination, and lifecycle support of service projects supporting tooling and automated equipment in an aircraft assembly facility. The program manager will act as the focal for communication to key customer, providing regular status updates with leadership. The position requires a highly proactive, hands-on individual who engages deeply in program details while communicating effectively to customer project teams and leadership.

The role operates at both strategic and tactical levels, coordinating cross-functional teams and enforcing accountability while establishing and maintaining strong, professional customer relationships.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Operations

• Serve as the on-site technical and project management lead at key customer locations during critical project phases
• Support issue resolution, schedule updates, and scope clarifications in direct partnership with customer stakeholders
• Track key milestones and deliverables across active projects, ensuring execution and resolving delays through cross-functional coordination.
• Work with design supervisors to guidance engineering teams based on input received from customers and ensure design meets SOW requirements
• Build strong relationships with customer engineering, operations, and programming teams to drive collaboration
• Analyze engineering drawings to identify and recommend the optimal assembly approach.
• Communicate conceptual solutions to both internal and external stakeholders, ensuring clarity and understanding.
• Lead weekly cross-departmental project reviews to align stakeholders and identify risks.
• Implement and sustain process improvements based on lessons learned and operational feedback.
• Proactively identify customer needs and ensure project decisions support customer priorities, long‑term satisfaction, and program success.
• Open to taking on new assignments and adapting quickly to shifting customer priorities and program requirements.

Proposal & Quotation Follow-Up

• Support business development and estimating teams to follow-up on open proposals and outstanding quotes with the customer.
• Work with the customer and proposal team to develop integrated system concepts during the quoting phase.
• Lead technical development and presentation of large scale integrated proposals
• Ensure proposal content clearly reflects customer requirements, value drivers, and expected outcomes

Service & Customer Support

• Provide guidance and support on aftermarket services for key customers including modifications, repairs, spare parts, and technical support.
• Maintain a customer feedback loop to help drive product and service improvements.
• Act as a customer advocate by ensuring timely responses, clear communication, and high‑quality support throughout the product lifecycle.

Required Skills, Education & Experience 

• BS and/or Master’s degree in Engineering and/or 10 years of related experience.
• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing, preferably in tooling, automation, aerospace, or industrial equipment
• Experience leading and developing engineering and project execution teams
• Strong project management experience with a proven track record of cross-functional leadership
• Understanding of complex build-to-print manufacturing environments, including machining and assembly
• Proficient in ERP/MRP systems, project dashboards, and reporting tools
• Proficient with MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and working knowledge of MS Project.
• Proficient with CATIA V5, NX and/or AutoCAD Inventor.
• Has a clear understanding of quality management system with the ability to drive quality into every aspect of the engineering operations.  Whether it is verbal communication with co-workers and customers, product realization or the final delivered product to the customer.
• Driven to succeed with strong sense of developing and maintaining customer relations.
• Ability to communicate technical information to nontechnical audiences both orally and in written form.
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate customer concerns, manage expectations, and deliver solutions that strengthen long‑term partnerships.
• Open to taking on new assignments and adapting quickly to shifting customer priorities and program requirements.

Regulatory Requirements

• Must be familiar with Export Control compliance requirements, be a U.S. Citizen, and be eligible to obtain a Secret clearance. An active Secret clearance is a plus.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

• No

Travel

•   No

WORKING CONDITIONS
Working conditions described here are representative of those that may be experienced by an employee daily while performing the functions of this job.

• While performing the duties of this job, employees may be exposed to moving mechanical parts, fumes, and airborne particles.
• The employee may be exposed to vibration
• The employee is occasionally exposed to caustic chemicals. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate
• May be required to work weekends to meet department and business demands
• Work with safe manufacturing processes and understand that eyewear is mandatory in the manufacturing area.
• Knows that safety shoes are recommended in the manufacturing area

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.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

• Must be able to sit, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.
• Must be able to see, talk, hear, touch, feel and reach with hands and arms.
• Must be able to frequently walk & stand for short periods of time
• Must be able to lift and move up to 10 pounds, occasionally lift and move objects up to 35lbs.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Employment is contingent upon successfully passing an employee reference check, criminal background check, and drug screening.

This position requires use of information that is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a U.S. person as a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (i.e. 'Green Card Holder'). 

Ascent Aerospace is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status or a person’s relationship or association with a protected veteran, including spouses and other family members, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. Equal Employment Opportunity Posters. If you’d like to view a copy of the company’s affirmative action plan or policy statement, please call toll-free +1 586-726-0500. If you have a disability and you believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or to submit an online application, please call toll-free +1 586-726-0500. This phone number is created exclusively to assist disabled job seekers whose disability prevents them from being able to apply online. Only messages left for this purpose will be returned. Messages left for other purposes, such as following up on an application or technical issues not related to a disability, will not receive a response.