What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sr. Technical Program Manager – Aerospace, Defense, RF/Microwave position at Blue Signal Search?
Sr. Technical Program Manager – Aerospace, Defense, RF/Microwave
Location: Greater Phoenix, AZ, On Site
Our client is a highly specialized engineering and manufacturing organization supporting mission critical aerospace and defense programs. They are seeking a senior technical program leader to drive complex product initiatives in a fast moving, highly collaborative environment. This is a high impact role for someone who enjoys real ownership, close partnership with engineering and operations, and the opportunity to guide advanced electronics programs from early planning through production readiness.
This opportunity is especially well suited for a hands-on program leader who wants visibility, autonomy, and meaningful influence in a lean organization. You will help shape schedules, manage risk, align cross functional teams, and serve as a key point of contact for technically demanding customer programs.
This Role Offers
- Strong ownership across the full program lifecycle, from early planning through production transition.
- High visibility in a lean, technically sophisticated environment.
- Exposure to advanced aerospace and defense electronics programs.
- A collaborative culture that values practical leadership, accountability, and clear communication.
- Long term growth potential for someone with strong leadership capability.
What You Will Do
- Lead complex aerospace and defense programs from proposal support and kickoff through qualification, manufacturing readiness, and production transition.
- Coordinate cross functional teams across engineering, operations, supply chain, quality, and other internal stakeholders to achieve technical, cost, and schedule objectives.
- Build and maintain detailed program plans, timelines, and action trackers to keep deliverables moving forward.
- Manage multiple development efforts at once, including new product introduction and non-recurring engineering activities.
- Monitor program financial performance, track costs against plan, and support design to cost objectives.
- Identify schedule, technical, and cost risks early, then drive mitigation plans with the broader team.
- Maintain strong customer communication through regular status updates, program reviews, and issue resolution.
- Guide change management activities to ensure scope, requirements, and deliverables remain aligned.
- Support manufacturability and production planning by partnering closely with operations and supply chain teams.
- Present program metrics, milestones, and key updates to leadership and stakeholders.
- Help reinforce program management discipline, process consistency, and execution excellence across assigned work.
What You Bring
- 7 to 10 or more years of program management or closely related project leadership experience.
- Background in aerospace, defense, electronics, RF, microwave, radar, communications, or another advanced technical manufacturing environment.
- Experience leading cross functional teams in engineering driven product development programs.
- Working knowledge of development lifecycles, program scheduling, budgeting, and risk management.
- Strong customer-facing communication skills and the ability to influence without direct authority.
- Comfort operating in a smaller, fast-paced organization where broad ownership is expected.
- U.S. citizenship required due to work environment and site access requirements.
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, or another relevant discipline is preferred, but comparable experience is also valued.
Preferred Background
- Experience with NPI or NRE program execution.
- Exposure to regulated or high reliability manufacturing environments.
- Familiarity with earned value concepts or formal program management tools.
- Prior success in customer facing aerospace or defense programs.
- Leadership potential for future growth opportunities.
About Blue Signal:
Blue Signal is an award-winning, executive search firm specializing in various specialties. Our recruiters have a proven track record of placing top-tier talent across industry verticals, with deep expertise in numerous professional services. Learn more at bit.ly/46Gs4yS