Program Manager

Who We Are

At SES Space & Defense, we are a trusted partner ensuring mission success for customers operating in the most demanding environments. As part of SES S.A., a global leader in satellite-enabled connectivity, we deliver multi-orbit, end-to-end satellite and technology solutions that provide secure, reliable, and high-bandwidth communications across the globe.

Our differentiated multi-orbit architecture combines GEO and MEO satellite systems with integrated terrestrial and network infrastructure to deliver resilient, low-latency, high-throughput connectivity at a global scale. With more than 120 satellites covering nearly the entire world, a global ground network, and thousands of deployed terminals supporting over 5,000 government missions annually, SES Space and Defense is a trusted partner to the U.S. Federal Government and national security community, allied governments, NATO, and agencies including NASA for mission-critical communications.

We strive to be the only solution when success is critical and recognize our people as our competitive advantage. At SES Space & Defense, you’ll work alongside a mission-driven team committed to integrity, honor, and accountability, delivering real-world impact across today’s most critical missions.

What You'll Do

In this role, you will lead the execution of commercial satellite communications programs supporting U.S. Government and defense-related customers, ensuring successful delivery across cost, schedule, technical performance, and customer expectations. You will serve as the central coordination point across engineering, operations, contracts, finance, vendors, and customer stakeholders, driving programs from kick-off through operational delivery and closeout. This role is responsible for managing integrated product teams, overseeing program financials and risk, supporting proposal and capture activities, and ensuring mission-critical SATCOM services are delivered effectively across GEO, MEO, and emerging LEO architectures. You will help create operational structure and accountability across complex, matrixed environments while positioning SES Space & Defense for long-term customer growth and mission success.

• Manage and direct the daily execution of contract requirements to ensure cost, schedule, and performance goals are met on assigned portfolio of contracts to US Government or indirect customers servicing Government end-users
• The scope of contracts may include concurrent multi-satellite capacity-only and/or regional managed end-to-end services and networks leveraging GEO, MEO, and/or LEO constellations
• Develop and implement plans and schedules that provide the roadmap to meeting customer contract requirements on-time and within-budget
• Allocate and control budgets for labor, material, travel and purchased services
• Formally identify, assess, monitor, and mitigate risk throughout the program life cycle. Obtain management approval prior to making decisions that will cause deterioration of established program, cost, and schedule objectives.
• Perform variance analysis of schedule and cost on a formal and informal basis and present them to senior management (i.e. earned value management system)
• Develop and implement corrective action plans when deviations from budgets and/or schedules are evident. Seek senior management assistance to resolve problems as they arise
• Assure a timely closeout of completed programs to ensure that all obligations are satisfied, and program documentation is properly recorded
• Promote project management standards and best practices across programs to include communications, quality, and risk assessment strategies
• While representing Company’s interests, assure that conduct of contract requirements is executed in accordance with appropriate regulations and corporate policies and procedures (i.e. federal acquisition regulations)
• Prepare for and participate in contract/subcontract negotiations
• Interface with key vendors in coordination with company procurement/subcontracts to ensure requirements are delivered on-time and within budget
• Manage program profit & loss (P&L)
• Understand and apply program planning (i.e.: develop a Bill of Materials and Basis of Estimate)
• Understand cash flow management principles
• Lead meetings and the integrated product team from kick-off through project close
• Work closely with assigned government agencies, vendors, and internal staff to oversee and coordinate all functions related to client programs
• Assure communication and cooperation among team members to resolve areas of conflict
• Support, communicate, reinforce, and defend corporate and PMO vision, mission, and values
• Provide interface, communications, and coordination with internal and external customers on matters pertaining to existing contracts and bid and proposal activities
• Coordinate with Contracts on issues pertaining to contract requirements, changes, and interpretations. Coordinate with other departments to resolve contractual problems with the customer
• Thru exceptional customer relations, promote business development and identify growth and new sales opportunities within customer programs. Posture SES Space & Defense to win every recompete
• Participate as a team member on bid and proposal activities. Ensure that the requirements of the request for proposal are met in the preparation and documentation of bids and proposals
• Interface with company senior management pertaining to assigned programs to report program (technical and financial) performance. Report program status to senior management monthly
• Understand and apply process improvement principles (i.e.: ITIL, Lean Six Sigma); develop/improve program management processes and procedures within customer programs
• Support Internal Research and Development projects
  
  

Who You Are

You are a disciplined project or program management professional with experience leading complex government, aerospace, or SATCOM-related programs through the full lifecycle, from planning and implementation through sustainment and closeout. You understand how to balance cost, schedule, performance, and risk in fast-moving, mission-critical environments while coordinating across matrixed engineering, operations, contracts, finance, and customer teams. You bring strong operational and financial acumen, with experience managing forecasts, budgets, subcontractors, customer expectations, and integrated product teams to successful outcomes. You are highly organized and proactive, able to drive accountability, resolve issues before they impact execution, and maintain strong communication with both internal leadership and external stakeholders. Ultimately, you serve as the connective force that keeps complex programs aligned, operationally effective, and positioned for long-term customer success and growth.

• Current Project/Program Management certification (i.e. PMP or DAU level 3) required
• ITIL certification above Foundation preferred
• 5 years of project or program management experience; satellite industry experience preferred
• Successful track record managing complex aerospace/defense programs as a prime or sub-contractor to a domestic or foreign military organization
• Experience throughout the program lifecycle from development through sustainment to include requirements decomposition, proposal development, generation of system and subsystem statements of work and subcontracts, risk management, and continuous improvement efforts including implementation for cost reduction and performance improvement efforts
• Business development experience on US Government proposal captures preferred
• Knowledge of program management focus areas, processes, outputs, and tools
• Knowledge of systems engineering and risk management principals
• Experience in finance, contracting, export regulations, engineering, logistics, manufacturing, and supply chain management
• Experience with metrics to assess and report program progress, productivity, and variance analysis
• Experience with earned value cost accounting and reporting
• Proven success managing manpower planning, project reviews, scheduling, and budget control
• Proven experience with turnaround programs in which recovery was successful is preferred
• In-depth understanding of internal matrixed work processes; ability to work cross-departmental
• Proficiency in MS Office 365 suite and MS Project
• Active Secret Clearance desired
  
  

SES Space and Defense is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.