Director of Programs 2 – Mission Enabling Products

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: Top Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 25% of the TimeDescription

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

Join Northrop Grumman on our mission to push the boundaries of possible across land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace. At Northrop Grumman, your voice is valued. You’ll join a team of passionate professionals providing real-world solutions to our customers’ toughest challenges. We take pride in creating purposeful work and enabling our employees to grow and achieve their goals by Defining Possible. With competitive pay and comprehensive benefits, we offer the right opportunities to fit your life and advance your career.

Northrop Grumman Space Systems – The Mission Enabling Products (MEP) BU is seeking a Director of Programs for our Propulsion, Aerospace Services & Structures (PASS) Operating Unit. This role may be located at either our Commerce, CA or San Diego, CA facilities. This role is on-site with travel to other Northrop Grumman locations as well as customer and supplier sites as required.

Overview

The Operating Unit Director reports directly to the MEP Business Unit Vice President and is responsible for overall leadership, performance, and health of the business, program portfolios and supporting staff.

Key Responsibilities:

Operating Unit Leadership

• Provide overall Propulsion and Structures Operating Unit leadership for a high mix/high volume portfolio of complex programs; ensuring financial (profit/loss and return on invested capital), Annual Operating Planning (AOP) and Long Range Strategic Planning (LRSP), schedule, technical, and quality objectives are met or exceeded while driving streamlining product lines and strengthening presence in aerospace/defense markets.

Program Leadership & Execution

• Drive disciplined program execution, risk management, and performance management across all programs at both facilities.
• Lead and mentor a team of program managers, setting clear expectations, accountability, and development paths.
• Mentor the program managers to build and strengthen partnerships and collaboration with all Functions to deepen customer intimacy.

Leadership & Culture

• Champion the highest integrity, inclusive culture that reflects Northrop Grumman values and fosters engagement, collaboration, safety, teamwork continuous improvement, and high performance while encouraging innovation.
• Maintain strong and improving employee morale and highly effective communication across all levels and functions of the organization. Coach and mentor leaders and team members, reinforcing accountability, engagement, and ownership.
• Engage and support employee career growth, work satisfaction and retention.   
• Help the organization navigate ambiguity by driving clarity in priorities, roles, and expectations; communicate decisions, changes, and strategic direction effectively.  Delegate to the level that supports leadership development and organizational speed. 

Business Growth & Strategy

• Shape and execute the growth strategy for the Operating Units business portfolio, including identification, capture, and execution of new business opportunities.
• Engage directly with external and internal customers and partners to strengthen relationships, understand emerging requirements, and position Northrop Grumman for long-term success.

Cross-Functional & Matrix Leadership

• Provide indirect leadership to all supporting disciplines to ensure alignment with Operating Unit, Business Unit and Space Systems goals.
• Collaborate with Business Development, Engineering, Operations, and other stakeholders to align capabilities and investments with customer needs and competitive positioning.
• Coordinate closely with the Business Unit leadership team and other Northrop Grumman sites to leverage enterprise capabilities, share best practices, and drive improvement.

Operating Unit Compliance

• Support day‑to‑day oversight of Operating Unit in collaboration with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Mission Assurance, EHS, Security, HR and other Functional partners. 
• Help ensure business compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, including environmental, safety, labor law, security, and any applicable site-specific requirements. 
• Assist in planning and prioritizing capital investments, facility sustainment, and modernization initiatives to support Operating Unit growth and long‑term capability. 
• Promote and reinforce a strong safety and quality culture, ensuring safety of our people, safe execution of all operations and timely resolution of safety and quality issues, while enabling innovation that supports compliance and efficiency.

 

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and 15+ years of program or project management experience in industry, including responsibility for both execution and growth of a diverse program and new business portfolio.
• Proven experience leading diverse, cross-functional teams (using direct and indirect leadership and influence) to develop and execute a vision and business strategy that achieves or exceeds program performance and financial objectives.
• Demonstrated expertise in customer shaping and engagement, including developing winning strategies to position for future opportunities.
• Proven ability to resolve disputes by developing negotiation strategies that result in positive business outcomes while maintaining strong customer relationships. 
• Strong track record of disciplined program execution, including risk management, issue resolution, and performance to plan.
• Demonstrated ability to build, develop, and lead program management teams, including effective delegation, coaching, and succession planning.
• Demonstrated ability to operate and lead in a team environment across all functions and to teach/mentor others to manage in the same way. 
• Strong formal and informal communication skills with all levels of internal and external management. 
• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence across organizational boundaries and at executive levels.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret clearance with SAP eligibility.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.

Preferred Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience managing complex programs and portfolios with significant new business capture and growth responsibilities.
• Experience in aerospace and/or defense and adjacent industries
• Knowledge of Northrop Grumman internal processes, procedures, and organizational structure.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and present strategies, business cases, and program status to senior customers and internal executive audiences.
• Current Top-Secret clearance with SAP eligibility.

Primary Level Salary Range: $266,300.00 - $399,500.00

The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.

Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.

The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.

Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.