Standard Job Description

Who we are:
We are a dynamic team at the cutting edge of National Security Space dedicated to developing innovative technologies that address the most unique and pressing customer challenges. Our collaborative culture fosters creativity, teamwork, and the pursuit of excellence for our programs and our suppliers.

Why join us:
This is an opportunity to be at the forefront of managing critical partnerships for key discriminating deliverables that drive the success of a quickly growing business area with tremendous opportunity for advancement.
The IC5 Subcontract Program Manager Sr Stf position is an exceptional opportunity for a high potential engineer to expand an already discriminating skillset to include subcontract type strategy, negotiations, and execution to deliver. This SPM role in particular provides proven engineering professionals with a path to program manager that sets them apart from their peers in gaining negotiation expertise with suppliers that regularly provide the most critical payloads to our customers and it gives a leg up in shaping contract terms and conditions, in addition to cost and schedule.

Who you are:
You have internalized that an SPM plays a dual leadership role on a program—an initiator to compel the supplier and the program to meet commitments. You are equally comfortable balancing risk between LM and Subcontractors, during negotiations and execution, to deliver an efficient custom solution. You understand that as an SPM you will use both LM and supplier schedules, requirement needs, and giver/receiver exchanges to push each party to drive program execution.
You are a strategic, pro-active, leader with deep experience in your technical field. You have a proven background creating clarity and motivating with vision that you are able to communicate to all levels—technician to executive. You are, or will soon be able to, operate almost entirely independently and accept accountability in turn. You have been recognized by our key customers for your impact on program performance.
You are a mentor in technical topics for custom engineered deliverables and want to grow that to include programmatic and contractual expertise. You mentor with patience, professionalism and a growth mindset.

The work:
As a Subcontract Program Manager Sr Stf, you will oversee all cost, schedule, and technical performance aspects of our subcontractors and suppliers. You will be the lead of the Subcontract Management Team (SMT), ensuring that every facet of subcontract management – from request for proposal (RFP) to delivery – aligns with program objectives and performance goals. Your leadership will drive the collaboration between Program Managers, Subcontract Administrators, Engineering, Specialties, and your Suppliers to ensure compliant execution within cost and schedule constraints.

Key Responsibilities:
• Lead the Subcontract Management Team (SMT) to develop and maintain a consistent business rhythm, ensuring that cost, schedule, and technical objectives are met.
• Oversee the end-to-end subcontracting process, including RFP activities, negotiations, awards, and performance management.
• Ensure subcontractor performance aligns with program specifications, including cost, schedule, quality, and earned value requirements.
• Manage and release deliverables, including Statements of Work (SOWs) and Subcontract Data Requirements Lists (SDRLs).
• Lead programmatic and technical meetings with subcontractors and internal engineering teams, fostering clear communication and accountability.
• Identify, forecast, and resolve issues impacting subcontractor performance, ensuring continuous progress and delivery.

Basic Qualifications

To be effective, you will need to possess these basic qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college, or equivalent experience/combined education.
• 5+ years experience optical engineering .
• Experience in the development, assembly, integration, test and delivery of optical hardware.
• Able to author a supplier statement of work with minimal guidance.
• Able to work full-time on-site at the Louisville facility.
• Must be willing and able to travel to suppliers on short notice. Travel is primarily domestic, but could be international. Travel is expected to be minimal, e.g., for monthly 1-day PMRs—but could surge to 50-75% Mon-Fri if supplier performance falters. As the responsible SPM, the ability to represent LM on-site at a supplier is required.
• You will need to be a US Citizen and be able to obtain and maintain a US DoD TOP SECRET/SCI SAP with CI Poly clearance, to support this government contract, as well as successfully pass a drug and background check, in order to meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

Desired Skills

To be effective, ideally, you should also have:

• Proven ability to operate in various capacities and levels in a fast-paced competitive environment with high pressure and the need to maintain composure and focus on the task at hand.
• Advanced understanding in the field. Advanced knowledge in navigating the processes, procedures, and execution of all phases of the program design cycle
• Work is performed without appreciable direction, including ability to assess, interpret cost/schedule/technical data and risks/opportunities as the scope owner or CAM and implement and communicate strategic execution/recovery plans.
• Manages complex assignments and exercises considerable latitude to accomplish objectives.
• Experience scaling a concept (engineering) or operation (manufacturing/production) from prototype to production as well as contributing to sustainment strategy.
• Understands, inspires, and coaches the team to make more effective decisions in within a cross functional, and accountable, environment.
• Engineering Professionals: Experience as a Certified Principal Engineer or Responsible Subsystem Engineer
• Engineering Professionals: Deep understanding of requirements language, flowdowns, and mission assurance