Program Manager, Test Operations, Maintenance & Engineering

Position Summary

The Program Manager provides overall leadership for a multi-site program supporting complex test facility operations, maintenance, and engineering activities. This position is accountable for safe, effective, and efficient performance; customer satisfaction; workforce leadership; and the program’s financial and operational results.

The Program Manager serves as the primary point of contact for the customer and leads subordinate managers and program management staff. The role oversees a large, diverse workforce across multiple locations and ensures that work is performed in accordance with contractual requirements, applicable regulations, safety standards, and company policies. Regular travel to operating sites is required.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Direct program execution across multiple locations, ensuring work meets customer requirements and organizational commitments.
• Serve as the primary program representative for customer leadership and other designated government representatives.
• Manage program budgets, revenue, profitability, forecasts, funding, and financial performance.
• Establish and maintain program baselines for cost, schedule, staffing, and performance; identify risks and direct mitigation actions.
• Oversee test operations, facility maintenance, engineering, logistics, and related support activities.
• Ensure safe, compliant, and effective operations in accordance with contract requirements, applicable regulations, and company policies.
• Lead and coordinate program managers, functional managers, site leads, and program management staff.
• Provide oversight of a large, multi-site workforce, including responsibility for staffing, hiring, performance management, and workforce development.
• Coordinate with engineering, operations, finance, contracts, procurement, human resources, and subcontractors to resolve issues and maintain performance.
• Establish and monitor metrics for contract compliance, customer satisfaction, safety, cost control, schedule performance, and service quality.
• Conduct program reviews and customer meetings; prepare agendas, status reports, decision materials, and meeting records.
• Report program status, risks, financial performance, and corrective actions to customer and company leadership.
• Identify opportunities for additional work and support customer discussions, scope changes, pricing, and negotiations.
• Develop and improve program processes, controls, and reporting practices.
• Mentor and coach managers and employees to strengthen performance and support professional development.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Directly supervises program and functional managers, including site leads. Provides leadership and oversight to a large, diverse workforce across multiple locations, including exempt, represented, service-contract, and part-time employees.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• At least 10 years of management experience in aviation, aerospace, engineering, test operations, facility operations, or a comparable technical environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, multi-site operations or programs involving test facilities, maintenance, engineering, or related technical services.
• Experience managing a large, multi-company contractor workforce.
• Demonstrated success managing program budgets, cost control, financial performance, schedules, staffing, and customer commitments.
• Experience communicating regularly with government or other customer representatives and company employees to deliver required products and services on time and within budget.
• Working knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), applicable agency supplements, contract requirements, cost and schedule estimating, engineering specifications, and procurement practices.
• Demonstrated ability to attract, hire, develop, and retain effective management teams.
• Strong leadership, communication, negotiation, analytical, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, work independently, and make sound decisions across multiple operational areas.
• U.S. citizenship.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.
• Ability to successfully complete required pre-employment screening, including a physical and drug test.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing operations at a large test facility, research center, or comparable technical site.
• Experience supporting federal aerospace, aviation, engineering, or test operations programs.
• Experience working with collective bargaining agreements and represented workforces.
• Familiarity with computerized maintenance management or enterprise asset management systems, such as Maximo, and Microsoft Office.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.

PREFERENCE STATEMENT
Preference will be given to Calista shareholders and their descendants and to spouses of Calista shareholders, and to shareholders of other corporations created pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, in accordance with Title 43 U.S. Code 1626(g).

EEO STATEMENT
Additionally, it is our policy to select, place, train and promote the most qualified individuals based upon relevant factors such as work quality, attitude and experience, so as to provide equal employment opportunity for all employees in compliance with applicable local, state and federal laws and without regard to non-work related factors such as race, color, religion/creed, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship, genetic information, or other protected status. When applicable, our policy of non-discrimination applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, training, transfer, promotion, placement, layoff, compensation, termination, reduction in force and benefits.
 
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION
It is Calista and Subsidiaries' business philosophy and practice to provide reasonable accommodations, according to applicable state and federal laws, to all qualified individuals with physical or mental disabilities.
 
The statements contained in this job description are intended to describe the general content and requirements for performance of this job.  It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties, responsibilities, and requirements.
 
This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. Management has the exclusive right to alter the scope of work within the framework of this job description at any time without prior notice.