Associate Director, Should Cost Lead (Remote)

Date Posted: 2026-07-30 Country: United States of America Location: US-CT-REMOTE Position Role Type: Remote U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements: U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are authorized to access information under this program/contract. Security Clearance Type: None/Not Required Security Clearance Status: Not Required At RTX, the world's largest aerospace and defense company, 185,000 great minds are united by purpose and inspired to make a difference solving the world’s most complex problems. With our three market leading businesses, world-class operations and investments in research and development, we offer capabilities and opportunity no one else can. Together, we push the boundaries of known science and find new ways to connect and protect our world. Join us and help shape the future of aerospace and defense. The Associate Director of Should‑Cost Management will be responsible for building, leading, and maturing a centralized should‑cost team that supports all commodity categories across the organization’s three Strategic Business Units (SBUs). This role will establish a robust capability focused on enabling cost‑savings initiatives, improving sourcing decisions, and driving deeper cost transparency with suppliers. The Associate Director will hire, develop, and manage a specialized team skilled in should‑cost modeling, cost‑structure analysis, and value engineering. This leader will be accountable for creating standardized processes, tools, and methodologies that allow the team to consistently deliver high‑quality cost insights to support strategic sourcing efforts across the enterprise. Additionally, this role will develop KPIs, dashboards, and performance metrics that measure team effectiveness, project impact, and operational efficiency. The Associate Director will establish a comprehensive roadmap to expand should‑cost capabilities, integrate best practices, and strengthen the organization’s overall cost‑management strategy. The position requires deep expertise in should‑cost modeling, strong analytical leadership, and the ability to partner effectively with sourcing, engineering, finance, and business leaders to drive measurable value. What You Will Do: Build, hire, and develop a centralized should‑cost team supporting all commodity categories across all three SBUs. Lead the creation and implementation of standardized should‑cost methodologies, tools, templates, and modeling practices. Oversee the execution of should‑cost analyses to support sourcing events, negotiations, supplier assessments, and cost‑savings initiatives. Partner with sourcing teams, engineering, finance, and business leaders to identify, shape, and support cost‑reduction opportunities across multiple categories. Develop KPIs, dashboards, and performance metrics to evaluate the accuracy, impact, and efficiency of should‑cost deliverables. Establish streamlined processes and workflows enabling consistent, scalable, and high‑quality support for all SBUs. Build and maintain a comprehensive roadmap to expand should‑cost capabilities and align with long‑term cost‑management strategies. Provide subject‑matter expertise in cost modeling, cost‑driver analysis, value engineering, and competitive benchmarking. Review and validate cost models and analyses created by the team to ensure accuracy, reliability, and strategic relevance. Lead cross‑functional communication efforts to drive adoption of should‑cost practices across the organization. Stay current on industry trends, modeling techniques, manufacturing processes, and commodity market dynamics; translate insights into actionable strategies. Prepare and deliver executive‑level summaries and recommendations based on should‑cost findings and project outcomes. Travel up to 40% required. Qualifications You Must Have: Typically requires a University Degree and minimum 12 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 10 years of experience or in absence of a degree, 16 years of relevant experience. 8+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, cost engineering, should‑cost modeling, or manufacturing cost analysis, with several years of leadership experience. Experience in building should‑cost models, analyzing cost drivers, and evaluating manufacturing processes across multiple commodity types. Proven leadership experience with the ability to hire, develop, and manage high‑performing analytical or cost‑engineering teams. Proven understanding of cost‑breakdown structures, value engineering, benchmarking, and supplier‑cost transparency principles. Experience supporting cost‑savings initiatives and delivering measurable financial impact in a multi‑business environment. Experience with cost‑modeling tools, data analysis software, and relevant procurement or engineering platforms. Experience creating KPIs, dashboards, or performance‑measurement tools to drive decision‑making and process improvement. Experience developing, refining, and implementing enterprise‑level processes, methodologies, and roadmaps. Qualifications We Prefer: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, supply chain, finance, business, or a related field; advanced degree or professional certification preferred. Strong capability in managing multiple priorities in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment. Excellent communication and stakeholder‑engagement skills, with demonstrated ability to work cross‑functionally across sourcing, engineering, and finance teams. Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with the ability to translate complex data into clear and actionable recommendations. What We Offer: Whether you’re just starting out on your career journey or are an experienced professional, we offer a robust total rewards package with compensation; healthcare, wellness, retirement and work/life benefits; career development and recognition programs. Some of the benefits we offer include parental (including paternal) leave, flexible work schedules, achievement awards, educational assistance and child/adult backup care. Learn More & Apply Now Please ensure the role type defined below is appropriate for your needs before applying to this role. This position is classified as: Remote: Employees who are working in Remote roles will work primarily offsite (from home). If you live within a reasonable commute of an RTX site with other colleagues you interact with, your manager will discuss whether there is a degree of onsite presence associated with this role. As part of our commitment to maintaining a secure hiring process, candidates may be asked to attend select steps of the interview process in-person at one of our office locations, regardless of whether the role is designated as on-site, hybrid or remote. The salary range for this role is 157,200 USD - 298,800 USD. The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. RTX considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills. Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits, including but not limited to, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, flexible work schedules, employee assistance program, Employee Scholar Program, parental leave, paid time off, and holidays. Specific benefits are dependent upon the specific business unit as well as whether or not the position is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement. Hired applicants may be eligible for annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs depending on the level of the position and whether or not it is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and are dependent upon a variety of factors including, but not limited to, individual performance, business unit performance, and/or the company’s performance. This role is a U.S.-based role. If the successful candidate resides in a U.S. territory, the appropriate pay structure and benefits will apply. RTX anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require RTX to shorten or extend the application window. RTX 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, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class. RTX provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act. Privacy Policy and Terms: Click on this link to read the Policy and Terms