Program Manager, Valiant UAS

Who We Are Griffon Aerospace designs, builds, and flies unmanned aerial systems that perform. We are a small, focused team of engineers and operators who care firstly about mission success before satisfying any other "metrics." We don't hand work off and walk away. We own it. Our culture is defined by technical rigor, relentless follow-through, and a refusal to accept "good enough" when our customers' missions are on the line. The Valiant UAS program is one of our premier product lines, and we need a Program Manager who treats it that way. We need a candidate who can manage schedule, technical risk, and customer relationships in parallel. The Role As the Program Manager for the Valiant UAS portfolio, you are the single accountable leader for everything that touches this program: budget, schedule, technical performance, customer satisfaction, and team execution. You are not a coordinator or a facilitator. You are the owner. This is a hands-on role. You will be on the flight line when things are getting sorted out. You will be in the lab when the engineering teams need to make critical decisions. You will be on the phone when a customer faces challenges, and you will already have a recovery plan ready to make them whole and confident in our commitments to their success. You will lead cross-functional teams of engineers, technicians, and support staff, and you will set the standard for what ownership looks like every single day. What You'll Own Program Execution Full concept-to-lifecycle responsibility for the Valiant UAS portfolio across all active contracts and development efforts Develop, maintain, and actively manage integrated master schedules (IMS) with real milestones to minimize dependence on purely success-based goals Drive cost, schedule, and technical performance to plan; identify and burn down risk before they can be realized Lead monthly program reviews, CDRs, PDRs, and customer milestone events Own the financial baseline and variance analysis to mitigate surprises to leadership or the customer Technical Responsibility Facilitate technical decision making across the program; understand the system deeply enough to challenge assumptions and make informed trades Partner with Engineering, Flight Test, and Manufacturing to ensure technical requirements are achievable, tested, and delivered Facilitate rapid decision-making when design, test, or fielding issues arise Engage directly in failure investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective action follow-through Customer & Stakeholder Management Be the primary interface to Government program offices, prime contractors, and end users Communicate status, risks, and issues proactively Identify and capture follow-on business, contract modifications, and program growth opportunities Represent Griffon at industry events, customer visits, and proposal activities as required Team & Culture Build and lead a high-performing, low-ego team that runs toward problems, not away from them Mentor junior program staff; establish practices and standards that outlast any single program Embody and enforce Griffon's ownership culture: every team member knows their piece and is accountable for it What We're Looking For Required Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Aerospace, Systems, or a closely related technical discipline 7+ years of program management experience in defense aerospace, UAS, or adjacent fields Demonstrated track record managing DoD development or production programs from $5M to $50M+ Hands-on experience with aircraft or UAS systems Strong command of program management fundamentals: EVM, IMS, risk management, CDR/PDR processes Active Secret clearance (or ability to obtain) Comfortable traveling to customer sites, field operations, and test events up to 30% Strongly Preferred Master's degree in Engineering or Business (MBA), or equivalent operational experience Direct experience with Group 2–4 UAS programs in development, test, or production Familiarity with MIL-STD airworthiness, DO-178/DO-254, or UAS-specific certification pathways PMP, DAWIA, or equivalent program management certification Prior military aviation or UAS operational background Active Top-Secret clearance What Griffon Offers Competitive salary commensurate with experience and clearance level Comprehensive benefits: medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with company match Paid time off and 10 paid holidays Relocation assistance available for qualified candidates A small company where your decisions matter and your fingerprints are on real hardware flying real missions Griffon Aerospace – Come Build the Unfair Advantage.