Director Program Management

About Oshkosh Defense, an Oshkosh company

Oshkosh Defense stands behind those who dedicate their lives to protecting others.  As an industry-leading tactical vehicle manufacturer, every day we strive to meet or exceed our customers' ever-changing needs with next generation defense technologies and advanced systems.  We operate with unparalleled commitment to those who depend on our products and services worldwide to perform their missions.

JOB SUMMARY

The Director of Program Management is a senior leader responsible for overseeing the enterprise-wide project and program delivery function, with full P&L accountability for assigned platforms or business units. This role ensures strategic alignment, customer satisfaction, engineering execution, and commercial success across complex, cross-functional initiatives. The Director sets long-term direction for project governance, leads teams of project and program managers, and serves as a key contributor to corporate transformation and operational excellence.

                                                                                                           

YOUR IMPACT

These duties are not meant to be all-inclusive and other duties may be assigned:

Strategic Leadership & Growth

• Define and execute enterprise program strategy and project management vision.
• Lead strategic transformation efforts, aligning execution with company objectives and market expansion.
• Identify new market opportunities and guide solution development efforts to support revenue and innovation goals.
• Represent project management leadership in C-suite and board-level discussions.

Program Oversight & Execution Excellence

• Lead the successful delivery of enterprise-level programs, including connected vehicles, electrification, IoT systems, and advanced manufacturing initiatives.
• Oversee program lifecycle management-from concept and development through production, deployment, and sustainment.
• Ensure all programs meet schedule, budget, scope, quality, and compliance requirements.
• Guide project teams and external vendors through resource management, technical execution, and performance tracking.
• Serve as an escalation point for strategic decisions, resource conflicts, and project governance issues.

Portfolio & PMO Management

• Oversee the Project Management Office (PMO), driving standardization of tools, methods, and processes across departments.
• Establish and lead program portfolio prioritization, resource allocation, and financial forecasting activities.
• Develop and implement governance frameworks, dashboards, and KPI reporting systems to ensure transparency and execution discipline.
• Champion continuous improvement across PMO operations using Lean, Six Sigma, and Agile best practices.

Sales, Customer, and Partner Engagement

• Lead cross-functional collaboration between Sales, Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Quality.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with external customers and global suppliers.
• Partner with product management and sales leadership to influence go-to-market strategies and secure customer wins.
• Oversee pricing strategy, SOW development, contract execution, and customer success initiatives.

People Development & Culture

• Hire, develop, and mentor high-performing project and program management talent.
• Define team goals, roles, and competencies to support scalable execution and leadership succession.
• Foster a culture of accountability, customer focus, continuous learning, and cross-functional collaboration.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field and ten (10) or more years of relevant experience (equivalent to sixteen (16) years total in education and experience); or an equivalent combination of education and experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the role.
• Five (5) years in senior leadership roles with direct responsibility for enterprise project portfolios or business units.

STANDOUT QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in a related field.
• Experience in defense, OEM automotive, Tier 1 supplier environments, or advanced technology sectors.
• Expertise in regulatory frameworks (e.g., ITAR, FCPA), MES/ERP systems, and product lifecycle management.
• Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, CMMI, and SAFe frameworks.
• Global experience managing distributed teams and international supplier/vendor relationships.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and decision-making skills.
• PMP or PgMP certification.
• Demonstrated experience managing P&L, resource planning, and governance for multimillion-dollar programs.
• Strong knowledge of project management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid), compliance frameworks, and operational excellence practices.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Project, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and BI tools such as Power BI or Tableau.
• Ability to travel as needed.

Pay Range:

$136,800.00 - $253,200.00

Oshkosh is committed to working with and offering reasonable accommodation to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to disability for any part of the employment process, please contact us at [email protected].

Oshkosh Corporation is a merit-based Equal Opportunity Employer. Job opportunities are open for application to all qualified individuals and selection decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other protected characteristic. To the extent that information is provided or collected regarding categories as provided by law it will in no way affect the decision regarding an employment application.

Oshkosh Corporation will not discharge or in any manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with Oshkosh Corporation's legal duty to furnish information.

Certain positions with Oshkosh Corporation require access to controlled goods and technologies subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations or the Export Administration Regulations. Applicants for these positions may need to be "U.S. Persons," as defined in these regulations. Generally, a "U.S. Person" is a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or an individual who has been admitted as a refugee or granted asylum.