Sr Director, Office of Program Management

Description

The Senior Director, Office of Program Management establishes and leads Fortem’s Office of Program Management (OPM), providing ownership of the company’s program and project management function. This leader is directly responsible for the health, performance, and ongoing maturation of management practices across all of Fortem’s strategic programs and projects—from the most complex, high-value government and defense programs down through discrete customer and internal projects. 

Reporting to the COO, the principal serves as the primary interface between the OPM and company leadership, customers, and government counterparts.  

Key Responsibilities 

• Stand up and lead the Office of Program Management; define structure, governance, roles, tiering, and operating rhythm across the full PM organization, including clear accountability distinctions between Project Manager, Program Manager, and Senior Program Manager tiers. 
• Maintain executive-level visibility across all programs and projects; own portfolio-level cost, schedule, performance, and risk, and ensure consistent intake, prioritization, and resource allocation. 
• Establish and continuously improve PM methodologies, intake processes, governance structures, templates, metrics, review cadences, and lessons-learned practices; ensure the PM operating model scales with Fortem’s growth and the increasing complexity of its domestic and international programs. 
• Retain direct ownership of the most complex or highest-priority programs as needed; serve as the senior customer and executive interface for those efforts, and lead major program reviews, recovery discussions, and priority and commitment decisions. 
• Hire, mentor, and develop a high-performing PM organization; build bench strength across all PM tiers and improve planning quality, accountability, risk discipline, customer communication, and executive reporting across the team. 
• Partner with Engineering, Product, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Finance, Contracts, Business Development, Professional Services, and Customer Success to drive integrated execution; translate customer requirements and strategic objectives into executable program structures, integrated schedules, resource plans, decision frameworks, and measurable outcomes. 
• Provide senior customer interface and executive communication; support and strengthen executive and customer decision-making with clear, actionable program visibility. 
• Shape executable SOWs, proposals, ROMs, staffing plans, schedules, delivery assumptions, and bid/no-bid or commitment decisions; inform capture strategy from a program execution standpoint and ensure proposed commitments are achievable. 
• Own portfolio-level budget and forecast visibility, margin awareness, variance analysis, resource demand planning, and recovery actions. 
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally to meet programmatic needs and requirements. 

Requirements

 Required Qualifications 

• Progressive program and project leadership, including at least 3–5 years in a senior leadership role overseeing a PM organization, portfolio, or program management function. 
• Demonstrated experience building or maturing a program management function, office, or operating model from the ground up or through significant transformation. 
• Deep experience in aerospace, defense, UAS/C-UAS, government contracting, or complex technical product programs. 
• Proven ability to manage cost, schedule, performance, and risk across a portfolio of concurrent programs and projects of varying scale and complexity. 
• Strong executive communication, influence, negotiation, conflict-resolution, and decision-support skills. 
• Demonstrated ability to develop and retain PM talent across multiple levels. 
• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, operations, or a related field, or equivalent relevant education, training, and experience. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• PMP required; PgMP strongly preferred; DAWIA, Agile, Six Sigma, or equivalent advanced credentials a plus. 
• Substantial aerospace/defense, DoD/DHS, UAS/C-UAS, weapons/integration, production, deployment, sustainment, or international defense experience. 
• Experience with DoD, DHS, or other domestic or international government programs, including contract management, government acquisition processes, and proposal development. 
• Experience with strategic customer relationships, complex contracts, program financials, supplier and partner performance, and recovery efforts; active clearance or ability to obtain one when required. 
• Experience managing international defense, deployment, or sustainment programs. 
• Master’s degree in management, engineering, or a related field. 

About Us

Fortem Technologies is the global leader in airspace security, delivering advanced solutions that protect against today’s autonomous aerial threats while ensuring the safety of tomorrow’s advanced air mobility. Fortem’s AI-powered SkyDome® Family of Systems combines TrueView™ sensors, command-and-control software, and autonomous DroneHunter® interceptors to defend military, government, and commercial operations worldwide from hostile or unauthorized drones. Fortem is the only company authorized to deploy a drone-on-drone kinetic interceptor in U.S. airspace, and its technology has been validated in operational deployments across Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia.

Headquartered in Lindon, Utah, Fortem is privately held and backed by Lockheed Martin, DCVC, Toshiba, AE Industrial Partners, AIM13, Signia Venture Partners, and others.

Fortem Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We do not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws. We believe that diversity drives innovation and makes us stronger.