Program Director, Large / Classified Programs

CONFIDENTIAL RETAINED SEARCH | AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE

Search Reference: TNF-PD-2026 | Program Execution Leadership Mandate

ABOUT THIS SEARCH

Top Notch Finders has been retained on an exclusive and strictly confidential basis to identify a Program Director for a well-established aerospace and defense organization. To protect the interests of our client and of every candidate who engages with us, the identity of the company, the program, and the program site are disclosed only to qualified candidates under a confidentiality agreement. All inquiries and applications are received and managed solely by Top Notch Finders.

POSITION SNAPSHOT

• Reports to: VP Programs or Division President.
• Location: Program site, often co-located with the government customer; specifics disclosed to qualified candidates.
• Clearance: TS/SCI mandatory; polygraph may be required for select programs.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Program Director owns cost, schedule, and technical performance for a large or classified program, serving as the primary point of accountability to the government customer and internal executive leadership for program execution.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own program P&L, including cost, schedule, and technical performance (EVM/CPI/SPI).
• Serve as the primary customer interface for program status, risk, and issue resolution.
• Lead a cross-functional integrated program team spanning engineering, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain.
• Manage the program risk register and mitigation strategy.
• Ensure compliance with classified program security and handling requirements.
• Support proposal and capture activities for program follow-on and growth opportunities.
• Report program health to executive leadership and government program offices.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 12+ years of program management experience in aerospace/defense; PMP certification preferred.
• Active TS/SCI clearance required; SAP/SAR access a plus.
• Demonstrated success managing programs over $100M in value.
• Deep knowledge of the DoD acquisition lifecycle and earned value management.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related field required.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience across multiple classified program environments.
• Prior military or government program office experience.
• Track record compressing timelines from award to fielded capability.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND HOW TO APPLY

This is a discreet, retained engagement. Your candidacy will never be presented to any organization without your explicit prior authorization, and no application will be visible to the hiring company at this stage. Accomplished program leaders with cleared-environment credentials are invited to submit a resume in confidence through the Top Notch Finders website. Please reference search code TNF-PD-2026 in your submission. Do not include classified or program-sensitive information of any kind in your application materials; describe classified experience only at the level of clearance held and program domain. Only candidates whose backgrounds align closely with the mandate will be contacted.