Program Manager
- Compensation
- Not disclosed
- Location
- Cincinnati, OH
- Work setup
- Not specified
- Seniority
- Not specified
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- 5+ years
- Category
- Project management
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Operations Management, or related field (or equivalent experience)
- 5+ years of experience as a Program Manager within the aerospace industry, ideally in a components or systems manufacturing environment
- Demonstrated success managing customer programs with major OEMs or Tier 1 suppliers
- Strong working knowledge of manufacturing processes, production scheduling, and MRP/ERP systems. PLEX preferred.
- Proven ability to work hands-on in a plant environment, engaging directly with shop floor teams to solve problems
- Excellent communication and relationship-management skills, with experience presenting to and negotiating with customers
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret schedule, cost, and quality data to drive decisions
Nice to have
- Direct experience working with GE, Lockheed Martin, KHI, Middle River, and/or Pratt & Whitney as a customer.
- Experience with composite materials manufacturing (layup, curing, machining, NDT)
- Background in process improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, APQP/PPAP)
- Experience driving or supporting MRP/ERP implementations or system improvements
- Experience working with international customers and familiarity with export control/ITAR requirements
- PMP certification or equivalent program/project management credential
- Familiarity with AS9100 and aerospace quality management systems
Full description
Program Manager
DK CTL Aerospace Opco LLC (CTL) is a manufacturer of precision composite components for aerospace engine applications, supplying customers including GE Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI), Middle River Aircraft Systems, and Pratt & Whitney.
We are located conveniently in northern Cincinnati, Ohio location (less than 30 minutes from Dayton and/or northern Kentucky).
We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Program Manager to lead customer programs through a critical period of operational improvement, driving both program performance and internal process maturity.
Position Summary
The Program Manager will serve as the primary point of accountability for assigned aerospace customer programs, owning schedule, cost, quality, and customer satisfaction from award through delivery. This role requires more than traditional program oversight — the ideal candidate is comfortable on the shop floor, working directly with production, engineering, quality, and supply chain teams to solve real-time manufacturing problems. The successful candidate will also play a key role in driving improvements to production processes and the company's MRP system, which currently presents significant opportunities for optimization.
This is a hands-on role suited to someone who thrives in a fast-paced, evolving manufacturing environment and is energized by fixing things that are broken rather than simply managing around them.
Key Responsibilities
Program Management
- Own end-to-end program performance for assigned customer accounts, including schedule adherence, cost management, quality metrics, and on-time delivery
- Serve as the primary customer-facing representative, managing communications, program reviews, and issue resolution with customers such as GE, Lockheed Martin, KHI, Middle River, and Pratt & Whitney
- Develop and maintain integrated program schedules, risk registers, and action item trackers
- Lead cross-functional program reviews (internal and customer-facing), including IPTs, milestone reviews, and escalation meetings
- Manage program financials including budgets, forecasts, and variance analysis
Manufacturing & Operations
- Work directly on the production floor to identify, troubleshoot, and resolve manufacturing bottlenecks, quality escapes, and schedule risks in real time
- Partner with production, quality, and engineering teams to implement corrective actions and process improvements
- Identify root causes of recurring production issues and drive sustainable, data-informed solutions