Program Manager, Leadership Development (Manufacturing)

ABOUT THE TEAM

We’re building the future of defense manufacturing — and that starts with how we develop our leaders. The Program Manager, Leadership Development (Manufacturing) will own the strategy, design, and execution of comprehensive leadership training programs applied across all our manufacturing sites. This role is pivotal in bridging strategic leadership needs with on-the-ground operational realities, ensuring our production leaders are equipped with fundamental skills, advanced capabilities, and the vision to lead effectively. You will be responsible for the full lifecycle of leadership development initiatives, from content creation and facilitation to training assignments, upkeep, and metric-driven continuous improvement. This position will require 30% travel.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Assess Leadership Development Needs: Partner with senior manufacturing, operations, and HR leaders across all sites to identify critical leadership skill gaps, define strategic development priorities, and align training initiatives with enterprise-wide objectives.
• Design & Develop Leadership Programs: Lead the creation and adaptation of foundational and advanced leadership development content, modules, and experiential learning activities specifically tailored for production and manufacturing leaders. This includes defining learning objectives, curriculum, and delivery methods.
• Program Ownership & Management: Own end-to-end leadership development project plans – from needs analysis and strategic design through delivery, resource allocation, and robust post-training evaluation across all sites.
• Facilitate & Deliver High-Impact Training: Directly facilitate engaging and effective leadership development programs for diverse cohorts of production and manufacturing leaders, fostering critical thinking and practical application.
• Establish Foundational Leadership Training: Develop and manage a standardized curriculum to ensure all new and existing production leaders complete essential foundational leadership training, covering core principles, management best practices, and operational leadership.
• Manage Training Logistics & Administration: Oversee the assignment and tracking of leadership training participation, maintain curriculum up-to-date, manage scheduling across multiple sites, and ensure seamless delivery of all program components.
• Track Outcomes & Drive Continuous Improvement: Develop and implement metrics to measure the effectiveness and impact of leadership development programs (e.g., leadership effectiveness scores, retention, performance improvements). Utilize data and feedback to continuously refine and optimize content and delivery strategies.
• Collaborate & Influence: Act as a key liaison between manufacturing leadership, Human Resources, Global L&D, and other stakeholders to ensure alignment, gain buy-in, and seamlessly roll out new leadership development initiatives across the organization.
• Enable Internal Facilitation Capabilities: Develop and facilitate "train-the-trainer" programs and provide resources to empower internal subject matter experts or existing L&D professionals to effectively deliver and reinforce leadership development content within their respective sites or functions.
• Partner & Expand Impact: Engage with external vendors, academic institutions, and industry experts to bring specialized leadership development solutions and best practices into the organization, strengthening our global talent pipeline.
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned to support the manufacturing leadership development strategy for manufacturing and production.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 8+ years of progressive experience in Learning & Development, Organizational Development, or Leadership Development, with a strong focus on program management.
• Proven experience designing, managing, and delivering leadership development programs from concept to completion for diverse audiences.
• Strong facilitation skills with demonstrated ability to engage, inspire, and develop leaders at various levels.
• Exceptional program management and organizational skills, capable of managing multiple complex projects across different sites concurrently.
• Experience working within or directly supporting a manufacturing, production, or heavy industrial environment is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively and build strong relationships with cross-functional and senior leadership teams.
• Data-driven mindset with a proven ability to define metrics, analyze training impact, and drive continuous improvement.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Lean Six Sigma.
• Experience implementing leadership development programs on a multi-site or global scale.
• Certifications in leadership assessment tools (e.g., 360 feedback, behavioral assessments).
• Experience with Learning Management Systems (LMS) and learning experience platforms (LXP) for program administration and content delivery.