POSITION PROFILE
Position Title: Subcontract Program Manager
Reports To: Director of PMO
Position Overview:
The Subcontract Program Manager (SPM) is responsible for end-to-end execution and performance of subcontracted scope across programs, ensuring alignment to cost, schedule, technical, and risk objectives.
This role serves as the primary interface between Iris and its subcontractors/suppliers, owning delivery performance and ensuring subcontracted work is fully integrated into overall program execution.
The SPM may manage subcontract efforts independently or lead major subcontract workstreams within larger programs under the guidance of a Senior Program Manager. This role is critical to ensuring supplier performance, risk management, and execution discipline, particularly in early production and first article environments.
Key Cultural Competencies:
- Bias for ownership with strong accountability for subcontract outcomes
• Ability to build and manage effective supplier and internal relationships
• Collaborative partner across engineering, supply chain, and program teams
• Highly organized with strong planning and coordination capability
• Results-driven with focus on execution and delivery
• Comfortable operating in dynamic, evolving environments
• Strong problem-solver with practical, solution-oriented mindset
• Maintains composure and professionalism under pressure
• Strong communication skills with ability to clearly convey risks and status
• Detail-oriented with disciplined follow-through
• Self-motivated with high level of initiative
• Committed to continuous learning and improvement
Key Results:
- Subcontract deliverables meet cost, schedule, and technical commitments
- Improved alignment between subcontract execution and program plan
- Early identification and mitigation of supplier-driven risks
- Reduced variance between forecasted and actual subcontract performance
- Clear, consistent visibility into subcontract status and risk posture for leadership
- Strong integration of subcontracted work into system-level execution
Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:
- Own execution of subcontract scope, including cost, schedule, and technical performance
- Serve as the primary point of contact for subcontractors/suppliers
- Ensure subcontract deliverables meet contractual and program requirements
- Drive accountability with suppliers for performance, schedule adherence, and issue resolution
- Align supplier delivery schedules with program IMS and key milestones
- Ensure subcontract activities are accurately reflected in program forecasts
- Track subcontract financial performance including actuals, ETC, and EAC
- Identify and communicate cost risks and variances early
- Support accurate forecasting and revenue alignment through proper subcontract phasing
- Identify and actively manage subcontract risks
- Partner with engineering to ensure design readiness aligns with supplier execution
- Proactively identify execution gaps and drive corrective actions
- Provide clear, structured reporting on subcontract status, risks and performance
- Support internal and customer program reviews
Qualifications:
- S. Person/Permanent Resident
- Bachelor’s degree required; technical discipline (EE, ME, SE) or related technical field preferred; Master’s degree a plus
- 5-10 years of program management, supply chain or subcontract management
- Experience with engineering in aerospace, defense, or complex technology development environment. Experience in hardware electronics design/development/testing highly preferred
- Demonstrated ability to coordinate cross-functional teams in product development environment
- Familiarity with development lifecycles from requirements through testing and delivery
- Experience working government customers or large defense prime contractors
- Working knowledge of AS9100, ISO13485, and aerospace/spaceflight compliance standards
- Understanding of supplier risk management
- Strong verbal and written communication skills