Sustainment Program Manager

Job Summary

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a world leader in proven, reliable remotely piloted aircraft and tactical reconnaissance radars, as well as advanced high-resolution surveillance systems.

The Sustainment Program Manager for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) Program reports to a senior program manager and is responsible for the planning, management, and technical performance of sustainment activities for the CCA platform. This role directs all phases of sustainment operations from initial fielding through the lifecycle of the aircraft, ensuring operational readiness, reliability, and supportability. The position is responsible for sustainment programs that represent critical operational capability and future growth in autonomous combat systems. The manager applies established sustainment principles and emerging technologies to provide solutions to complex logistics, maintenance, and fleet management challenges. This role typically accomplishes objectives through subordinate managers and is responsible for decisions that could have significant impact on fleet availability and mission readiness, where erroneous decisions could result in critical operational delays and costly modifications.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Direct all phases of CCA sustainment operations from initial operational capability through fleet lifecycle management, including logistics planning, maintenance operations, supply chain management, and technical performance monitoring to ensure quality, operational availability, and financial objectives are attained.
• Develop and coordinate sustainment plans and delivery methods that support CCA fleet operations across multiple operational sites and customer organizations.
• Collaborate with engineering, logistics, and Division/Group executive management to develop and implement current, annual, and long-term sustainment strategies including maintenance concepts, supply support, technical data management, training programs, and lifecycle cost objectives for the CCA program. Contribute to the development of Group/Company sustainment objectives with long-range forecasts projected over the aircraft's operational lifecycle.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to establish maintenance concepts, reliability improvement initiatives, obsolescence management strategies, and technical refresh efforts for the CCA platform throughout its operational life.
• Interact with customer representatives, depot maintenance facilities, field service organizations, and operational units regarding sustainment operations, maintenance scheduling requirements, parts availability, and contractual performance. Act as primary contact for all sustainment-related issues.
• Lead the preparation of sustainment proposals, performance-based logistics (PBL) strategies, statement of work documents, maintenance plans, operating budgets, and financial terms/conditions for sustainment contracts. Influence contract acquisitions, negotiations, and modifications related to fleet support.
• Ensure technical leadership and excellence in sustainment operations by directing and participating in the planning, attraction, selection, retention, and development of logistics, maintenance, supply chain, and field service management talent.
• Act as the primary customer contact for sustainment activities and lead program review sessions to discuss fleet availability metrics, maintenance performance, supply chain status, cost performance, and technical issues affecting operational readiness.
• Identify sustainment challenges including parts obsolescence, maintenance bottlenecks, supply chain disruptions, or technical issues, and provide leadership in developing solutions such as re-allocation of resources, alternative repair strategies, or modification of maintenance specifications.
• Lead the development of new sustainment business opportunities including depot partnerships, contractor logistics support (CLS) expansions, and performance-based logistics initiatives. Participate with Group management in pursuing business partnerships and alliances that enhance CCA sustainment capabilities and may result in new service offerings and business opportunities.
• Direct the development and protection of proprietary sustainment processes, maintenance procedures, and technical data, maintaining strict confidentiality of sensitive operational and technical information.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for fleet availability, mean time between failures (MTBF), maintenance turnaround times, supply chain performance, and cost per flight hour.
• Oversee configuration management and technical data management to ensure all CCA aircraft maintain proper configuration control and that maintenance documentation remains current and accurate.
• Coordinate with training organizations to ensure maintenance personnel, field service representatives, and customer operators receive appropriate training on CCA systems and sustainment procedures.
• Other duties as assigned or required.

We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.

Job Category

Program/Project Management

Travel Percentage Required

0% - 25%

Full-Time/Part-Time

Full-Time Salary

State

California

Clearance Level

Secret

Pay Range Low

140,900

City

Poway

Clearance Required?

Yes

Pay Range High

257,233

Recruitment Posting Title

Sustainment Program Manager

Job Qualifications

• Typically requires a Bachelors, Masters or PhD in engineering, science or a related technical field as well as thirteen or more years of progressively complex program administration experience. May substitute equivalent experience in lieu of education.
• Demonstrates extensive expertise in sustainment program management principles, logistics concepts, maintenance operations, and supply chain management, as well as comprehensive leadership skills including organizing, planning, scheduling, and coordinating sustainment workloads to meet operational availability requirements and fleet readiness objectives.
• Must possess deep understanding of performance-based logistics (PBL), contractor logistics support (CLS), integrated logistics support (ILS), and reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) principles and their application to complex weapon systems.
• Must be able to develop solutions to complex sustainment problems that require coordination of logistics, maintenance, engineering, supply chain, and training activities across multiple organizational boundaries and customer sites.
• Experience with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or autonomous platforms is highly desired; experience with military aircraft sustainment operations is strongly preferred.
• Strong communication, leadership, presentation, and interpersonal skills are required to enable effective interface with depot maintenance facilities, field service organizations, supply chain partners, all levels of management, engineering teams, customers, and government representatives.
• Customer focused with demonstrated ability to balance operational readiness requirements with cost constraints; must be able to work on a self-initiated basis and in a team environment, and able to work extended hours and travel to customer sites, maintenance facilities, and operational locations as required.
• Knowledge of Department of Defense (DoD) sustainment regulations, maintenance data systems, and logistics information systems preferred.

US Citizenship Required?

Yes

Experience Level

Senior (8+ years)

Relocation Assistance Provided?

No

Workstyle

Hybrid