Senior Production Program Manager

Department: Manufacturing : Launched Effects Production : Manufacturing

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Tactical Recon & Strike (TRS) team at Anduril develops small aerial drones (Group 1-3) along with all the necessary equipment for testing, deployment, and operation. The team transforms products like Ghost, Anvil, Altius, and Bolt from initial concepts into operational systems. We work closely with specialized teams to tackle some of our customers' most complex challenges. Currently, we are seeking a technical operations engineer for the Altius program, where you will leverage your operational and technical expertise to shape and deploy a solution of maximum effectiveness and reliability. Your scope will include standing up forward-deployed operations in austere environments, ensuring the successful combat employment of Anduril products, and shaping the long-term sustainment of these products. In addition, you will be a core participant in customer demonstrations and customer trainings, and test events closer to home.

ABOUT THE JOB

As a Staff Production Program Manager, you will partner closely with the Head of Production to oversee the manufacturing and production lifecycle of our advanced defense technologies. You will be embedded at the intersection of Engineering, Supply Chain, and Operations, serving as the connective tissue that drives programs from early-stage prototypes to high-rate, scalable production.

This is a high-visibility, cross-functional role requiring a blend of strategic program planning and hands-on execution. You will be responsible for driving operational efficiency, managing complex schedules, mitigating risks, and ensuring that critical hardware programs are delivered on time, within scope, and on budget. If you possess a strong foundation in manufacturing operational excellence, paired with the grit and determination to solve complex scaling challenges under pressure, you will thrive in this role.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Drive Production Operations Forward – Own complex operational initiatives from concept to completion. You'll tackle ambiguous problems across manufacturing systems, supply chain, and production processes bringing structure where there is none and executing solutions that stick.
• Move Fast and Build for the Long-Term – Execute quick analyses when speed matters, while also designing scalable processes and systems that will grow with the company
• Process Optimization – Lead continuous improvement efforts that directly impact our cost of goods, production efficiency, and ability to scale. Use data, first principles thinking, and your operational instincts to identify and solve the problems that matter most to the bottom line.
• Be the Connective Tissue – Work across commercial, engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, quality, and finance teams to align production efforts with business objectives. You'll manage stakeholders, lead cross-functional initiatives, and ensure everyone is rowing in the same direction.
• Anticipate & Mitigate Risk – Proactively identify potential roadblocks before they derail timelines or objectives. Assess risks, develop mitigation strategies, and keep leadership informed with clear, transparent updates on project status and blockers.
• Resource Management – Ensure appropriate allocation of materials, labor, and equipment to meet production goals.
• Manage New Product Introduction – Own production's role in bringing new products to life and managing changes to existing ones. Coordinate launches, manage timelines, and ensure production is ready when engineering hands off new designs.
• Build Systems & Insights – Get into the weeds of our production data and business systems. Whether it's improving our workflows, creating better tracking mechanisms, or building dashboards that give teams visibility you'll make our operational infrastructure better.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• You have 5+ years of experience in operations program management, manufacturing, management consulting, investment banking, or internal operations
• You understand how things get built and can think systematically about improving those processes. You're comfortable with data, can build frameworks to structure messy problems
• You thrive in fast-moving environments where priorities shift. You don't need perfect information to make progress, and you're comfortable being visible and getting feedback.
• You are self-driven and proactively solve problems without being told. You bring forward solutions and take initiative to fill gaps
• You can drive project execution within production environments. You know how to apply project management methodologies practically to streamline workflows, mitigate project risks, and facilitate collaboration across teams
• You can lead meetings, wrangle stakeholders, present to leadership, and keep complex projects on track
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. security clearance / Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export controlled information

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience launching products under tight timelines in hardware or manufacturing settings
• Experience with project management methodologies (Agile, Lean, Six Sigma, etc.) and tools (Jira, Confluence, MS Project, Gantt Charts)
• Background in high-tempo operational roles (consulting, startups, scale-ups)
• Experience in defense, aerospace, or automotive manufacturing
• Experience with ERP, MRP, MES, PLM systems