Manager, Program Management

Manager, Program Management

Department: Program Management

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Irvine, California

Compensation: $150,000 - $190,000 / year

Description

At Turion Space, we're on a mission to secure Earth and expand humanity's reach beyond it. We're building a fleet of spacecraft to support national security, in-space servicing, and orbital debris removal. As we scale toward multiple spacecraft launches and accelerate hardware development, we're looking for a Manager of Program Management Office (PMO) to help us bring structure, speed, and discipline to our most critical programs.

This is a hands-on leadership role responsible for building and operationalizing our PMO function, defining tools and processes, and directly supporting the execution of our military and civil space programs. You'll split your time between leading the development of program management capabilities and ensuring delivery of key programs in collaboration with engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, and customer teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and lead the PMO function at Turion, including program frameworks, best practices, and operating rhythms across programs.
• Manage and mentor a growing team of program managers and project leads, ensuring consistent execution and professional development.
• Own day-to-day program execution for high-priority customer programs (both civil and national security), including scope, schedule, risk, and budget.
• Define and deploy tools, templates, and systems (e.g. project dashboards, schedules, RAID logs) to improve program tracking, collaboration, and transparency.
• Lead internal and external program reviews, facilitate milestone readiness, and drive issue resolution to keep delivery on track.
• Partner with cross-functional teams-engineering, operations, business development, supply chain-to align program delivery with company milestones and customer commitments.
• Develop resource plans, identify gaps, and proactively mitigate risks that could impact schedule or technical performance.
• Champion continuous improvement and drive initiatives that improve how we scope, launch, and deliver programs.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Basic Qualifications

• 5+ years of program management experience, including at least 2 years building or leading a PMO or similar function
• Hands-on experience managing aerospace, defense, or civil space programs-especially those with hardware and government customers
• Experience managing programs with budgets of $100M or more
• Proficient in Microsoft Project or similar scheduling tools
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOD Top Secret clearance (U.S. citizenship required)

Preferred Experience

• Proven ability to coach, grow, and inspire program managers while rolling up your sleeves to manage complex programs yourself
• Deep familiarity with program management methodologies and tools (e.g. PMP, Agile, Jira, Confluence, Gantt, dashboards)
• Comfortable managing cost/schedule/risk on programs with technical complexity and external stakeholders
• Strong communicator with the ability to lead through influence and foster alignment across internal teams and customer organizations.
• Bias for action, adaptable in fast-paced environments, and comfortable navigating ambiguity
• Demonstrated experience interfacing with government agencies, especially U.S. Space Force, Air Force, or NASA
• Active DOD Top Secret clearance

ITAR Requirements:

This position may include access to technology and/or software source code that is subject to U.S. export controls. To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package designed to support the well-being and professional growth of our employees. In addition to a competitive base salary and company stock, determined by factors such as job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, and market demand, full-time employees are eligible for:

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and their dependents.
• Retirement Plans: Access to a 401(k) plan to help you plan for your future.
• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation days, personal days, and holidays to ensure you have time to recharge.
• Professional Development: Opportunities for ongoing training, workshops, and courses to advance your skills and career growth.
• Team Building Activities: Regular social events, team outings, and company-sponsored activities to foster a positive work environment.

We are dedicated to providing a supportive and enriching environment for our team members, recognizing that our collective success is built upon the well-being and satisfaction of each individual.

Turion Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Turion Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.