Description

Unleash Your Potential

At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people dedicated to our customers’ success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainably. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing—for our customers, our people, and our community. Our Mission, Vision, and Values guide the way we do business.

If this sounds like an environment where you can thrive, keep reading.

The Mission

Leidos is a key partner to the U.S. Army on the Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) Increment 2 program — a next-generation, ground-based defense system designed to counter evolving aerial threats, including unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), cruise missiles, and rockets.

The IFPC system provides 360-degree protection within the Army’s layered air and missile defense architecture, integrating advanced sensors, effectors, and the Army’s Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) to deliver an adaptable and interoperable defense solution.

As the program transitions into full-rate production, the Launcher Production Senior Director will lead end-to-end business execution, financial performance, and delivery outcomes for all IFPC production scope — ensuring alignment between program objectives, factory operations, and customer commitments.

The Launcher Production Senior Director is a key leadership role within the Program Management Office (PMO), responsible for cost, schedule, technical, and delivery performance across the IFPC production portfolio. This position carries full P&L accountability for production activities exceeding $200M annually, integrating and aligning performance across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Contracts, and Finance to achieve program success.

This is a program-level role — not directly managing factory operations — but charged with driving execution, ensuring manufacturing readiness, and achieving production goals through cross-functional leadership, disciplined program controls, and strategic engagement with customer and internal stakeholders.

Primary Responsibilities

Program P&L and Business Performance

• Own full P&L for IFPC production: revenue recognition, margin, cash flow, and EAC/ETC forecasting across all production lots.
• Lead production contract structuring and negotiation (pricing, CLIN setup, long-lead funding, spares, warranty, data rights) in conjunction with Leidos Contracts specialists, coordinating with the Army program office and contracting authorities.
• Drive make/buy strategies, should-cost modeling, and value engineering to protect margin while meeting cost, schedule, and technical requirements.

Execution Accountability and Program Control

• Own and manage the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) and Integrated Master Plan (IMP) for production scope.
• Oversee Earned Value Management (EVM) performance, including CPI/SPI, variance analysis, and EAC updates.
• Chair cross-functional production reviews with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Quality leadership.
• Track and report program-level KPIs: On-Time Delivery (OTD), CPI/SPI, supplier performance, quality escapes, and cash realization.

Manufacturing Execution (Indirect Oversight, Direct Accountability)

• Establish production objectives and performance targets (build rate, yield, cycle time, OEE, learning-curve performance).
• Drive Manufacturing readiness through PRR/MRR events and maintain capacity, tooling, and staffing plans.
• Identify and resolve production execution issues impacting schedule, cost, or quality.
• Achieve rate readiness milestones and cost-reduction targets to support FRP scalability.

Supply Chain and Supplier Performance

• Own supplier strategy, including long-lead procurement, obsolescence management, and performance recovery actions.
• Drive Supply Chain to achieve material readiness, on-time delivery, and supplier quality goals.

Quality, Compliance, and Mission Assurance

• Establish and enforce production quality objectives: FPY/RTY, defect density, and RCCA closure rates.
• Ensure compliance with AS9100/9145, FAI (AS9102), PFMEA, control plans, and NADCAP special processes.
• Maintain configuration control, serialization, and traceability; ensure counterfeit parts prevention and ITAR/EAR compliance.
• Drive audit readiness and adherence to FAR/DFARS, NIST 800-171, and CMMC standards.

Engineering and Producibility

• Partner with Engineering to mature design for manufacturability, assembly, and cost.
• Ensure timely delivery of technical data packages (TDPs), CDRLs, and as-built documentation.
• Drive closure of open design issues, tooling qualification, and process validation prior to full-rate production.

Integration, Test, and Acceptance

• Oversee build-to-test flow from component to system-level acceptance.
• Drive test readiness, throughput, and data accuracy for government acceptance milestones.
• Ensure timely completion of CDRL deliveries, government witness events, and payment milestone closure.
• Analyze test performance trends and coordinate corrective actions across production lines.

Customer and Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as primary production interface to the Army program office, DCMA, and end-user representatives.
• Lead PMRs, production readiness reviews, and IBRs as required.
• Manage customer expectations and negotiate contract modifications or equitable adjustments.
• Coordinate with Logistics, Training, and Sustainment teams to ensure post-delivery readiness.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 15+ years of experience, or Master’s degree with 12+ years of experience in program management, defense production, or manufacturing leadership.
• Proven track record leading large-scale defense production programs exceeding $200M annually.
• Strong knowledge of EVM, IMS management, risk control, and cost/schedule integration.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams without direct line authority.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills.
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain a DoD security clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Army missile, launcher, or air defense production programs (e.g., IFPC, IBCS, Patriot, THAAD).
• PMP or DAWIA Level III Program Management certification.
• Background in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Model-Based Production systems.
• Experience managing LRIP-to-FRP transitions.
• Familiarity with DCMA/DCAA interface and Army PEO Missiles & Space requirements.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

Pay Range:

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at

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Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.