Program Manager, Manufacturing Operations

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.

ABOUT THE TEAM

Manufacturing Operations exists to build and sustain the production system that enables Anduril to scale manufacturing with speed, quality, and discipline. We don't just support the factory. We are the operating system that makes it run. Our remit spans five pillars: the Anduril Production System (standard work, tiered accountability, KPIs, visual management), optimization and continuous improvement, learning and development, maintenance standards, and analytics. This role reports directly to the VP of Manufacturing Operations.

ABOUT THE JOB

As Manufacturing Program Manager you will drive the cross-functional projects and initiatives that move Anduril from LRIP-era operations to a scalable Full Rate Production model. You will not own a single product line. Instead, you will be the program management engine across all five pillars of the Manufacturing Operations remit, ensuring that strategic initiatives have clear owners, defined timelines, cross-functional alignment, and measurable outcomes.

This is not a traditional project management role. It requires someone who understands manufacturing operations at the floor level and can drive accountability across engineering, supply chain, quality, IT, and leadership to get programs across the finish line.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

You will drive cross-functional projects and initiatives within each of the five areas that define the Manufacturing Operations remit:

Build and Deploy the Anduril Production System

• Drive the cross-functional rollout of standard work, tiered meeting structures (Tier 1/2/3), KPI definitions, and visual management across all manufacturing site
• Coordinate across Manufacturing System & Standards, site leadership, and IT/Digital to sequence deployment line by line and ensure each site is assessed, baselined, and brought to standard
• Build and operationalize the enterprise scorecard architecture (Plan vs. Actual, CTB Attainment, Downtime Pareto, Yield/DRR, OT%) so each level of the organization has the right metric at the right cadence
• Stand up and manage the Leadership SteerCo cadence that governs system priorities and holds the standard

Get Technicians to Certified Operator Faster

• Program manage the initiatives that cut time-from-hire-to-certified-operator, partnering with L&D on structured onboarding, skill certification redesign, and OJT overhaul
• Drive the cross-functional work between L&D, Talent Acquisition, and state/community partners (e.g., JobsOhio) to build a repeatable technician sourcing and hiring pipeline
• Ensure standard work is right-sized and OJT checklists map 1:1 to tasks so qualification is verifiable at every technician level
• Track and report on onboarding volume, certification timelines, and pipeline health across all sites

Upskill Key Front-Line Leaders

• Drive the buildout and cross-site deployment of supervisor and leadership training programs so the leaders closest to the line can run and audit the production system themselves
• Coordinate between L&D, site leadership, and the Optimization team to deliver leadership content and embed real-time coaching and mentoring across all sites
• Track program delivery milestones, cohort completions, and effectiveness metrics for Lead, Own, Grow and future leadership curricula

Support and Optimize the Lines We Run

• Coordinate the deployment of CI and optimization resources across sites, sequencing stabilization and optimization work against business impact
• Manage the CI project portfolio: track active deployments, gap assessments, kaizen events, and value stream mapping initiatives to ensure knowledge transfer sticks after each engagement
• Drive cross-functional alignment on NPI manufacturing readiness so new programs reach rate faster, partnering with Manufacturing Engineering and site teams
• Coordinate surge and recovery support when lines need additional capacity, ensuring the right resources deploy with clear scope and exit criteria

Build Maintenance into the System

• Drive the cross-functional standup of maintenance as a discipline within the production system: preventative maintenance programs, spare parts strategy, work order management, and technician skill development
• Coordinate the integration of maintenance KPIs (uptime, MTBF, MTTR, PM completion rate) into site-level scorecards and tiered meetings
• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering to define and document handoff criteria in the MDP/Launch Playbook so maintenance boundaries are clear from day one

Across all five pillars:

• Own the interfaces between Manufacturing Operations and partner organizations (Quality, ME, Supply Chain, IT/Digital, EHS) to keep boundary agreements current and escalation paths clear
• Standardize the work product for all outward reporting on behalf of Manufacturing Operations, ensuring leadership has consistent, quantitative visibility into program status, risks, and outcomes
• Drive resolution on open cross-functional governance questions (production scheduling ownership, shop-floor safety program ownership, MES system of record)

HOW THIS ROLE DIFFERS

From a Product Program Manager (PPM): A PPM is focused on cross-functional teams in relation to one product line with actions that are tactical in nature. This role drives global strategic initiatives for the manufacturing operations organization as a whole and does not focus on any specific product.

From an Engineering PM: Will partner with Engineering PM on global initiatives that impact both teams but is focused primarily on items that impact the production workforce and the support structure around it. The work centers on floor-level execution, not product development.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATION

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or related field
• 5+ years of experience in operations program management, production, or manufacturing, preferably in defense, aerospace, or complex hardware industries
• Direct experience deploying production systems, lean manufacturing frameworks, or operational excellence programs at the site or enterprise level
• Strong understanding of manufacturing metrics (OEE, yield, takt, cycle time, downtime Pareto) and tiered accountability structures
• Experience managing workforce development or training programs in a manufacturing environment
• Track record of driving cross-functional alignment across operations, engineering, supply chain, and quality organizations
• Proficiency in project management tools (Jira, Confluence, MS Project, or equivalent)
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and organizational skills
• Strong communication skills with the ability to translate floor-level detail into executive-level reporting
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with evolving priorities
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. security clearance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in defense, aerospace, or automotive manufacturing at scale (LRIP to FRP transition experience highly valued)
• Experience with ERP, MRP, MES, or PLM systems
• Lean, Six Sigma, or TPS certification or equivalent practical experience
• Experience building or deploying standardized work programs, skill certification systems, or maintenance management programs
• Familiarity with tiered daily management systems and visual management deployment

US Salary Range

$114,000—$152,000 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:

Benefits

At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you’re supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next. For more information, Explore Our Benefits.

Protecting Yourself from Recruitment Scams

Anduril is committed to maintaining the integrity of our Talent acquisition process and the security of our candidates. We've observed a rise in sophisticated phishing and fraudulent schemes where individuals impersonate Anduril representatives, luring job seekers with false interviews or job offers. These scammers often attempt to extract payment or sensitive personal information.

To ensure your safety and help you navigate your job search with confidence, please keep the following critical points in mind:

• No Financial Requests: Anduril will never solicit payment or demand personal financial details (such as banking information, credit card numbers, or social security numbers) at any stage of our hiring process. Our legitimate recruitment is entirely free for candidates.

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