Senior Program Manager Company : Safran Seats Job field : Programs Location : Gainesville , Texas , United States Contract type : Permanent Contract duration : Full-time Required degree : Bachelor's Degree Required experience : More than 8 years Salary range : Based on Market Rate \# 2024-144972 Apply with one click Any questions ? **Job Description** Powered by Team Work, Safran Seats is a global leader in passenger and technical aircraft seating. With over one million seats in the fleets of major airlines, we offer innovative and high-value solutions for passengers, crews, and helicopters. Our comprehensive range includes seats from economy to first class, as well as specialized designs for pilots and commercial air crews. Safran Seats combines quality, comfort, and innovation, backed by robust service contracts that include spare parts, component repairs, technical support, and customized assistance. Join us in shaping the future of aviation seating. Objective: The Senior Program Manager is the primary company point of contact for assigned external customers and is responsible for the execution of highly complex programs including furniture, from sales transition handover through delivery of the final aircraft and closure of any open items. The Senior Program Manager is responsible for contribution margin of the production phase. Must keep the program in scope or to properly negotiate time and budget when the scope increases or to refuse the scope increase if it is not practical. This position works independently. Authorities: The position has the power and authority to represent the company while communicating and negotiating with external customers & OEM's. Duties & Responsibilities: A) Manage large and/or complex programs. Lead the multidisciplinary team (IPT) in charge of the project. Fully understand the project management methodology (management of costs, deadlines, quality, etc.) and implement it as part of a program activity. B) Leads program status meetings, anticipate and manage difficulties in advance. Assess and manage program-related risks. Implement specific methods to analyze and process risks, based on quantitative and qualitative risk assessment. C) Responsible for implementing a product matching 100% to the one used for the cost base in the bid and to make him/her self-knowledgeable of all elements of the bid including the cost base. D) Coordinates the necessary actions to resolve issues and ensure customer satisfaction. Informs the legal department if contract execution creates a contract-related risk. E) Knows how to describe the program to the legal department for drafting of new clauses/amendments. F) Understands the subtleties of standards/regulations specific to certain countries/customers (ITAR, GE, etc.). Understands the obligations related to certification regulations, including the legal aspects. G) Knows if/when changes need to be made to the contract and ensures the necessary documentation is produced. H) Clarifies RFQ scope of work expected by the customer with sales team and/or customer. I) Coordinates with estimator on pricing package assumptions. J) Coordinates with engineering for drawing and technical proposal support. K) Follows up proposal submission with customer and/or salesperson. **Complementary Description** L) Kicks off new programs, establish expectations, and identify pacing items. M) Manages the project scope, budget, timeline and risks. N) Communicates program status to Airframers customers, salespeople, and upper management. O) Initiates actions to improve the performance of program functions. Monitors implementation and completion of actions. Knows how to anticipate crisis situations and, if/when they occur, maintains communication and customer trust, while not accepting undue blame or putting too much pressure on teams. Works toward convergence of customer expectations and Safran's ability to meet them. P) Sets expectations and facilitates clear and open lines of communication including all open actions both internally and externally. Q) Monitors the submission of required data items required by the customer. R) Coordinates resources between divisions for programs involving multiple locations. S) Ensure due control of the program budget, oversee budget decisions and optimize costs (development, production, support). T) Manage KPIs and financial management tools. Regularly report to management. U) Monitors the scope of work and initiates formal changes when necessary to obtain proper concessions on prices, weights and lead times, where appropriate. V) Coordinates the resolution of field service issues for new products delivered. W) Knowledge of contract fundamentals and pitfalls to avoid with third parties/Know how to identify potential risks. **Job Requirements** Qualification Requirements: A. Education & Qualification: • Requires a Bachelor's degree in a related business management or related engineering discipline or 6 years related experience in lieu of Bachelor's level degree to meet the education requirement. OR Requires an Associate's degree in a related business management or related engineering discipline and 3 years related experience in lieu of Bachelor's level degree to meet the education requirement. • PMP certification is preferred. B. Work Experience - Technical knowledge: • In addition to meeting the education requirement, requires an additional 8 years' experience in a project or program team environment with 5 of the 8 years being in one or a combination of the following: o Managing programs (program manager). o OR in a senior level manager with responsibility directly interfacing with customer and executive leadership in one. o OR a combination of the following areas: P&L responsibility; contract development and negotiation; supply chain management; engineering management or operations oversight. C. Professional Skills: • Understand customer technical, schedule and programmatic requirements, as well as the technology and product development necessary to carry out the program to meet customer expectations. • Must have the skills and experience to effectively inter-act with the customer. • In-depth knowledge of program management and relationships between line functions. • Must have excellent negotiating skills and be very comfortable in adversarial business environments. • Requires in depth comprehension of technical customer management and engineering. • Must be fully accountable and properly present to manage a good estimate in order to compete for the completion of the NRC phase of the program. In particular, after the expense on the program has reached 25% to 35% of the initial quote, sufficient knowledge of the program must have been gained for the program manager to be able to display the ultimate estimate at completion with an error margin of no more than plus or minus 15%. • Must have a very good working knowledge of the standard suite of office software products (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Project, et al.) D. Behavioral Skills: • Demonstrated effective leadership and timely communication skills in a fast paced environment. • Must be well organized with solid judgement; able to multi task and adjust to changing priorities. Safran Seats USA is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. **Specificity of the job** Must be willing and able to travel domestically and internationally for business as required max 20 % of their time. **Locate your future workplace** 2000 Weber DrTX 76240 Gainesville Texas United States 92,000 employees worldwide 27 Number of countries where Safran is located 35 business area families + Maps are available under theOpen Database Licence (https://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/) . + © OpenStreetMap (https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright) contributors. + © Safran Safran is an Equal Opportunity Employer All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.