Lead Program Manager, Lazuli Space Telescope at 11th Hour… · Tucson

The Lead Program Manager for the Lazuli Space Telescope will oversee aspects of mission execution. Reporting directly to the Program Executive Director, this role is responsible for orchestrating the work of multiple program managers, coordinating closely with the Chief Engineer, Science Lead, and external partners, and ensuring the program is delivered on cost, on schedule, and to technical performance requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide overall leadership and coordination of the Lazuli program management team, including subsystem program managers (spacecraft, telescope, instruments, ground, mission ops).
• Work hand-in-hand with the Chief Engineer to align technical decisions with programmatic commitments.
• Serve as the primary integrator of cost and schedule across all major mission elements.
• Own the integrated master schedule and rolling-wave budget.
• Track Rec/Del commitments across suppliers and internal teams; enforce accountability and corrective actions.
• Monitor cost center health, report variances to Program Executive Director.
• Support program reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, ORR), ensuring readiness, documentation, and stakeholder confidence.
• Oversee subcontractor performance (Raytheon, UofA, SSTL, Teledyne, Bertin, etc.), ensuring delivery windows align with spacecraft/instrument integration needs. Manage vendor relationships.
• Coordinate with Trade Compliance to manage ITAR/EAR frameworks and international partner data flows.
• Implement incentive structures that encourage on-time, high-quality performance; maintain rigorous monitoring of contractual deliveries; and establish a disciplined process for tracking, resolving, and preventing corrective actions across the program.
• Develop Mission Assurance and success by overseeing quality, risk management, and compliance across all program activities.
• Communicate progress, issues, and decisions effectively to executive leadership, sponsors, and stakeholders.
• Foster urgency, collaborative, and accountable culture across distributed teams (U.S. and international).
• Anticipate challenges, propose mitigation strategies, and drive rapid decision-making to maintain momentum.

Qualifications

• Over 12 years of experience in aerospace, space missions, or equivalent program management, with a proven track record of delivering complex, multi-partner programs successfully.
• Familiarity with NASA, DoD, ESA, or comparable mission lifecycles, reviews, and systems engineering practices.
• Demonstrated expertise in cost/schedule management, contracts, risk registers, and WBS structures.
• Experience managing multiple subcontractors and international partners under ITAR/EAR frameworks.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and negotiation skills, with the ability to influence across technical, scientific, and executive domains.
• Degree in engineering, physics, or related field preferred.

This role requires access to U.S. export controlled information. Candidates must be a U.S. person (i.e. a citizen of the United States, a permanent resident, or a legal asylee or refugee) OR receive approval from the U.S. Government to work with U.S. export controlled information.

This is an exempt role.