Senior Specialist, Operations Program Management

$111,000 - $149,000/Yr

L3Harris Technologies - Clifton, NJ

Full-time - Mid Level

Clifton, NJ

10,001+ employees

Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing

About the position

The Operations Program Manager (OPM) at L3Harris will serve as the primary representative for Production Operations, ensuring that cost and schedule commitments are met for the Program Office and external customers. This role involves acting as the main interface between Operations and the Program Management Office (PMO), as well as other functions such as Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, and Finance. The OPM will coordinate action plans and address the needs of production operations, working collaboratively with other OPMs to resolve priority conflicts on the shop floor to support program objectives. In addition to managing day-to-day operations, the OPM will take on the responsibilities of an Earned Value Management Control Account Manager (CAM), which includes establishing and maintaining labor baselines and assessing risks and opportunities. The OPM will be tasked with developing and executing manufacturing program plans and schedules to ensure successful production execution. This role will also involve leading the manufacturing support team through problem resolution efforts by understanding program goals, trade-offs, and schedules. Furthermore, the OPM will support proposal preparations for new business and changes in scope for existing programs, and will participate in capacity planning by providing insights on future forecasted work to the Plant's Master Scheduling Team. The OPM will contribute significantly to process improvements aimed at enhancing cost and schedule performance by leading cross-functional teams to identify and capitalize on opportunities. This position requires a strong focus on collaboration, technical performance, and effective communication across various functions to ensure the success of assigned programs.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary conduit between the program office and the Operations organization for development, production, and spares/repairs activity on assigned programs.
• Drive overall program plan and day-to-day results, ensuring accountability for technical, cost, risk/opportunity, and schedule performance of all Operations scope.
• Demonstrate understanding and practice of Earned Value Management, serving as the Control Account Manager (CAM) responsible for managing and reporting on cost and schedule of Operations scope.
• Collaborate frequently with multiple functions (e.g., Engineering, Quality, Contracts, Manufacturing) and the program office to promote successful action planning and execution.
• Support overall Program by contributing schedule inputs and changes into the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) and maintaining timely change management processes.
• Monitor RAIL (Rolling Action Item List) performance, ensuring immediate addressing of issues and implementation of corrective actions and recovery plans.
• Plan and coordinate activities to support verification and validation of new processes and product improvements.
• Support multidisciplinary program reviews and presentations throughout different phases of development, certification, and production readiness with stakeholders.
• Ensure all Manufacturing and Production Readiness Reviews are performed on assigned programs as applicable.
• Facilitate Operations, Manufacturing, and Quality participation in design development to identify and address manufacturability, testability, and inspectability issues.
• Support the organization in developing and implementing operating philosophies and business strategies.
• Develop, implement, and sustain success metrics, incorporating best practices, and effectively communicate improvements while promoting Lean initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Operations Management, Engineering, Supply Chain, or related field with a minimum of 6+ years of relevant experience in leading a multi-functional, technically oriented Integrated Product Team in an operations environment.
• Master's Degree in Operations Management, Engineering, Supply Chain, or related field with a minimum of 4+ years of relevant experience in leading a multi-functional, technically oriented Integrated Product Team in an operations environment.
• In lieu of a degree, a minimum of 10+ years of relevant experience in leading a multi-functional, technically oriented Integrated Product Team in an operations environment.
• Working experience with execution of earned value management (EVM) and experience in creating and managing budgets for operational and capital expenses.
• Experience in manufacturing, preferably in Shop Operations, Operations Planning, Quality Assurance, and Continuous Improvement.
• Prior experience using computer-based project management tools associated with resource planning, scheduling, and cost monitoring.
• Prior experience in identifying process constraints and developing improvement plans.

Nice-to-haves

• Manufacturing Processes, Flow, Shop Orders, Bill Of Material, Routers, Drawing, etc.
• Operations Leadership Experience.
• Program Budget & Department Budget Management Experience.
• Project and/or Program Management Experience.
• Continuous Process Improvement / Lean Six Sigma Experience.
• Key Performance Indicator (KPIs) Management.
• ERP/MRP Experience (Supply & Demand).
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize assignments.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and coaching skills for collaborating with all levels of the organization.

Benefits

• Health and disability insurance
• 401(k) match
• Flexible spending accounts
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Education assistance
• Parental leave
• Paid time off
• Company-paid holidays