Program Manager - Army Programs

Saronic Technologies is a leader in revolutionizing defense autonomy at sea, dedicated to developing state-of-the-art solutions that enhance maritime operations for the Department of Defense (DoD) through autonomous and intelligent platforms.

Job Overview 

Saronic Technologies is revolutionizing defense autonomy at sea. We are seeking a Program Manager to lead complex acquisition and delivery efforts for the U.S. Army, with a focus on advanced autonomous surface vessel (ASV) platforms and emerging mission systems. This leader will serve as the interface to Government stakeholders, accountable for cost, schedule, performance, and mission outcomes across distributed, multi-site teams.

This opportunity is open to seasoned professionals with backgrounds in program management, acquisitions, and autonomous systems. Saronic seeks candidates who bring a deep understanding of Army program management and funding mechanisms.

This role requires program leadership and the ability to synthesize technical requirements and customer objectives into actionable roadmaps. You will be responsible for aligning engineering, operations, and customer engagement to ensure Saronic delivers high-quality, mission-ready ASV capabilities. You will serve as the Army’s trusted partner within Saronic aligning engineering, operations, and customer priorities while managing complex programs from concept through deployment.

• Program Leadership
• Lead multi-year Army programs from contract award through prototype, production, and sustainment.
• Serve as Program Manager of record and primary point of contact for Army leadership across acquisition, science and technology, and requirements organizations.
• Translate Army modernization and operational requirements into executable program strategies.
• Shape executable paths forward when requirements or funding streams are ambiguous, ensuring alignment with Army mission priorities.

• Planning & Execution
• Develop and manage comprehensive project plans, schedules, budgets, and IMP/IMS across multiple Army initiatives.
• Apply strong familiarity with Army acquisition pathways including Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs), Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA), SBIR/STTR, and rapid prototyping efforts as well as traditional FAR-based contracts.
• Build and maintain Requirements Verification Traceability Matrices (RVTM) and ensure disciplined program tracking.
• Oversee development, testing, and delivery of advanced autonomous surface vessels (ASVs), mission systems, and integrated autonomy packages under Army contracts.
• Support on-water and field demonstrations, experiments, and military exercises, ensuring seamless integration of new technologies into operational scenarios.

• Stakeholder & Subcontractor Engagement
• Build trusted relationships with Army leaders, contracting officers, and operators, as well as Army and joint partners where demonstrations overlap.
• Manage subcontractors and DoD industry suppliers collaborate with Contracts to scope and ensure performance.
• Collaborate with customers & Saronic Contracts to refine contracting requirements, align with acquisition authorities, and co-develop executable program plans.

• Risk, Compliance, and Quality
• Ensure adherence to DoD, DFARS, NIST, OPSEC, and RMF standards.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive risk management framework, including formal risk registers, to proactively mitigate technical, schedule, financial, and industrial base risks.
• Balance near-term demonstration deliverables with long-term Army capability development, ensuring proper allocation of people, funding, and materials.
• Partner with Engineering and Manufacturing to enable rigorous QA standards, delivering systems that meet Army requirements for performance, reliability, and survivability.

• Reporting & Communication
• Deliver transparent reporting on program performance to Army stakeholders and internal company leadership.
• Provide cost and schedule variance analysis, milestone reports, and readiness assessments.
• Define and track technical performance metrics tied to integration, sustainment, and fleet availability.
• Provide detailed financial reporting and variance analysis to ensure strict adherence to cost, schedule, and technical baselines, across firm-fixed-price and other contract types.

• Team & PMO Development
• Build, mentor, and support the scaling of the Program Management Office (PMO) working closely with the VP of Programs to deliver current and future Army programs.
• Develop and coach PMO staff to ensure leadership succession and long-term organizational depth.
• Establish repeatable, scalable program management processes that drive consistency, quality, and efficiency across the Army account.
• Firm-Building (Internal Focus): Advance Saronic’s internal capacity and maturity as a high-performing, program-driven organization by establishing cultural norms, frameworks, and cross-functional integration that enable the company to scale effectively as Army work expands.

• Growth & Business Development
• Partner with Growth teams to expand Army presence, identifying opportunities across Army modernization, research and development, and prototyping initiatives.
• Support development of long-term business strategies, customer engagement plans, and competitive positioning.
• Contribute programmatic expertise to business development and customer engagement efforts, including support for strategic campaigns and proposal activities with Army stakeholders.
• Build Saronic’s thought leadership through participation in Army and defense industry forums, exercises, and research and prototyping campaigns.

• Intellectual Capital
• Internal: Develop playbooks, best practices, and frameworks that institutionalize lessons learned and enable repeatable delivery.
• External: Develop external products, participate in Army industry events, and consistently act as a thought leader within the Army acquisition and autonomy community.

• Basic Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, naval architecture, or business administration or a related field (Master's degree preferred).
• Advanced degree certifications (e.g. PMP, PMI-RMP) are advantageous.
• 8-12+ years DoD or defense industry program management experience.
• 3–5+ years directly supporting large scale U.S. Army programs.
• Strong understanding of autonomous systems, maritime technology, and defense procurement processes.
• Demonstrated expertise in lifecycle management, acquisition processes, and integration of GFE and CFE across cutting edge ship platforms.
• Established track record of clear, consistent, and correct communications with peers, leaders, and external stakeholders.
• Proven success in managing large, multi-billion-dollar budgets and multi-year program baselines.
• Experience coordinating with subsystem and weapons primes for complex system-of-systems integration.

• Key Competencies
• Executive-level communication with General Officers and SES stakeholders.
• Strong financial acumen, budget control, variance analysis, forecasting.
• Risk-based decision-making under high operational tempo.
• Leadership of high performing distributed technical teams.
• Ability to balance execution excellence with growth, team-building, and organizational scaling.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and motivate high-performing teams.
• Comfort guiding customers through ambiguous or evolving requirements and shaping actionable solutions.
• Flexibility in acquisition approaches, with the ability to leverage OTAs for speed while executing FAR-based programs with rigor.
• Ability to learn fast and operate in a fast-paced, high-trust environment within a rapidly growing organization.

• Preferred Qualifications
• Program Management experience in defense systems, autonomous platforms, robotics, or other complex hardware development.
• Prior experience managing or supporting technical programs involving integrated hardware/software platforms.
• Exposure to electrical, mechanical, or software engineering concepts through hands-on experience or project collaboration.
• Direct Service Branch experience in program management or acquisitions, or relevant Executive Branch experience.
• Active U.S. security clearance (or eligibility to obtain one).

• Medical Insurance: Comprehensive health insurance plans covering a range of services
• Saronic pays 100% of the premium for employees and 80% for dependents
• Dental and Vision Insurance: Coverage for routine dental check-ups, orthodontics, and vision care
• Saronic pays 99% of the premium for employees and 80% for dependents
• Time Off: Generous PTO and Holidays
• Parental Leave: Paid maternity and paternity leave to support new parents
• Competitive Salary: Industry-standard salaries with opportunities for performance-based bonuses
• Retirement Plan: 401(k) plan
• Stock Options: Equity options to give employees a stake in the company’s success
• Life and Disability Insurance: Basic life insurance and short- and long-term disability coverage
• Additional Perks: Free lunch benefit and unlimited free drinks and snacks in the office 

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Lifting and carrying items up to 20 pounds occasionally (e.g., office supplies, packages).

This role requires access to export-controlled information or items that require “U.S. Person” status. As defined by U.S. law, individuals who are any one of the following are considered to be a “U.S. Person”: (1) U.S. citizens, (2) legal permanent residents (a.k.a. green card holders), and (3) certain protected classes of asylees and refugees, as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). 

Saronic does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits.