Associate Director, Program Management - Power, Actuation, & Chemical Sensing (PACS) (Onsite)

Associate Director, Program Management (General Manager) - Power, Actuation, & Chemical Sensing (PACS)

The Associate Director, Program Management (Or otherwise referred to as General Manager) - Power, Actuation, & Chemical Sensing (PACS) will lead a strategically important defense business within Collins Aerospace's Thermal, Electronic and Defense Solutions organization. Based onsite in Rockford, Illinois, with oversight of operations in San Dimas, California, this role is responsible for driving the overall performance, growth, and execution of a portfolio that delivers mission critical power, actuation, propulsion, and chemical sensing technologies supporting major U.S. and allied defense programs. The General Manager will shape business strategy while ensuring operational excellence, customer satisfaction, and long term sustainable growth across a portfolio experiencing significant demand expansion.

This leader will oversee business operations, financial performance, and cross functional execution while partnering with engineering, operations, supply chain, quality, and program management teams to deliver on cost, schedule, and technical commitments. A key focus of the role will be leading operational readiness and production growth for critical defense programs, including major capacity expansion initiatives, while fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and collaboration. The position also serves as a primary executive interface with senior Collins leadership, government customers, and industry partners, making it an exceptional opportunity for a proven manufacturing or defense leader to influence the future of high priority national defense capabilities.

This is an Onsite role in Rockford, IL.

What You Will Do:

• Own performance for the PACS business, ensuring profitable growth, accurate forecasting, and predictable execution
• Lead business strategy, long?range planning, and customer engagement across defense portfolios (THAAD, Abrams, D5, Spearfish)
• Prepare and present program status, risks, strategy, and performance to Collins senior leadership
• Drive program growth initiatives, shaping future phases of THAAD MYP, torpedo propulsion, and armored?vehicle power systems
• Lead all Rockford PACS program activities
• Champion Lean and continuous-improvement practices to eliminate backlog, improve OTD, and increase throughput
• Ensure production readiness for increasing annual demand across all major defense programs
• Optimize use of shared assets and ensure program support for high-reliability defense manufacturing
• Serve as the senior site leader for PACS within Rockford, driving engagement, culture, accountability, and operational discipline
• Build and sustain high?performing cross?functional teams across engineering, operations, supply chain, and quality
• Drive a positive leadership culture that supports bargaining?unit workforce effectiveness, retention, and continuous improvement
• Lead aggressive execution to support long?term rate growth programs
• Lead cross?functional IPTs to ensure adherence to cost, schedule, and technical requirements
• Manage direct engagement with Lockheed Martin, DoW, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and international defense customers
• Identify risks, develop mitigation plans, and ensure timely delivery across all programs
• Accountable for effective supplier strategy, readiness, and performance for unique PACS components
• Lead Rockford execution of the MAT-driven Multi-Year Procurement (MYP) for THAAD TVA
• Deliver the required production rate increases to meet DoW demand, scaling to defined aggressive monthly rates under the accelerated profile
• Execute capital and facilitization investments required for high-rate operations (equipment, fixtures, test capability, infrastructure)
• Maintain cash neutrality through milestone-based payment structures defined with Lockheed Martin and the DoW
• Provide frequent updates to Collins executives, this is one of the highest-visibility execution programs in the enterprise

Qualifications You Must Have:

• Typically requires a University Degree and minimum 12 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 10 years of experience
• Experience leading complex, cross?functional teams in a manufacturing, aerospace, or defense environment (Program Management, Operations, Engineering, or equivalent leadership roles are acceptable)
• Demonstrated ability to deliver results in schedule?driven, highly regulated programs - including cost, schedule, technical execution, or customer engagement accountability

Qualifications We Prefer:

• Strong decision?making skills with the ability to influence across functional organizations (Ops, Eng, SC, Quality, Program Management)
• Experience leading major defense program scale?ups, accelerations, or MYP execution
• Operational turnaround experience: backlog recovery, OTD improvement, throughput increases
• Experience in highly regulated or safety?critical manufacturing environments
• Success building and developing high?performing teams during periods of significant growth
• Familiarity with shared?asset manufacturing environments, lean principles, and unionized labor structures

What We Offer:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Three weeks of vacation for newly hired employees
• Generous 401(k) plan that includes employer matching funds and separate employer retirement contribution, including a Lifetime Income Strategy option
• Tuition reimbursement program
• Student Loan Repayment Program
• Life insurance and disability coverage
• Optional coverages you can buy pet insurance, home and auto insurance, additional life and accident insurance,?critical illness?insurance, group legal, ID theft protection
• Birth, adoption, parental leave benefits
• Ovia Health, fertility, and family planning
• Adoption Assistance
• Autism Benefit
• Employee Assistance Plan, including up to 10 free counseling sessions
• Healthy You Incentives, wellness rewards program
• Doctor on Demand, virtual doctor visits
• Bright Horizons, child and elder care services
• Teladoc Medical Experts, second opinion program
• And more!

Relocation Eligibility:

• Eligible for relocation