What are the responsibilities and job description for the Associate Director, Payloads & Support Equipment position at AEVEX Aerospace?
Job Overview
The Associate Director of Payloads and Support Equipment Portfolio is responsible for overseeing the management and development of a portfolio of common payloads and support equipment needed to support the development and sustainment of unmanned platforms. In collaboration with the platform portfolios, they identify and prioritize common payload and equipment needs, develop strategic plans, and ensure the successful execution of projects to meet platform needs. This role involves managing budgets, coordinating resources, and ensuring compliance with industry regulations and standards. The Associate Director also plays a key role in fostering relationships with stakeholders, vendors, and partners to ensure the successful delivery of payloads and support equipment.
Essential Functions
Qualifications And Competencies
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Physical Requirements
Constantly required to sit, and to reach to use computers and other office equipment
Work Arrangement
This is an onsite position.
Security Clearance
AEVEX Aerospace, headquartered in Solana Beach, California, supports the U.S. national security mission and partner nation needs around the world by providing full-spectrum aviation, remote sensing, and analysis solutions. The company's capabilities include custom design and engineering; rapid prototyping; sensor integration and sustainment; aircraft modification and certification; flight test instrumentation and support; mission operations service; advanced intelligence data processing, exploitation, and dissemination solutions; and tailored hardware and software mission-system tools. AEVEX uses agile and customized approaches to rapidly define, develop, and deliver specialized solutions for airborne special mission needs for the U.S. Government, partner nations, and commercial businesses. AEVEX has major offices in California, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia.
AEVEX provides a full suite of comprehensive benefits, including a 401(k)-retirement plan, comprehensive Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability and Life insurance group coverage with a portion of the premiums paid by the company, professional development funds, and an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) with counseling, legal help, child and elder care support, among other benefits.
Equal Employment Opportunity:
AEVEX Aerospace is an Equal Opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, religious creed, color, sex (including pregnancy, breast feeding and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, military and veteran status, marital status, age, protected medical condition, genetic information, physical disability, mental disability, or any other protected status in accordance with all applicable federal, state and local laws.
The Associate Director of Payloads and Support Equipment Portfolio is responsible for overseeing the management and development of a portfolio of common payloads and support equipment needed to support the development and sustainment of unmanned platforms. In collaboration with the platform portfolios, they identify and prioritize common payload and equipment needs, develop strategic plans, and ensure the successful execution of projects to meet platform needs. This role involves managing budgets, coordinating resources, and ensuring compliance with industry regulations and standards. The Associate Director also plays a key role in fostering relationships with stakeholders, vendors, and partners to ensure the successful delivery of payloads and support equipment.
Essential Functions
- Define and execute the technology insertion and product upgrade roadmap for the Payloads and Support Equipment Portfolio to align with product portfolio needs and organizational goals.
- Oversee the entire lifecycle of portfolio products, from concept development and design to production, deployment, and sustainment.
- Manage portfolio performance metrics, ensuring that products are delivered on time, within scope, and on budget.
- Lead cross-functional teams to execute payload and support equipment programs, ensuring compliance with technical, operational, and regulatory requirements.
- Monitor and mitigate risks across portfolio projects, implementing corrective actions as needed.
- Drive continuous improvement by adopting best practices, tools, and methodologies for program execution.
- Collaborate with platform portfolios to understand current and future requirements, translating them into actionable strategies.
- Conduct market research and competitive analysis to inform portfolio strategy and identify trends in payload and support equipment technologies.
- Mentor and lead a high-performing team of program managers, engineers, and business development professionals.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability within the portfolio team.
- Support talent development by identifying training needs and career growth opportunities for team members.
- Perform other duties as required.
Qualifications And Competencies
- Strong knowledge of payload systems (to include kinetic, EW, EO/IR, power, ISR) and support equipment (to include GCS systems, user interfaces, launchers, radio systems, antennas) and their applications in defense, aerospace, or other high-tech industries.
- Familiarity with systems engineering principles, lifecycle management, and integration processes.
- Understanding of regulatory and compliance standards relevant to payloads and support equipment.
- Proven track record of successfully delivering complex programs or products within multidisciplinary environments
- Demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategic plans that achieve measurable business outcomes.
- Exceptional leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities.
- Strong organizational and multitasking skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Strategic thinker with a results-driven approach to decision-making.
- Directs and provides expert knowledge in the strategic function of the department.
- Develops short and long-term people and organizational strategy in alignment with AEVEX goals and direction.
- Leads with impact & influence. Establishes credibility, effectively persuades and develops others, and achieves important objectives collaboratively.
- Identifies, recruits, and retains top-notch talent.
- Champions AEVEX’s culture and empowers employees to take responsibility for their jobs and goals.
- Sets performance standards and encourages employee engagement and results through delegation, continuous feedback, goal setting, and performance management.
- Maintains transparent communication. Appropriately communicates organization information through department meetings, one-on-one meetings, and appropriate email, and regular interpersonal c communication.
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.
- Master’s degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field is preferred.
- PMP (Project Management Professional) or equivalent certifications are a plus.
- 8 years of experience in program or portfolio management.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Physical Requirements
Constantly required to sit, and to reach to use computers and other office equipment
Work Arrangement
This is an onsite position.
Security Clearance
- Ability to obtain/maintain a Top-Secret DoD clearance, U.S. Citizenship required.
AEVEX Aerospace, headquartered in Solana Beach, California, supports the U.S. national security mission and partner nation needs around the world by providing full-spectrum aviation, remote sensing, and analysis solutions. The company's capabilities include custom design and engineering; rapid prototyping; sensor integration and sustainment; aircraft modification and certification; flight test instrumentation and support; mission operations service; advanced intelligence data processing, exploitation, and dissemination solutions; and tailored hardware and software mission-system tools. AEVEX uses agile and customized approaches to rapidly define, develop, and deliver specialized solutions for airborne special mission needs for the U.S. Government, partner nations, and commercial businesses. AEVEX has major offices in California, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia.
AEVEX provides a full suite of comprehensive benefits, including a 401(k)-retirement plan, comprehensive Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability and Life insurance group coverage with a portion of the premiums paid by the company, professional development funds, and an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) with counseling, legal help, child and elder care support, among other benefits.
Equal Employment Opportunity:
AEVEX Aerospace is an Equal Opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, religious creed, color, sex (including pregnancy, breast feeding and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, military and veteran status, marital status, age, protected medical condition, genetic information, physical disability, mental disability, or any other protected status in accordance with all applicable federal, state and local laws.
