Technical Program Manager

Overview

JAKTOOL is seeking a Program Manager to lead customer programs from opportunity through delivery, spanning program capture, proposal development, technical strategy and business execution.

This is a highly dynamic, hands-on leadership role requiring the ability to operate across sales, technical execution, and program strategy. The Program Manager is expected to drive clarity, provide direction, and take full ownership of program outcomes.

What Success Looks Like in This Role

• Leads programs from early customer engagement and opportunity shaping through successful delivery
• Acts as a proposal integrator, aligning technical scope, schedule, and cost into executable plans
• Owns program performance: scope, schedule, budget, margin, and customer satisfaction
• Provides clear leadership and direction to cross-functional teams
• Proactively identifies risks and drives solutions across engineering, manufacturing, and customer stakeholders
• Contributes to business growth through customer engagement and opportunity development
• Balances technical decisions with financial and business impact
• Operates independently and brings forward ideas to improve execution, strategy, and processes

Key Responsibilities

• Lead customer programs from proposal through delivery, including engineering development and manufacturing execution
• Drive program capture activities, including early customer engagement, requirements definition, and solution development
• Act as the integrator during proposal development, aligning technical, operational, and financial inputs into a cohesive plan
• Engage directly with customers to define scope, manage expectations, and identify new opportunities
• Own program performance, including schedule, budget, margin, and delivery commitments
• Translate customer needs into actionable technical and operational plans
• Provide strategic direction to project teams and project leads
• Identify risks early and drive cross-functional resolution
• Monitor program health and ensure alignment with business objectives
• Contribute to leadership discussions with insight on program impacts, risks, and opportunities

Required Experience

• Experience managing programs involving physical product development, engineering services, or manufacturing
• Background in industries such as aerospace, medical devices, defense, industrial equipment, or similar
• Demonstrated experience supporting proposal development, capture activities, or customer solution shaping
• Proven ability to operate across technical, operational, and customer-facing environments
• Experience owning program financials, including budgets, margins, and tradeoff decisions
• Proven ability to lead in ambiguous, fast-paced environments
• Candidates with primarily software/SaaS program management experience without exposure to physical product development are unlikely to be a fit.

Qualifications

• BS in Engineering, Science, or related field (or equivalent experience); PMP is a plus
• 5+ years managing customer-facing programs or accounts
• Strong understanding of program management principles and tools
• Strong business acumen and financial awareness
• Excellent communication, technical writing, and presentation skills
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to engage effectively with customers, vendors, and internal teams

Operating Style

• Proactive and self-directed—does not wait for direction to identify issues or opportunities
• Comfortable operating in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with shifting priorities
• Able to provide clear direction in ambiguous situations
• Willing to step into both strategic and tactical work as needed
• Strong sense of ownership, accountability, and urgency

This role is well-suited for individuals who enjoy operating at the intersection of engineering, business, and customer engagement—and who are motivated by owning outcomes from concept through delivery.

About JAKTOOL

JAKTOOL is an engineering services and manufacturing company supporting customers across government, aerospace, healthcare, and medical markets. We partner with customers from early concept through production, bringing together engineering, design, and precision manufacturing to deliver complex solutions.