Program Manager

Job Title: Program Manager

Job Description

The Program Manager will lead complex, cross-functional manufacturing and product-development programs from initial planning through successful execution. This role develops and maintains fully integrated project plans, coordinates schedules and resources, manages risks and dependencies, and ensures clear documentation and communication across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Operations, Procurement, and other key teams. The Program Manager provides accurate visibility into program health, proactively identifies and mitigates execution risks, escalates barriers when needed, and drives stakeholders toward agreed deliverables, budgets, and timelines.

Responsibilities

• Own and lead complex cross-functional programs and projects from planning through execution, rather than only participating as a team member.
• Develop and maintain integrated project plans that align scope, schedule, resources, and deliverables across multiple functions.
• Create, manage, and continuously update detailed schedules, milestones, and dependencies to keep programs on track.
• Establish and maintain action-item trackers to ensure timely follow-up and closure of critical tasks.
• Maintain comprehensive risk and issue logs, including identification, tracking, mitigation plans, and clear ownership.
• Develop and manage parts trackers and resource plans to support manufacturing and product-development activities.
• Own and monitor program budgets, ensuring financial alignment with program objectives and constraints.
• Provide clear, accurate, and timely program status reporting to leadership and stakeholders, including progress, risks, and mitigation actions.
• Proactively identify emerging risks before they become issues, define mitigation strategies, assign ownership, and escalate appropriately when needed.
• Document the actual status of programs in detail, relying on written and structured documentation rather than informal or verbal updates.
• Drive cross-functional accountability across Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Quality, Procurement, Supply Chain, and product teams.
• Lead cross-functional meetings to align priorities, resolve conflicts, and remove barriers to execution.
• Ensure manufacturing readiness for new products and initiatives by coordinating with technical and operational stakeholders.
• Support new product introduction and development efforts, including planning and executing product launches.
• Communicate program status, risks, and decisions clearly and directly to senior leadership, including delivering difficult messages when necessary.
• Apply strong critical thinking to analyze program data, anticipate issues, and recommend practical, data-driven solutions.
• Operate independently in a fast-paced environment, making timely decisions and maintaining momentum toward program goals.
• Contribute to building and professionalizing the Project Management Office (PMO) by influencing how programs are planned, documented, and executed.
• Model a proactive, organized, and accountable approach to program management that supports a culture of urgency and execution.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree.
• Manufacturing background with direct exposure to production or operations environments.
• Demonstrated program and project management experience with ownership of complex programs or projects.
• Strong capability in developing and maintaining detailed project plans.
• Proven schedule ownership, including creation, tracking, and adjustment of timelines and milestones.
• Experience in risk identification and mitigation, including proactive risk management and escalation.
• Cross-functional leadership experience across Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Quality, Procurement, Supply Chain, and product teams.
• Strong documentation skills, with a focus on capturing accurate program status and decisions in written form.
• Effective executive communication skills, including concise reporting and clear status updates.
• Strong critical thinking skills to analyze complex information and make sound decisions.
• Ability to operate independently with minimal direction in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated accountability, organization, and decisiveness in managing programs.
• Direct and transparent communication style, including the ability to clearly state program realities to leadership.
• Comfort working in ambiguous situations while maintaining progress and structure.
• Strong sense of urgency and drive to meet commitments and timelines.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• More than 5 years of direct program or project management experience (preferred).
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification (preferred).
• Experience with new product introduction (NPI) or new product development (NPD).
• background in planning and executing product launches.
• Experience driving manufacturing readiness for new or updated products.
• Technical manufacturing knowledge that enables effective collaboration with engineering and operations teams.
• Demonstrated ability to influence how programs are planned and executed within a PMO environment.
• Proactive, organized, and decisive working style.
• High level of personal accountability and ownership for program outcomes.
• Comfort operating in a direct, fast-moving, and hands-on culture.
• Ability to work effectively with commercial, military, law-enforcement, NPD, and operational initiatives exposure.

Work Environment

This role is based in West Hartford, CT, within a fast-paced firearms manufacturing environment. The typical schedule is Monday through Friday, approximately 40 hours per week, with a usual start time between 7:00 and 8:30 AM and an end time between 4:00 and 5:30 PM. The position is primarily onsite, reflecting the hands-on nature of the work and the close collaboration required with Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, Quality, Procurement, Supply Chain, and leadership. The culture is direct, fast-moving, and highly accountable, with a strong emphasis on execution and clear communication. The Program Management Office (PMO) is in the process of being rebuilt under new leadership, offering significant opportunity to shape processes and standards. Dress is business casual and appropriate for a manufacturing environment.

This is a Permanent position based out of West Hartford, CT.

The pay range for this position is $90000.00 - $130000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Company BenefitsMedical InsuranceDental InsuranceLife InsuranceShort-Term and Long-Term Disability CoverageHealth Savings Account (HSA)401(k) Retirement Plan100% company match on employee contributions up to 6%Three weeks of paid vacationDiscretionary annual bonus of up to 10%Paid company holidaysEmployee discount programCareer development and internal advancement opportunitiesHigh-visibility exposure across Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Quality, Procurement, and Program Management leadershipReqQual VersionCompany Benefits: Medical, dental, life and disability insurance; HSA; 401(k) with 100% company match up to 6%; three weeks paid vacation; paid holidays; employee discount program; and discretionary annual bonus opportunity up to 10%.

This is a Permanent position based out of West Hartford, CT.

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 29, 2026.

This is a fully onsite position in West Hartford,CT.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,please email for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicantswith arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as acondition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.