At Acron, our ambition is to relentlessly reimagine and reshape the value chains through which we deliver results to our customers, suppliers, and internal/external stakeholder communities, in pursuit of innovations that create safer skies. Acron employees strive to achieve world-class results through our values: always putting our customers first, taking ownership of our results, moving fast, and speaking candidly. We currently seek an In-Service Program Manager who thrives in complex, cross-functional environments, is highly skilled in applying project management disciplines, continuous improvement, and lean manufacturing, and works seamlessly across a variety of functional teams to achieve our vision. This position is part of the Acron Avionics Business Unit and will be in Grand Rapids, MI. The role requires the selected candidate to work on-site during the first shift hours.
The In‑Service Program Manager (ISPM) is accountable for the performance of assigned avionics products and customer programs after Production Readiness Review (PRR). The role is accountable for the end‑to‑end lifecycle performance from Entry‑Into‑Service (EIS) through Full‑Rate Production (FRP), maturity, and sunset/EOL, with full accountability for customer satisfaction, product roadmap execution, operations, and engineering performance KPIs and financial measures, including EBITDA and cash.
The ISPM leads a cross‑functional Integrated Product Team (IPT) and serves as the primary customer interface and escalation owner, ensuring safe, reliable, compliant, and profitable in‑service execution. The ISPM brings the discipline and rigor of project management into the execution of projects required to deliver upon product strategy and customer requirements. In-service programs include, but are not limited to, obsolescence redesigns, value engineering projects, product yield improvement initiatives, test equipment projects, and a variety of activities related to KPI improvements. Candidates must be agile and adept at creating project charters and business cases, defining requirements, integrated project planning, resource loading, risk and opportunity planning, and conducting lessons learned.
Key Responsibilities:
Product Line Business & Financial Ownership
- Responsible for ensuring product line Sales, EBITDA, and Cash performance for assigned in‑service products through enabling efficient and effective operational performance
- Translate business plans into actionable work packages and projects plans
- Support annual product profitability reviews (3–5‑year outlook, risks, inventory/LTB, investments, roadmap, and strategic recommendations)
In‑Service Execution & IPT Leadership
- Organize and lead daily/weekly IPT execution for all projects and monthly In‑Service Program Reviews
- Integrate cross‑functional priorities to meet delivery, quality, reliability, and cost commitments
- Serve as the single point of accountability for issue resolution and escalation.
Customer Management & Voice of the Customer (VOC)
- Act as the primary customer interface for all in‑service matters, including performance reviews and escalations
- Proactively manage VOC, scorecards, returns, and warranty drivers; translate customer feedback into corrective actions and product roadmap inputs
- Coordinate contractual communications in partnership with Contracts and Sales
Lifecycle & Gate Governance
- Assume ownership post‑PRRand ensure in‑service readiness (shipping/billing, documentation, training, support)
- Lead LRIP execution and prepare FRP Decision Gate content, including APQP readiness, KPI performance, supplier maturity, ECO/ECR impacts, and financial updates
- Maintain discipline in change control, baseline management, and lifecycle documentation
Sustaining Engineering & In‑Service Projects
- Own the sustaining project portfolio (e.g., obsolescence, cost reduction, test improvements, reliability and quality fixes)
- Govern tailored project gates (Kickoff, Baseline, Design Review, TRR, PRR, Closeout)
- Ensure scope, schedule, cost, and benefits realization with documented lessons learned
Quality, Reliability & Return‑to‑Green (RTG) Leadership
- Lead RTG plans when KPIs fall below target (delivery, escapes, warranty, cost, cash)
- Drive corrective actions across internal functions and suppliers (CARs/SCARs)
- Champion continuous improvement (Lean) and value engineering across the in‑service lifecycle
Sunset / End‑of‑Life (EOL) Management
- Lead EOL business case development in partnership with leadership
- Coordinate customer communications, last‑time buys (LTB), supplier exits, inventory strategy, and transition to replacement products
- Execute EOL in collaboration with Transition Program Management
Continuous Improvement and Lean Manufacturing
- Lead and support kaizen events to improve upon KPI and process excellence
- Apply value stream thinking to reduce lead time, WIP, and variation
- Drive process and documentation simplification
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Operations, or related field
- Program/project management experience leading cross-functional teams through execution, production, and sustainment phases
- Knowledge of earned value concepts and/or integrated master scheduling principles
- Demonstrated financial and business acumen with experience driving performance to Sales, EBITDA, and Cash objectives
- Experience interfacing with customers and managing contractual/program communications in partnership with Contracts and Subcontracts
- Working knowledge of production readiness, manufacturing/operations processes, supply chain execution, and quality systems
- Ability to manage multiple complex priorities, establish execution cadence, and drive timely decisions through KPIs
- Must have experience leveraging Continuous Improvement methodologies to ensure program performance and improve business effectiveness
Preferred
- Experience in working with SAP/ERP
- Strong understanding of AS9100 and FAA requirements and regulations.
- Formal Continuous Improvement, Lean or Six Sigma training.
- Demonstrated experience implementing process automation and application of AI tools in the manufacturing environment
Equal Opportunity Statement
Acron Aviation is proud to be an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to treating all employees and applicants with respect and dignity and to maintaining a workplace free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless of race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or any other legally protected characteristic.
Additional Information:
Acron Aviation maintains a drug-free workplace and conducts pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where allowed by law. Acron Aviation is an E-Verify employer.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
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