Senior Program Manager - FAA Air Traffic Controller Training

About the role

KBR is seeking a senior Program Manager to lead a nationwide, safety-critical air traffic controller training program supporting the Federal Aviation Administration. The multi-year program delivers continuous, year-round training across 300+ locations, including the FAA Academy and field facilities. The Program Manager oversees a workforce of around 800 people and manages an annual budget of more than $100M, acting as the primary interface with the FAA Program Office and being accountable for program performance, safety and regulatory compliance.

The position is contingent upon contract award.

Key responsibilities

• Provide end-to-end leadership for a nationwide training program delivering thousands of training events annually to over 2,000 trainees per year.
• Lead and coordinate distributed operations across 300+ training sites, including academy-based and field training activities.
• Manage a large, geographically dispersed workforce of instructors and support staff, ensuring consistent training quality and staffing readiness.
• Oversee program budget, schedule, performance metrics and risk management.
• Serve as primary liaison to FAA stakeholders, providing program reviews, performance reporting and issue resolution.
• Establish and enforce Safety Management System (SMS) and quality assurance / quality control processes for 24/7 safety-critical training.
• Drive continuous improvement, including advanced simulation, digital training tools and data-driven performance management.

Required profile

• 15+ years of program management experience (or 20+ years with a bachelor's degree) leading large, multi-site programs with 500+ personnel and budgets around $100M in safety-critical or highly regulated environments such as aviation or defense.
• Master's degree in business, management, aviation or a related field (or bachelor's degree with additional experience).
• Active Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
• Demonstrated success managing nationwide operations, complex stakeholder environments and federal contracts.
• Proven experience implementing safety, quality and compliance frameworks in mission-critical programs.

Preferred qualifications

• Direct experience with FAA, DOT or air traffic operations/training programs.
• Familiarity with the National Airspace System and controller training environments.
• Experience leading programs exceeding 1,000 personnel or $500M total value.
• Background in training modernization, simulation-based training or data-driven performance improvement.
• Additional safety or quality certifications (e.g., SMS, ISO-based quality systems).

What we offer

• Basic pay of $228,400-$342,600 for the Washington, D.C. area, adjusted for working location and experience.
• Possible bonuses, commissions, sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, short- and long-term incentives and discretionary payments.
• Benefits that may include 401K with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off and flexible work schedule.
• Career advancement through professional training and development.