Worker Type

　　Regular

　　Job Description

　　AeroVironment is a company where creativity, curiosity, and passion combine in a collaborative culture to deliver technology solutions serving defense, government, and commercial customers. We take on challenges others wouldn’t even consider. For us, “problems” are opportunities and “failures” are fresh sources of information. After all, everything we’ve created was once thought impossible.

　　The MacCready Works Advanced Solutions segment, named for our founder, Dr. Paul B. MacCready, Jr., was established to ensure that creativity and long-term thinking remain at the core of our culture. With a focus on the future, this group of select, visionary scientists and engineers partner with our customers to explore breakthrough technologies that open new, more powerful ways to tackle difficult challenges. Together, they research and develop advanced technologies in robotics, sensors, software analytics and connectivity to identify innovative solutions that push beyond the current applications.

　　The HAPS team has been at the forefront of bringing a next generation, sustainable, solar-powered, technology, from the stratosphere, to provide connected services to the 3 billion people globally who are as yet unreached. Join AV and become a member of the MacCready Works Advanced Systems Group, that developed the world's most widely used military drones, put a helicopter on Mars, and developed a high-altitude solar powered UAS.

　　Summary

　　The Vice President, Product Line General Manager (PLGM) leads the business for the High Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) Business and is chartered with its stewardship and growth. The PLGM has overall accountability for product line bookings, P&L, customer satisfaction, project/product pricing, investment allocations, product road maps, and building the organization necessary to achieve the business goals. Reporting to the Senior Vice President of MacCready Works, the PLGM supervises a core team of direct reports, to include Engineering, Program Management, Flight Operations, with the balance of resources assigned from AV’s functions. The current business includes commercial and defense markets for High Altitude Platforms (HAPs) and other novel concepts.

　　As a leader, this individual is expected to create a high sense of purpose for their team and its mission. They will be responsible for creating, maintaining, and executing business plans and overseeing the execution of these business plans.

　　Our core values – Trust & Teamwork, Innovate & Simplify, Customer Commitment, Ownership & Results - reflect who we are as a company. They are central to the decisions we make and the interactions we have with our teams, customers, and partners. As a people focused company, we are seeking candidates who align with our values.

　　Position Responsibilities

　　Owns Orders, Pricing, Investment allocation, customer satisfaction and Profit & Loss for the product line

　　Reports financial drivers, customer and market dynamics in business reviews

　　Leads development of the annual operating plan (AOP) and 5 years plan for the Product Line and collaborates with other leaders on synergies and strategy

　　Supports the development of strategy at the company & segment level

　　Models AV’s values and leadership competencies  

　　Manages prioritization and trade-offs among projects to effectively manage our technology portfolio, achieve a balance of capabilities products, and address resource needs

　　Ensures that decisions and project plans such as those for staffing, development, organization, material efficiency, hardware acquisitions, and facilities are in line with AV’s business plan and vision

　　Creates buy-in for the product/technology vision both internally and with key customers

　　Leads budgeting for product line R&D, sustaining activities and other investments core to or in support of the product line

　　Owns pricing decisions and evaluates opportunities to support current and future business; approves bid / no bid and pricing gate reviews for all new business opportunities

　　Establishes, tracks and analyzes product line performance metrics and takes action to address issues and/or opportunities

　　Leads a team of direct reports including Program Management and Engineers; works well across the functional support functions to achieve mission objectives

　　Leads with rapid agility to deal with shifting priorities, demands, and timelines

　　Identifies and manages organizational and/or customer conflicts

　　Comprehends and improves relevant development processes, and ensures adherence

　　Cultivates relationships with key players in industry and government

　　Other duties as assigned

　　Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

　　Bachelor’s degree in an Engineering discipline or related field, or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience

　　15 + years of relevant experience; including 5 + years building and leading teams

　　Visionary thinking to move beyond the immediate situation, explore multiple potential paths and adapt decision-making style based on the situational circumstances

　　Display strong critical thinking skills, demonstrated ability to analyze and break down problems with high ambiguity to guide strategic decision making

　　Inspires, motivates and empowers people to deliver organizational goals, while also delivering value back to employees

　　Experience leading the execution to bring new products to both commercial and defense markets

　　Experience in product road mapping, R&D, and product sustainment activities

　　Experience with business development and sales for Commercial and Defense markets

　　Experience managing a department budget and team

　　Comfortable in fast paced and dynamic situations

　　Display a proven track record of taking ownership and driving results - self-start and self-directed

　　Ability to travel both domestically and internationally up to 25% of the time

　　Excellent verbal and written communication skills

　　Comfortable writing compelling whitepapers and/or proposals

　　​

　　Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

　　Advance Degree is desired

　　Experience with development, testing and production of large FAA certified aircraft or UAS

　　Experience with space communications and sensing industry commercial and/or defense

　　Display strong critical thinking skills, demonstrated ability to analyze and break down problems into components

　　Ability to work on problems of complex scope where analysis of situations or data requires a review of a variety of factors. Exercise judgment, strategic thinking, and best practices to determine appropriate action, yet also creatively thinks outside the box to find solutions to never-solved problems

　　Champions the process of change and promotes a culture of quick adaptation, while helping others deal with the effects of change

　　Demonstrates the ability to develop and maintain internal and external trusting, professional relationships

　　Has effective problem solving, analytical, interpersonal and communication skills.

　　Consistently demonstrates teamwork, collaboration and puts the success of the team above one's own interests

　　Familiar with Japanese language

　　​

　　Physical Demands

　　Ability to work in an office environment (Constant)

　　Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Constant)

　　The salary range for this role is:

　　$234,125 - $351,187

　　AeroVironment considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the location, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills.

　　ITAR Requirement:

　　This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants will be asked to provide specific documentation to verify U.S. person status under the ITAR and the EAR. A “U.S. person” according to their definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee, or asylee. See 22 CFR § 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.

　　Benefits : AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown. For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits .

　　We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.

　　Principals only need apply. NO agencies please.

　　Who We Are

　　Based in California, AeroVironment (AVAV) is a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and tactical missile systems. Founded in 1971 by celebrated physicist and engineer, Dr. Paul MacCready, we’ve been at the leading edge of technical innovation for more than 45 years. Be a part of the team that developed the world’s most widely used military drones and created the first submarine-launched reconnaissance drone, and has seven innovative vehicles that are part of the Smithsonian Institution’s permanent collection in Washington, DC.

　　Join us today in developing the next generation of small UAS and tactical missile systems that will deliver more actionable intelligence to our customers so they can proceed with certainty – and succeed.

　　What We Do

　　Building on a history of technological innovation, AeroVironment designs, develops, produces, and supports an advanced portfolio of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and tactical missile systems. Agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense and allied military services use the company’s hand-launched UAS to provide situational awareness to tactical operating units through real-time, airborne reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition.

　　AeroVironment Incorporated is an equal opportunity employer, M/F/D/V and works in compliance with both federal and state laws. We are committed to the concept regarding Equal Employment opportunity. Qualified candidates will be considered for employment regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, medical condition nor disability, genetics, veteran and all others that may apply.

　　ITAR

　　U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (Green Card holder) or asylee/refugee status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) required.

　　ABOUT US

　　At AeroVironment, our purpose is to secure lives and advance sustainability through transformative innovation. Our solutions give our customers a fresh vantage point, positioning them to see the world with new eyes and extending their reach beyond the line of sight. That is the power of our breakthrough unmanned aircraft systems, perfected and refined over a half century.

　　Whether they are warfighters searching for an enemy, border patrol agents searching for people in need of assistance, or telecom providers linking millions to the digital economy, our customers choose AeroVironment because our systems generate actionable intelligence reliably, creating a path to goals that would otherwise be unattainable.