Program Lead

The Program Lead role sits within a systems and software practice and focuses on leading onsite services engagements and the associated consultant teams. You will manage consultant onboarding and offboarding, oversee day-to-day performance, ensure delivery of contractually required outcomes, and maintain strict adherence to established standards and processes. This position involves close collaboration with internal support teams and partners to ensure both customer and consultant expectations are consistently met. The role is fast-paced and dynamic, requiring a highly motivated professional with a strong drive for results and a proven track record of achievement. The position requires a U.S. Person who is local to the Grand Rapids, MI area and able to work onsite at the client location on a regular basis.

Responsibilities

• Own the successful achievement of all service level agreements for assigned onsite delivery programs.

• Identify project risk areas within statements of work and propose effective mitigation plans.

• Manage all program resources according to the project plan, clearly set expectations for performance, and escalate issues for rapid resolution.

• Lead supervisory activities for onsite consultants, including hiring, onboarding, training, recurring touchpoints, performance reviews, pay reviews, and terminations in alignment with organizational policies and applicable laws.

• Plan, assign, and direct work for program team members, ensuring clear priorities and accountability.

• Appraise performance, provide feedback, and implement reward and disciplinary actions as appropriate.

• Address employee concerns, handle complaints, and resolve problems to maintain a productive work environment.

• Partner closely with account leadership, finance, and recruiting teams to identify and fulfill additional business and personnel needs.

• Track program budgets and report financial status as needed to internal stakeholders.

• Collaborate with finance and support teams to manage accounts receivable, including billing and invoicing activities.

• Conduct periodic status checks with customers and internal teams to assess progress against plans and adjust as needed.

• Prepare and deliver weekly and monthly status reports to internal management and client stakeholders.

• Resolve program-related issues with customers and suppliers, ensuring timely and professional outcomes.

• Support account growth and evolution, including preparing programs for transition to different delivery groups when additional technical oversight is required.

• Apply program management skills in communication, presentation, time management, organization, and planning to meet program goals and objectives.

• Travel as necessary, up to approximately 20%, to support customer and employee activities and attend internal meetings., The Program Lead will work primarily in a remote setting, complemented by regular onsite presence at a client facility in the Grand Rapids, MI area. The role requires consistent in-person engagement with onsite consultant teams and client stakeholders. You will use standard PC-based tools and the Microsoft Office suite to manage program operations, reporting, and communication. The environment is fast-paced, highly collaborative, and cross-functional, with frequent interaction across account leadership, finance, recruiting, and other support teams. Occasional travel, up to approximately 20%, may be required to support customer meetings, internal sessions, and employee activities. Dress expectations will align with a professional client-facing office setting when onsite.

• Bachelor’s degree.

• Proven knowledge of project management methods; ability to apply structured project and program management practices.

• Minimum 2 years of management experience leading mid-size services programs, projects, consultant teams, and/or engagements.

• Minimum 6 years of overall professional experience.

• Previous experience supporting aerospace or defense clients, including familiarity with highly regulated product environments and managing procurement and cost segregation aspects of service delivery programs.

• Strong familiarity with the software delivery lifecycle and with software development and/or systems engineering applications.

• Demonstrated experience managing programs and/or account operations, ideally within engineering services or talent solutions environments.

• Strong financial acumen with the ability to execute contractual service agreements and statements of work.

• Proven process improvement and problem-solving skills, including the ability to diagnose service delivery pain points and implement creative solutions.

• Ability to effectively present to large customer groups and communicate clearly with stakeholders at multiple levels.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• Demonstrated leadership abilities managing large, dispersed teams with diverse technical skill sets.

• Ability to work effectively as a team player in a highly cross-functional and virtual environment.

• Ability to travel occasionally, up to approximately 20%, based on business needs.

• High proficiency with PC applications, including the Microsoft Office suite of tools.

• Status as a U.S. Person and ability to work onsite regularly in the Grand Rapids, MI area.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• PMP (Project Management Professional) certification is highly desired.

• Prior experience working for an engineering services firm is strongly preferred.

• Management experience within the engineering services or talent solutions industry is a plus.

• Experience operating within highly regulated industries, particularly aerospace or defense, is advantageous.

• Comfort working in dynamic, fast-paced environments with evolving customer needs.

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trusted relationships with customers, consultants, and internal stakeholders.

This is a Contract position based out of Grand Rapids, MI.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $41.00 - $44.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: * Medical, dental & vision * Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital * 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available * Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) * Short and long-term disability * Health Spending Account (HSA) * Transportation benefits * Employee Assistance Program * Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

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 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.