Director, CMG, Colorado

JOB DESCRIPTION

Director of Engineering

Department

Testing and Evaluation

Location

Littleton, Colorado

Work Arrangement

On-site

Travel

Yes – as required

FLSA Status

Exempt

Employment Type

Full-time

Direct Reports

Technical staff, including Technical Managers

Clearance

Secret required (must currently possess or be able to obtain)

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Engineering leads the technical staff of CMG’s Colorado operations within the Testing and Evaluation department and is accountable for the financial returns, schedule adherence, and technical execution of assigned programs. The Director partners with the CEO/President to identify and win new business, builds and manages an engineering team capable of carrying out CMG Colorado’s initiatives, and serves as a member of the CMG Colorado leadership team.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Execution & Financial Performance

▪ Develop, implement, and execute processes that effectively track, report, and manage projects in accordance with PMI principles.

▪ Own financial returns and schedule adherence during execution of assigned programs, with a focus on:

○ Delivering profit

○ Managing cash

○ Controlling costs

○ Managing risk

▪ Work with program managers to ensure schedule and cost goals are met.

▪ Prepare and manage technical budgets.

▪ Create and report KPIs/KPMs for the technical team.

Business Development & Growth

▪ Work with the CEO/President to identify and implement business development opportunities and growth strategies aligned with CMG Colorado’s strategic vision, including:

○ Identifying opportunities that grow current business focus areas

○ Identifying opportunities for new growth in technologically adjacent business areas

○ Creating opportunities to meet with strategic customer stakeholders through active targeting

▪ Develop strategies to convert opportunities into wins and generate sales.

▪ Create effective business development strategies and see opportunities through to funded projects.

▪ Build and maintain customer relationships.

Team Leadership & Management

▪ Serve as overall supervisor of the technical staff.

▪ Recruit Technical Managers and additional technical staff based on CMG Colorado’s strategic business focus, including key technical positions needed for successful project execution.

▪ Oversee the daily technical workflow of the department.

▪ Build, develop, and manage an engineering team capable of carrying out initiatives.

▪ Serve as a leader and role model for CMG Colorado employees in productivity, ethics, and core values.

Technical Leadership

▪ Oversee the preparation and final approval of technical project plans.

▪ Implement best-practice scientific and engineering methods.

▪ Provide technical guidance to engineering staff.

▪ Discover and implement new technologies that yield competitive advantage.

▪ Ensure technological resources meet the company’s short- and long-term needs.

▪ Stay current on technology trends and developments.

Organizational Planning & Coordination

▪ Work as a member of the CMG Colorado leadership team to design and implement business strategies, plans, and procedures.

▪ Establish organizational objectives by developing goals and strategies.

▪ Coordinate the work of engineers with other departments, including finance, marketing, manufacturing, and operations.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

First 90 days

▪ Assess the technical staff, active programs, and technical budgets, and put PMI-based project tracking and reporting in place.

▪ Establish KPIs/KPMs for the technical team and begin reporting them to the leadership team.

▪ Align with the CEO/President on business development priorities and target customers.

First 6–12 months

▪ Significantly increase the win conversion rate on pursued opportunities.

▪ Deliver assigned programs on schedule and on budget, meeting profit and cash targets.

▪ Recruit Technical Managers and key technical staff to support CMG Colorado’s growth.

QUALIFICATIONS

Desired

▪ BS and/or MS in a technical field such as Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.

▪ 5+ years of relevant professional experience.

▪ Experience managing and mentoring a team of qualified individuals.

Required Skills

▪ Excellent verbal and written technical communication skills, with a desire to lead projects, collaborate with colleagues, and mentor engineers and scientists.

▪ Strong analytical skills, including developing assessment metrics (subjective and objective), identifying data collection requirements, analyzing data, and clearly summarizing technical results for internal and external review.

▪ Robust problem-solving skills, the ability to learn by doing, personal accountability, a process orientation, and a positive, professional attitude.

▪ Follows safety and standard operating procedures and executes test plans accordingly.

▪ Researches and resolves problems efficiently, accurately, and on time; elevates or delegates when necessary and clearly communicates issues and roadblocks up the chain of command.

▪ Self-starter able to perform with little to no direction, with attention to timeliness, organization, and accuracy.

▪ Works well as a cross-functional team member and allocates resources, capabilities, and personnel as needed to execute projects successfully.

▪ Proficient in the Microsoft Office suite.

Preferred

▪ Experience in scale-up and processing of energetic materials.

▪ Experience in the aerospace or defense industry, including:

○ Ballistics

○ Explosives

WORKING CONDITIONS & PHYSICAL DEMANDS

▪ Work in an office, laboratory, and outdoor test range environment, with a combination of indoor and outdoor activity in hot, cold, wet, and humid conditions.

▪ Must be able to sit for extended periods, bend, stand, and walk as needed; must be able to lift 50 lbs.; must be able to see near and far and work with a computer monitor daily.

▪ May require personal protective equipment, including safety glasses, goggles or face shield, steel-toed shoes or rubber boots, gloves, hard hat, shop coat, and hearing protection.

▪ Must be able to work overtime when necessary to meet mission-critical goals and timelines.

▪ Fast-paced, team-oriented environment where constant iteration, agility, improvement, and innovation are key to team, program, and company success.

EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

▪ Successful completion of a background check and drug screening

▪ U.S. citizenship required

▪ Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance (must currently possess or be able to obtain)

▪ Ability to pass an ATF “Responsible Party” background check

▪ Ability to obtain a State of Colorado Explosives Blaster permit

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Base salary: $130,000 – $143,000 annually. This role is also eligible for CMG’s full benefits package.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Critical Materials Group is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.