About the role
Description
At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.Northrop Grumman is seeking a Director of Strategic Cost Management for its Falls Church, Virginia location. Candidates will need to be within commuting distance of Falls Church to allow for periodic meetings to our Corporate headquarters. This role will allow for some telecommuting if candidates are within commutable distance to Falls Church.
This leader will create a Cost Management Office that is responsible for establishing a clear, disciplined path to improving efficiency while enabling continued investment in the company’s most critical priorities. The Cost Management Office will be focused on improving affordability, strengthening competitiveness, and ensuring sustained investment in mission-critical programs and future capabilities. Reporting to the Vice President of Strategic Cost Management and Operations, this role will partner with leaders across the business to identify, quantify, and realize cost‑saving opportunities with a focus on cost transparency, resource allocation, and functional accountability.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Cost Optimization
Develop and execute a multi‑year cost‑reduction/elimination roadmap aligned with enterprise financial targets.
Identify high‑impact cost‑saving initiatives and prioritize based on ROI and risk.
Partner with leaders across the enterprise to translate cost‑optimization concepts into actionable solutions, including common technologies.
Drive efficiency in organization structure and layers.
Partner with Global Supply Chain to optimize supplier productivity.
Metrics & Measurement
Provide enterprise-wide cost transparency (by function, activity, and unit cost) to enable decision making
Define a comprehensive set of financial and operational metrics to benchmark spend and identify opportunities for cost efficiency
Establish a continuous‑monitoring framework to capture realized savings, track cost trends, and forecast future spend.
Stakeholder Collaboration
Serve as the primary liaison between Corporation and Sector leaders to facilitate data‑driven decision‑making and implement common processes and tools to track cost.
Reporting & Communication
Prepare executive‑level presentations, financial models, and business cases for cost‑optimization initiatives.
Maintain a transparent repository of cost‑saving initiatives, assumptions, and outcomes accessible to senior leadership.
Provide recurring status updates on cost reduction initiatives to Corporate and Sector leaders
Basic Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Management and a minimum of 15 years of financial leadership experience.
Prior experience leading enterprise strategic cost management programs.
Ability and experience in navigating cross functionally.
Understanding of business process and systems and their impact on cost structure.
Some travel is required (10-25%).
US Citizenship and the ability to obtain a DoD clearance in a reasonable amount of time following hire.
Preferred Qualifications:
Creative thinking to solve resource challenges for large programs or products.
Comfortable making recommendations that have broad organizational impacts.
Experience managing supplier relationships
Aplyr's read
Northrop Grumman is a leader in aerospace and defense, attracting skilled professionals in engineering, cyber systems, and program management for cutting-edge technology solutions.
What's promising
- •Strong focus on innovation in autonomous systems and cyber security.
- •Diverse range of roles, from engineering to program management, indicates growth opportunities.
- •Global presence offers international career prospects and exposure.
What to watch
- •High dependence on government contracts could affect stability during budget cuts.
- •Complex projects may lead to demanding work environments and long hours.
- •Limited public information about diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Why Northrop Grumman
- •Specializes in advanced C4ISR technology, setting it apart in defense solutions.
- •Pioneering work in space systems contributes to national security and exploration.
- •Offers a robust internship program across multiple engineering disciplines.
Aplyr’s read is generated by AI from public sources. Was it useful?
About Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman is a global aerospace and defense technology company that provides innovative systems, products, and solutions in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, space, and logistics.
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