Director of Enterprise Platforms & Business Systems

Karman Space & Defense is a leader in the rapid design, development, and production of critical, next-generation system solutions that align with the U.S. Department of War and its allies’ core mission priorities, and meet the accelerating demand for access to space. Building on nearly 50 years of success, we deliver Payload & Protection Systems, Aero/Hydrodynamic Interstage Systems, and Propulsion & Launch Systems to more than 80 prime contractors supporting over 130 space and defense programs.

In this role, you will lead Karman’s enterprise platforms and business systems organization, guiding the strategy, governance, operations, and continuous improvement of enterprise resource planning (ERP), manufacturing, engineering, quality, and corporate applications. You will stabilize a fast‑moving support environment, translate competing priorities into clear plans, strengthen team performance, and ensure technology platforms effectively enable the business.

Responsibilities

• Leads enterprise platforms and business systems across ERP, engineering, manufacturing, quality, corporate applications, reporting, and related business technology.
• Translates enterprise and functional priorities into clear objectives, operating measures, risks, tradeoffs, and investment needs.
• Partners with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Finance, Supply Chain, Programs, Human Resources, Legal, Business Development, and site leadership to align platforms with business outcomes.
• Implements practical standardization across sites while balancing customer, regulatory, operational, and integration requirements.
• Manages intake, prioritization, sequencing, backlog, and delivery planning in partnership with enterprise governance teams.
• Leads Epicor ERP governance, including enhancements, configuration, release planning, testing, change management, training, adoption, and support readiness.
• Improves ERP‑enabled processes, master data quality, reporting consistency, transaction discipline, and process compliance.
• Strengthens service‑management disciplines including incident, problem, change, release, testing, documentation, and knowledge management.
• Oversees engineering, manufacturing, quality, program, and shop‑floor platforms, including product lifecycle management (PLM), product data management (PDM), computer‑aided design (CAD) integration, manufacturing execution systems (MES), and quality management systems (QMS).
• Maintains business‑systems portfolios and roadmaps, including ownership, lifecycle, vendor management, cost, usage, risk, and strategic fit.
• Partners with functional owners to improve workflows, master data, controls, approvals, reporting, roles, training, and adoption.
• Supports mergers and acquisitions (M\&A), including platform assessments, onboarding, harmonization, data migration, access setup, testing, and operational readiness.
• Leads, coaches, and develops business systems analysts, ERP administrators, application owners, reporting resources, support personnel, and external partners.
• Manages platform budgets, licensing, support, maintenance, vendors, service levels, renewals, resource plans, and roadmap investments.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Business, Engineering, Operations, Finance, or a related field; equivalent experience considered.
• 10 or more years of experience in enterprise applications, ERP, business systems, manufacturing systems, digital transformation, or business‑process improvement.
• 5 or more years of people‑leadership experience within business systems, ERP, applications, product, delivery, or transformation teams.
• Experience stabilizing teams, setting priorities, managing capacity, developing talent, addressing performance, and improving delivery environments.
• Experience leading platform operations, application portfolios, roadmaps, demand and release management, integrations, data quality, reporting, access and change controls, and lifecycle management.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, vendors, contracts, enterprise initiatives, business partnerships, and executive stakeholders with clear communication of decisions, tradeoffs, and value.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Epicor ERP, SAP, or comparable enterprise platforms.
• Experience in aerospace, defense, multi‑site manufacturing, engineering, or regulated environments.
• Experience with PLM/PDM, CAD integration, MES, QMS, configuration management, manufacturing execution, or related engineering and quality systems.
• Experience supporting M\&A integration, site standardization, ERP harmonization, data migration, reporting, governance, integration platforms, APIs, workflow, automation, or post‑acquisition integration.

This position requires U.S. person status under U.S. export control laws, including U.S. citizens and nationals, lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylees.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with company contribution
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Company‑paid life and AD\&D insurance
• Short‑ and long‑term disability coverage
• Tuition reimbursement

Karman Space and Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.