Director of Programs
North Kingstown, Rhode Island
Engineering – Program & Project Management /
Full-Time /
On-site
At REGENT, we’re on a mission to revolutionize regional transportation between coastal cities. We're not just building vehicles, we're creating a new category of transportation: the seaglider. These groundbreaking wing-in-ground-effect craft travel just above the water’s surface, combining the speed of an airplane with the low operating costs of a boat. Capable of 180 miles at 180 mph on today's battery tech (and up to 400 miles with next-gen batteries), seagliders will unlock fast, affordable, and sustainable coastal transit for passengers and cargo - connecting cities, islands, and communities like never before.
Backed by leading investors and powered by a team of passionate, forward-thinking engineers, builders, and operators, we’re now scaling from a breakthrough prototype to full production - and building the team to make it happen.
Role Overview
As Director of Programs, you’ll architect and lead the program management function that drives REGENT’s vehicle development programs - including our flagship Viceroy seaglider and future commercial and defense variants. This is a foundational leadership role at the intersection of execution, strategy, and people.
You’ll establish and lead a world-class program management function that unifies engineering, manufacturing, finance, and operations around a single goal: delivering certified, production-ready vehicles on schedule and on budget. You’ll play a critical role in building the connective tissue between product vision, technical development, organizational growth, and business outcomes. You’ll guide our teams through the complexity of building a new category of high-performance, regulated vehicles - balancing structure with agility, process with pragmatism, and near-term delivery with long-term scale.
You won’t just run programs - you’ll build and grow the team that enables them. You’ll establish a high-performing Program Management Office (PMO), hiring and mentoring a team of program managers and project leads who thrive in technical, fast-paced environments. You'll embed scalable practices that help REGENT execute with precision as we go from prototype to certification and full-rate production.
If you thrive at the intersection of strategy, execution, and deep technical engagement - and want to leave your mark on the next era of mobility - we’d love to meet you!
What You’ll Do
- Build and Lead the PMO Function: Architect REGENT’s Program Management Office, building from our early stage foundation. Hire, mentor, and grow a high-caliber team of program and project managers who can own scope, schedule, and execution across multiple vehicle programs.
- Establish a Scalable Program Culture: Define the operating rhythms, reviews, and cadences that bring structure, focus, and accountability across engineering and manufacturing functions.
- Mentor and Develop Future Leaders: Invest in your team’s growth. Coach program managers and technical leads to be more effective planners, communicators, and cross-functional leaders.
- Drive Execution Across Programs: Own the delivery of REGENT’s major vehicle programs - ensuring execution aligns with business objectives, technical milestones, certification timelines, and production readiness.
- Unify Planning and Forecasting: Partner with finance, People, and executive leadership to align program execution with company-level forecasts and headcount planning. Translate technical plans into capital requirements, hiring needs, and runway projections.
- Implement Smart, Flexible Process: Introduce the minimum required engineering and program management processes to support speed without sacrificing quality. Ensure repeatability and rigor across programs without slowing teams down.
- Own Program Risk and Change Control: Manage and communicate key schedule risks and tradeoffs. Implement change control processes and ensure cross-functional alignment when scope or priorities shift.
- Collaborate Across Domains: Work with engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and commercial teams to ensure tight coordination and successful delivery from design through sea trials and customer handoff.
What You’ll Bring
- Proven Program Leadership in Complex Vehicle Programs: Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional hardware development programs in aerospace, defense, maritime, or other advanced hardware environments. Direct ownership of $50 M+ programs and leadership of teams 50+ strong.
- Track Record of Building Teams: Demonstrated success in building and mentoring high-performing program management teams. You’ve hired, coached, and developed PMs and technical leads who thrive in fast-paced, technical environments.
- End-to-End Product Development Experience: Demonstrated success taking multiple hardware+software systems through design, build, integration, and test - especially in regulated or certified environments.
- Expertise in PMO Best Practices: Track record of standing up and leading PMO organizations in high-growth or high-complexity settings.
- Strong Technical Acumen: Comfort engaging with engineers on everything from system architecture to build schedules and integration risks. Familiarity with disciplines across software, electrical, composites, propulsion, and embedded systems..
- Cross-Functional Planning Experience: Ability to align technical milestones with financial forecasting, capital planning, headcount modeling, and organizational growth.
- Clear, Empathetic Communication: Able to drive accountability and alignment while earning trust through clarity, empathy, and delivery.
- Calm in Complexity: Comfortable operating in ambiguity and rolling up your sleeves in a startup environment. Able to create clarity and structure where none exists - without slowing things down.
Who We're Looking For
- Collaborative Team Player: You believe that great things happen when teams work together. You communicate effectively and collaborate with engineers, stakeholders, and other cross-functional teams to align on goals and move projects forward. You bring people together, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and moving towards a shared vision.
- Creative Problem Solver: You thrive on tackling complex challenges and finding innovative solutions. Whether it’s unblocking critical path items, navigating cross-functional misalignment, or refining program execution frameworks, you approach every challenge with creativity and determination. You’re able to address immediate needs while also planning for future scalability and efficiency.
- Adaptable & Agile: In a fast-paced, ever-evolving startup environment, you quickly adapt to changing priorities and requirements. You approach challenges with a calm, resilient mindset, and know how to pivot and adjust your approach as needed, ensuring that progress continues without missing a beat.
- Innovative Mindset: You’re driven by curiosity and a passion for technology. You’re passionate about driving continuous improvement, embracing new technologies and methodologies to enhance efficiency, quality, and team performance.
What We Offer
- Competitive compensation including a robust equity incentive plan.
- Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance - we cover 100% of your premiums.
- 401(k) with company matching, so you can plan for the future.
- Generous flexible time off, paid parental leave, and company-wide holiday breaks.
- Relocation packages available for those moving to join our team.
- Daily, free catered lunches
- Learning & professional development opportunities
If you’re ready to take on an exciting challenge, grow with us, and make a lasting impact, we want to hear from you. Even if you don’t meet every requirement, but you see yourself contributing to our mission, we encourage you to apply! We value diverse skillsets and experiences and believe in the potential of passionate individuals to make a big impact.
Equal Opportunity Employer
REGENT is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.
