Stephen Sauser
Senior Program Manager
Summary
Results-driven leader specializing in program management, known for delivering successful outcomes and fostering collaborative environments. Recognized for strategic planning and problem-solving abilities, consistently meeting and exceeding goals. Relied upon to always get the job done.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
2
2
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Senior Program Manager
Northrop Grumman Mission Systems
5 2023 - Current
- P&L leader for Corporate Priority Program ATP LRIP1 CPIF contract ($398M) responsible for transitioning the program from development to delivery of first 21 production systems
- Took over program as PoP was expiring and led team through $100M cost growth proposal related to major hardware design changes on concurrent EMD program
- Coordinated cross-functional efforts with development engineers to build, test, and deliver production hardware prior to completion of Qual on EMD contract
- Program lead for all customer engagements with weekly briefings and fostered a strong relationship with Government counterpart
- Led team through restarting Active Feed Factory cell after hardware design change led to rework of over 20k units
- Prior to leading LRIP1 was the LRIP4 program manager responsible for negotiating and baselining 83 ship-sets ($721M, 12.5% negotiated, 15.54% baselined)
- Implemented affordability project in AIMs cell on LRIP4 that was planned for LRIP5 increasing panel size from 12x18 to 18x24 resulting in cost savings after baseline
- Executed $125M Advanced Authorization Contract from June '23-March '24 in support of LRIP4 and drove over $90M of sales to exceed 2023 IF
- Prior to direct placement into role successfully led team of 10-15 professionals with kitting and consolidation of inventory in Halethorpe warehouse to a 3PL warehouse
- Led cross-functional team sponsored by BU VP to develop and implement a mentorship playbook for mentors and mentees across BWI facility
- Developed a Materials Finance training for program managers and delivered training to over 150 managers in 2025
- Selected by BU VP to attend Harvard Professional Development course on Influence and Persuasion in Leadership
- Selected by Executive Leadership to 2024 Leadership Cohort Program for accelerated leadership readiness and responsibility
Senior Manager Supply Chain
Northrop Grumman Mission Systems
01.2022 - 05.2023
- Business Unit Supply Chain Manager that supported the Combat Sensors VP of Programs responsible for strategy and execution of the SABR, Advanced Radar, and Global Tactical Operating Units
- Span of program responsibilities included major production programs and strategic development programs with regular executive briefings/visibility, including programs with significant implications to Mission Systems Sector's AOP and LRSP
- Led team of five Supply Chain Managers and up to 25 Supply Chain professionals over material valued at ~$1.8B, with ~$400M in annual material sales
- Control Account Manager for F16 SABR Product Line responsible for ~$1B in material, successfully completing two CEACs
- Improved on-time purchase requisition release from 66% in 2021 to 88% in 2022 for SABR Operating Unit by implementing process improvements, and exceeded Operations Executive Leadership Team's 70% goal for Business Unit by 18%
- Led key negotiations for Cabin Fever LRIP1/2, Vesuvius, and SABR programs resulting in favorable material CEACs, saving over $10M during year of peak inflation and cost increases at suppliers
- Coordinated milestone payments with supply base to overcome $80M sales challenge in 2022, exceeding Sector's yearly target by $4M
- Received Top Performer Rating in 2022
Manager Supply Chain 2
Northrop Grumman Space Systems
02.2020 - 01.2022
- Held multiple Supply Chain Management roles supporting Strategic Deterrent Systems Division (SDSD) including Supply Chain Program Manager, Planning Manager, Material Requirements Planning Manager, and Division Operations Manager
- Led team of two Supply Chain Managers and up to 18 Supply Chain professionals standing up company's largest development program GBSD (now Sentinel), and legacy ICBM Minuteman III program
- Led development of SDSD Supplier Onboarding and Quality Flow Down processes with Supplier Quality, successfully onboarded 86 suppliers to Division's ASL and implemented AQRPS in SAP
- Division lead for material sales forecasting responsible for entire portfolio of programs worth over $6B of subcontractor and material content
- Led development and documentation of SDSD purchasing processes including building SAP Plants, division purchasing forms to be compliant with DFAR/FAR, and SRM processes
- Successfully built eQube interfaces with Enterprise Services from Siemens Teamcenter to SAP ERP for Material Masters and Advanced Material Requests to enable Bill of Material explosions and procurement
- Supply Chain lead responsible for partnering with Supplier Teammates onboarding them to GBSD's Digital Engineering Environment at multiple classification levels
- Received Top Performer Rating in 2020
Manager Supply Chain Operations
Northrop Grumman Space Systems
07.2019 - 05.2020
- Division Supply Chain Operations Manager for Payload and Ground Systems Division of NGC Space Sector, responsible for providing performance visibility and process improvements to over 50 development programs
- Created Division Supply Chain metrics and implemented process improvements that increased material supporting by 15% from Jan 2020 to May 2020
- Briefed Division VPGM and Sector GSC VP on supplier performance metrics, return to green plans, and program financials
- Supplier Performance Lead, responsible for validation of SAP Scorecards and SAMs performance feedback and developed PGSD Critical Supplier tracking process with Supplier Quality
- Division lead for sales forecasting, interfacing with Division CFO over all PGSD programs with $400M+ in subcontractor and material content and maintained 98% accuracy level
- Sector and PGSD lead for 3.20 1ERP integration moving PGS buyers from SAP ERP2 to SAP ERP1
- Mission Systems Sector and PGSD lead that implemented IBM TM1/ Cognos Analytics financial reporting tools and trained all GSC personnel
Principal Supply Chain Planning Analyst, AC4ISR
Northrop Grumman Missions Systems
10.2017 - 07.2019
- Supply Chain planning lead responsible for defining material requirements, schedules, and budgets of initial build and procurement plans for international MESA customers and US Navy P8 product-line simultaneously managing 6 separate contracts
- Baselined MESA UK program totaling $180M of subcontract and material content responsible for initial shop order load of 5 lot BOM
- Created and Implemented MCAV Compare Tool for MS Sector that decreased amount of time planners spent forecasting and completing variance analyses
- Control Account Manager for 3 P8 Spares contracts, all retuning over 20% ROS and favorable on material
Manager Wholesale Process and Analytics
Under Armour Inc., Corporate
10.2016 - 03.2017
- Managed Corporate and International teammates in Europe, Greater China, and Emerging Markets on Wholesale Process & Analytics processes and initiatives driving operating efficiencies across all UA regions in Go-To-Market strategies
- Project managed Global implementation of Trasix Range Management Cloud Tool working directly with C-Class Executives to eliminate 30% of materials being presented to customers that were not in production
- Assisted foreign regions by defining KPI metrics and reporting cadences by working with regional sales directors
Allocations Analyst, NA Supply Chain
Under Armour Inc., Corporate
09.2015 - 10.2016
- Managed daily allocations, deliveries, inventory transfers, and SAP tables for North America Wholesale and DTC
Commercials Sales Specialist
Ferguson Enterprises Inc.
03.2014 - 09.2015
- Managed all commercial accounts for Maryland and Northern Virginia region and increased overall sales for department from 2014 by 13%
Corporal
Delaware Department of Corrections
10.2012 - 03.2014
- Supervised 50-60 inmates per shift in Delaware's largest maximum-security prison
Education
Master of Professional Studies - Entrepreneurship, Innovation And Leadership
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Catonsville, MD 01.2018 - 07/2020
Bachelor of Arts - Criminal Justice
Limestone College
Gaffney, SC 08/2009 - 05/2012
Officer Candidate - USMC
USMC
Quantico, VA 06.2010 - 08/2010
Skills
Experience with Large Development and Production Programs
Building and Fostering Customer Relationships
Managing a Corporate Priority Program
Strategic Goal Development
Developing High Performing Teams
Negotiating w/Customers and Suppliers
Active Top Secret Clearance Granted 11/2021
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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