Senior Manager, Emerging Talent Programs

Senior Manager, Emerging Talent Programs

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century's most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril's family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.

About The Team

At Anduril, our recruiting team is the driving force behind building a world-class organization. We are passionate, innovative, and deeply committed to finding exceptional talent that fuels our mission. By collaborating with leaders across engineering, operations, and technology, we shape and execute hiring strategies that are as dynamic and forward-thinking as the company itself. Our team thrives in a fast-paced environment, setting the standard for excellence, creativity, and strategic talent acquisition—ensuring that every new hire contributes to Anduril's continued success.

About The Job

Anduril is experiencing hyper-growth, and the demand for exceptional engineering, software, and hardware talent is critical to our success. This strategic role is paramount to building and sustaining a world-class pipeline of early career professionals who are passionate about our mission. As the leader of our Emerging Talent Program Managers, you will be instrumental in defining, architecting, and executing Anduril's emerging talent strategy, positioning us as the employer of choice for the brightest minds ready to tackle the toughest challenges in defense technology. Your ability to empower your team will directly ensure that our Intern, New Grad, and Veteran programs consistently deliver high-quality, impactful experiences that convert and retain top talent.

What You'll Do

• Lead & Develop a High-Performing Team: Provide exceptional leadership, coaching, and mentorship to a team of Program Managers overseeing Anduril's Intern, New Grad, Veteran, and Events initiatives. Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and professional growth within the team.

• Drive Strategic Program Execution: Translate high-level emerging talent strategy into consistent, high-quality, and scalable execution across all programs. Set clear priorities, establish robust operating rhythms, and define delivery standards to ensure programs consistently meet and exceed objectives.

• Oversee Program Management Excellence: Ensure the seamless planning, design, and delivery of all emerging talent programs, from university engagement and event strategy to candidate experience, onboarding, and development. Maintain program integrity, consistency, and alignment with Anduril's values and mission.

• Establish & Monitor Performance Metrics: Own accountability for key program outcomes, including year-over-year improvements in candidate conversion, program participant retention, and hiring manager satisfaction. Develop and implement robust reporting frameworks to track performance, identify trends, and drive data-informed decisions across all emerging talent initiatives.

• Cultivate Cross-Functional Partnerships: Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with critical internal stakeholders, including Recruiting, Engineering leadership, HR Business Partners, Finance, and Legal. Partner effectively to secure necessary resources, align program goals with business needs, and ensure widespread support and buy-in for emerging talent initiatives.

• Optimize Budget & Resource Allocation: Oversee program budgets, working closely with Program Managers and Finance to ensure responsible allocation of resources, maximize ROI, and identify opportunities for cost efficiency without compromising program quality.

• Champion Continuous Improvement: Utilize comprehensive program data (e.g., conversion rates, satisfaction scores, retention data, cost-per-hire) to conduct in-depth analysis. Identify program gaps, scale successful initiatives, eliminate ineffective practices, and continuously iterate to enhance program design and delivery.

• Elevate Program Impact & Reputation: Work with Program Managers to ensure that Intern, New Grad, and Veteran experiences are consistently high-quality, impactful, and reflective of Anduril's innovative culture. Drive strategies that build trust with hiring managers, fostering active participation and advocacy for the programs.

• Strategic Event Oversight: Provide strategic guidance and oversight to the Program Manager responsible for event strategy, ensuring that all emerging talent events effectively attract, engage, and convert top technical talent, aligning with the broader university relations and talent acquisition goals.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive leadership experience in talent acquisition, HR, or program management, with at least 3-5 years directly managing high-performing teams responsible for early career or emerging talent programs (Intern, New Grad, Veteran programs).

• Demonstrated expertise in building, coaching, and developing Program Managers or senior individual contributors to achieve strategic objectives.

• Proven track record of designing, implementing, and scaling complex emerging talent programs in a fast-moving, technical, or defense/aerospace environment.

• Strong operational acumen with the ability to set priorities, define operating rhythms, and ensure high-quality execution at scale.

• Exceptional data analysis and interpretation skills, with experience using metrics (conversion, retention, satisfaction, cost, throughput) to drive strategic decisions and continuous improvement.

• Superior stakeholder management and influencing skills, capable of building trust and collaboration with senior leadership, engineering managers, and cross-functional partners.

• Experience managing program budgets and optimizing resource allocation to achieve maximum impact.

• A strategic mindset, capable of identifying gaps, proactively solving problems, and translating high-level vision into actionable plans for your team.

• Comfort operating in ambiguous environments, adapting to change, and leading through periods of hyper-growth.

• Deep passion for Anduril's mission and a commitment to attracting and developing world-class technical talent

• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export controlled information or facilities

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field; Master's degree preferred.

• Experience with talent acquisition technologies and HRIS systems relevant to program management.

• Prior experience working within or closely with the defense, aerospace, or national security sectors.