---
title: 'Program Operations Manager at REGENT'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/program-operations-manager-regent-north-kingstown-rhode-island-8k583cjk8pe3'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-07'
---

# Program Operations Manager at REGENT

- **Company:** REGENT
- **Location:** North Kingstown Rhode Island, United States
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Posted:** 2026-09-02
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-07
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/regent/617f1414-8425-44cd-812f-44405e239dcc

## Job description

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 Program Operations Manager, you will design, build, and run the operating system that our Seaglider programs run on — starting with Viceroy, REGENT's flagship program, as it drives toward its major design gates.

You'll work with the program leadership team to create the program cadence, action and decision tracking, risk management facilitation, gate readiness machinery, and the dashboards that give Program Management and Leadership an honest picture of program health. You'll implement the tooling, win adoption from engineers, and keep every process lean enough that it accelerates the program instead of slowing it down.

You will work directly with the Viceroy Program Manager, the Chief Engineer, and the VP of Programs - and as REGENT's portfolio grows, the processes you build for Viceroy will become the template for every program that follows.

Success means the program runs on systems, not heroics: actions close, risks get decisions, design reviews run clean, and nobody is surprised at a gate. If you love building infrastructure that makes fast teams faster, we'd love to meet you.

## WHAT YOU'LL DO

- Build the Program Operating System: Design and implement program operating cadence — program reviews, risk boards, action and decision logs — scaled to a fast-moving startup, not a bureaucracy.
- Run Gate Readiness: Stand up the tracking machinery for PDR and CDR: entry criteria decomposition, evidence tracking, review logistics, and action closure — so gates are earned, not discovered.
- Facilitate Risk Management: Operate the program risk process — structured register, owned mitigations, decision-forcing reviews.
- Own Program Tooling: Implement and administer the toolchain (Jira, Confluence, Smartsheet, or equivalent) — workflows, dashboards, and documentation architecture that people actually use.
- Publish the Truth: Build and maintain program dashboards and metrics that leadership trusts as the source of program health.
- Scale Across Programs: Extend the operating system from Viceroy to REGENT's broader program portfolio — tailored, not reinvented.

## WHAT YOU'LL BRING

- Program Operations Experience: Strong professional experience in program operations, planning/controls, or PMO roles on complex hardware development programs (aerospace, defense, marine, automotive, or comparable).
- A Builder's Track Record: You've created program processes from scratch that teams kept using, not just operated an inherited system.
- Design Gate Mechanics: Direct experience supporting a program through PDR/CDR or equivalent — readiness tracking, review logistics, action closure.
- Hands-On Tooling Fluency: You personally build workflows and dashboards in Jira/Confluence/Smartsheet-class tools — no IT department required.
- Closure Discipline: A demonstrated system for making actions, decisions, and risks converge instead of age.
- Judgment About Process: You know the difference between discipline and drag — and you've killed processes that weren't earning their keep

## WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR

- Collaborative Team Player: You measure your success by how much faster the PM, engineers, and leadership move because of what you built.
- Creative Problem Solver: You see where information flow, decisions, or accountability break down — and build the smallest thing that fixes it.
- Adaptable & Agile: You balance rigor with speed, adding structure only where the program needs it.
- Innovative Mindset: You treat program operations as a product: instrumented, iterated, and improved based on how your users — the team — actually behave.

## 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.

## About REGENT

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: REGENT develops and manufactures all-electric Seaglider™ vessels for fast, safe, and low-cost coastal transportation, combining the high speed of an aircraft with the convenience of a boat.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series A)
- **Headquarters**: North Kingstown, Rhode Island, USA
- **Founded**: 2020
- **Founders**: Billy Thalheimer (CEO) and Mike Klinker (CTO)

## Core Business
- Primary industry: Electric maritime transportation / Aerospace
- Target customers: B2B (commercial operators, ferry companies, logistics firms), B2G (U.S. Marine Corps), and ultimately B2C (passengers and commuters)
- Mission: "To drastically reduce the cost and headache of regional transportation between coastal cities."

## Products & Services
- **Viceroy Seaglider**: A 12-passenger all-electric wing-in-ground-effect craft with a range of 180 miles at 180 mph, designed for regional coastal routes.
- **Monarch Seaglider**: A larger, 50-to-100-passenger all-electric Seaglider for higher-capacity routes, with a first order announced from UME Shipping (July 2024).
- **Squire Seaglider Drone**: A defense-specific unmanned wing-in-ground effect craft, developed under the REGENT Defense division.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Total Funding**: Over $100 million raised from world-class investors. Series A of $60 million co-led by 8090 Industries and Founders Fund (completion announced early, details on company page).
- **Key Metric**: Commercial backlog of Seaglider vessel orders worth over $10 billion as of early 2025 (order book was $9B at end of 2024).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Investors include 8090 Industries, Founders Fund; partners include the U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Lab (MCWL), Strategic Development Fund (SDF) of the UAE, Brittany Ferries, and UME Shipping.
- **Growth Signals**:
    - Groundbreaking on a 255,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in Quonset Business Park, Rhode Island (January 2025).
    - First on-water sea trials of the full-scale Viceroy Seaglider prototype with humans onboard (2025).
    - Secured a $15 million U.S. Marine Corps contract to demonstrate Seaglider technology for defense logistics.
    - Announced a joint venture with SDF to bring Seaglider manufacturing to the UAE.
    - Opened a second office in Washington, D.C. to support certification and defense efforts.

## Competitive Advantages
- **First-mover in a new category**: As a pioneer of the Seaglider (a wing-in-ground-effect craft certified and operated over water), REGENT is defining a new mode of transportation between "water and air."
- **Backed by top-tier investors**: Supported by the same investors behind SpaceX, Anduril, and Archer Aviation, providing deep capital and strategic network.
- **Strong order book**: Over $10 billion in orders provides significant financial validation and a clear path to revenue.
- **Dual-use technology**: Products serve both commercial (passenger/commuter) and defense (military logistics) markets, diversifying risk and revenue streams.
- **Safety-first design philosophy**: Builds vehicles to the same safety standards as modern aircraft and watercraft, combined with an operating environment that is "always near a safe landing site" (the water).

## Strategic Focus
- **Scale manufacturing**: Completing and operating the new 255,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in Rhode Island to begin production of the Viceroy and Monarch.
- **Certification**: Aggressively working with regulators (including through their D.C. office) to achieve maritime certification for the Seaglider, a critical path to market.
- **Defense expansion**: Growing the REGENT Defense division, as evidenced by the Marine Corps contract and the flight of the Squire drone.
- **Global expansion**: Establishing a joint venture in the UAE for manufacturing and aftermarket services, signaling a push into the Middle East and global markets.

## Why Work Here
- **High-impact, mission-driven work**: Employees directly contribute to creating a new, zero-emission mode of transportation, solving a real-world problem in coastal mobility.
- **Strong engineering culture**: The company is "data first," emphasizes "extreme ownership" and a "every day is a tryout" mentality, focusing on hands-on, practical problem-solving.
- **Equity and benefits**: All employees receive equity in the company. Benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision (with a fully paid premium option), 3 months of paid parental leave, and relocation support.
- **Location**: The primary campus in North Kingstown, RI, combines offices, testing facilities, and manufacturing in one location, offering a unique, hands-on environment. They also have a D.C. office for certification and defense work.
- **Career growth**: Interns and employees work on real projects that directly contribute to the product and company build-out, from flight controls to manufacturing and certification.

## Sources
1. [regentcraft.com](https://www.regentcraft.com/)
2. [regentcraft.com](https://www.regentcraft.com/company)
3. [regentcraft.com](https://www.regentcraft.com/careers)
4. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/regentcraft)

## Other roles at REGENT

- [Maritime Operations Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/maritime-operations-specialist-regent-north-kingstown-rhode-island-jzz841y23shb) — North Kingstown Rhode Island, United States
- [Program Manager, Viceroy](https://feeny.ai/job/program-manager-viceroy-regent-north-kingstown-rhode-island-6tq0vpg01vfj) — North Kingstown Rhode Island, United States
- [Vehicle Test Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/vehicle-test-engineer-regent-north-kingstown-rhode-island-9sf22tmpyxny) — North Kingstown Rhode Island, United States
- [Composite Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/composite-technician-regent-north-kingstown-rhode-island-r740fdn9w8ta) — North Kingstown Rhode Island, United States
- [Senior Structures Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-structures-engineer-regent-north-kingstown-rhode-island-r44xpabxmnq8) — North Kingstown Rhode Island, United States
- [Principal Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-software-engineer-regent-north-kingstown-rhode-island-fxqq5rewgya6) — North Kingstown Rhode Island, United States
- [Senior Mission Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-mission-software-engineer-regent-north-kingstown-rhode-island-n5w0g1tkww4j) — North Kingstown Rhode Island, United States
- [Facilities Maintenance Associate](https://feeny.ai/job/facilities-maintenance-associate-regent-north-kingstown-rhode-island-g0pgr9btsvth) — North Kingstown Rhode Island, United States
- [Senior Manager, Structures](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-manager-structures-regent-north-kingstown-rhode-island-q800segy1cwz) — North Kingstown Rhode Island, United States
- [Staff Mechanical Design Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-mechanical-design-engineer-regent-north-kingstown-rhode-island-3gz2bq91vhrw) — North Kingstown Rhode Island, United States