Agile Program Manager (onsite)

System One; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

System One in Washington, DC is seeking an Agile Program Manager to lead the strategic direction and execution of our Agile transformation program, ensuring maturity and consistency across teams while maintaining the Agile playbook and program governance.

This senior role requires deep SAFe and Scrum/Kanban expertise, strong stakeholder management, and the ability to drive data-driven decisions, reporting progress to sponsors and leadership with a focus on measurable business value.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of professional experience leading enterprise Agile transformations.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience coaching teams.
• 3+ years of experience in project/program management or systems engineering for complex initiatives.
• Deep understanding of SAFe and multiple Agile frameworks.
• Ability to adapt Agile practices to organizational culture, not rigid adherence.
• Proven ability to define and implement Agile maturity models and assessment frameworks.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication with senior leadership.
• Bachelor's degree; advanced degree preferred.
• Government or highly regulated industry experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain transparency with program stakeholders through meaningful status reporting and data-driven insights.
• Drive team maturity by implementing and maintaining assessment frameworks and coaching plans.
• Ensure Agile playbook is consistently applied across all teams, coaches, and Scrum Masters.
• Drive business value realization by aligning team outputs with program objectives.
• Shape program strategy by evaluating effectiveness, piloting innovative practices, and adjusting approaches.

Skills

Agile Transformation

Coaching Teams

Program Management

SAFe Expertise

Agile Frameworks

Stakeholder Management

Governance & Risk

Communication Skills

Leadership & Change

Education

Bachelor's degree in relevant field

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Job description

Agile Program Manager

Washington, DC – 100% Onsite

Per Federal contract U.S. citizenship is required

Must be able to obtain Public Trust clearance

W2 or C2C

Application Deadline: 11/06

The Agile Program Manager is responsible for leading the strategic direction and operational execution of the Agile transformation program. This senior role will be responsible for driving team maturity, ensuring consistency in Agile practices across teams, maintaining the Agile playbook, creating program documents, reporting on overall Agile transformation progress, and achieving measurable business value across multiple teams, with planned expansion. The Contractor will work closely with the manager of the Transformation Office, program sponsors, and business stakeholders to build a sustainable, data-driven Agile program that adapts to our organizational culture while maintaining rigor and consistency. This is a strategic role requiring someone who can both operate and innovate—executing day-to-day program management while shaping the future direction of our Agile practices.

The Contractor must have direct experience leading agile transformations in either the federal or private space. The Contractor must have direct experience with Jira and Confluence.

The candidate shall also demonstrate the below knowledge and experience:

• 10+ years of professional experience with at least 5+ years leading enterprise Agile transformations
• At least 5+ years of hands-on experience and proven track record of coaching teams
• At least 3+ years of experience of effective project/program management or systems engineering experience demonstrating ability to manage complex initiatives
• Deep understanding and expertise of Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)
• Deep expertise in multiple Agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban, Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), or similar) with ability to adapt practices to organizational culture rather than rigid framework adherence
• Demonstrated ability to define and implement Agile maturity models and assessment frameworks
• Strategic thinker with track record of evolving Agile practices, recommending improvements, and driving organizational change
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with ability to engage and influence senior leadership, sponsors, and business stakeholders
• Experience building sustainable governance models including documentation standards, engagement rhythms, and risk management
• Strong conflict resolution and problem-solution skills for addressing team dynamics and resource challenges
• Excellent communication skills including status reporting, presentations, and facilitation
• Bachelor's degree in relevant field; advanced degree preferred
• Industry leading Agile practitioner certifications such as Certified Scrum Master, Certified Scrum Product Owner, PMP-ACP, or Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), etc.
• Government or highly regulated industry experience preferred.

The Contractor shall deliver, but not limited to, the following:

• Establish and maintain transparency with program stakeholders through meaningful status reporting, proactive communication of changes, data-driven insights on team progress, and regular engagement with sponsors and business stakeholders
• Drive team maturity progression by implementing and maintaining assessment frameworks, ensuring Agile Coaches create and execute coaching plans, measuring advancement, and recommending maturity models and metrics beyond velocity/throughput
• Ensure Agile resource effectiveness by establishing performance standards for Coaches and Scrum Masters, monitoring coaching quality, resolving team/coach conflicts, and providing evidence-based recommendations on resource performance
• Ensure consistent application of the Agile playbook across all teams, coaches, and Scrum Masters to maintain standardization, alignment, and continuity in Agile practices.
• Drive business value realization by ensuring Agile teams deliver work that meets expected business outcomes through coaching oversight, metrics analysis, and alignment between team outputs and program objectives
• Build sustainable program governance through documented processes, stakeholder engagement rhythms, risk management protocols, resource management systems, and strategic recommendations that enable long-term program success
• Shape program strategy by continuously assessing program effectiveness, piloting innovative practices, recommending adaptations to our Agile approach, and ensuring the program evolves with organizational maturity