Application Security Program Manager

Robert Half; Alexandria (VA); On-site; USD 62,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, vision, dental, and life and 

401(k) plan enrollment

Job summary

Robert Half is seeking an Application Security Program Manager for a long-term contract role located in Alexandria, VA (onsite). You will lead enterprise-wide application security initiatives, partnering with technology, security, and business teams to improve secure software development practices, increase risk visibility, and coordinate adoption across organizations.

The role requires 8+ years in cybersecurity program leadership, with a strong SDLC background and the ability to influence

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience leading cybersecurity programs or related enterprise initiatives.
• Proven ability to advance maturity of application security programs in large organizations.
• Strong knowledge of secure software development lifecycle practices and their application.
• Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders and drive organizational change.
• Experience with vulnerability management, security architecture, governance, risk and compliance, application development, and platform teams.
• Strong planning, reporting, and communication skills to translate security needs into actionable plans.
• Familiarity with developer collaboration tools and governance practices (GitHub or similar).
• Ability to work effectively in a remote setting while coordinating with multiple functions.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional application security initiatives by aligning stakeholders and timelines across security, development, and business teams.
• Oversee evolution of secure software development practices with clear ownership and repeatable routines.
• Manage the program roadmap by tracking dependencies, risks, and improvements.
• Partner with teams to strengthen workflows for security requirements, assessments, scanning, triage, remediation, and release readiness.
• Coordinate adoption efforts with development and platform groups using phased rollouts and developer enablement.
• Collect stakeholder feedback, identify barriers, and drive actions to improve usability and accountability.
• Monitor reporting and performance indicators to evaluate progress and support leadership decisions.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external vendors to align practices with governance and delivery models.
• Escalate unresolved issues to owners while maintaining momentum and follow-through.

Skills

Leadership

Cybersecurity programs

Secure SDLC

Stakeholder influence

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

GitHub familiarity

Remote coordination

Job description

Robert Half is hiring an Application Security Program Manager for a long-term contract role based in Alexandria, VA (onsite). In this position, you will lead enterprise-wide application security program initiatives by partnering with technology, security, and business teams to improve secure software development practices, increase risk visibility, and coordinate adoption across organizations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional application security initiatives by aligning stakeholders, priorities, timelines, and measurable outcomes across security, development, platform, and business teams.
• Oversee the evolution of secure software development practices by establishing clear ownership, decision paths, service expectations, and repeatable operating routines.
• Manage the program roadmap by tracking dependencies, open risks, improvement opportunities, and progress against strategic objectives.
• Partner with accountable teams to strengthen workflows for security requirements, design assessments, application scanning, issue triage, remediation planning, exception handling, and release readiness.
• Coordinate adoption efforts with development and platform groups using phased rollout plans, developer enablement, training sessions, office hours, and practical implementation guidance.
• Collect stakeholder feedback, identify operational barriers, and drive actions that improve usability, accountability, and program effectiveness.
• Monitor reporting and performance indicators to evaluate program progress, highlight trends, and support leadership decision-making.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external vendors to ensure application security practices align with governance expectations, tool usage, and delivery models.
• Escalate unresolved issues and key decisions to appropriate owners while maintaining momentum and follow-through across participating groups.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in leadership roles focused on cybersecurity programs, enterprise initiatives, or related consulting engagements.
• Proven track record advancing the maturity of application security programs within complex organizations.
• Strong knowledge of secure software development lifecycle practices and how to apply them in modern development environments.
• Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders and lead organizational change in support of security objectives.
• Experience working with vulnerability management, security architecture, governance, risk and compliance, application development, and platform teams.
• Strong planning, reporting, and communication skills, including the ability to translate security needs into actionable program plans.
• Familiarity with developer collaboration tools and governance practices, including environments that use GitHub or similar platforms.
• Ability to work effectively in a remote setting while coordinating with teams and partners across multiple functions and priorities.

Additional Information

• Location: Alexandria, VA (onsite)
• Job Type: contract
• Compensation: USD 45 - 55 per hour

Benefits

• Medical, vision, dental, and life and disability insurance
• 401(k) plan enrollment for hired contract/temporary professionals