Business SME

Novalink Solutions; Virginia; On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Novalink Solutions is seeking an Application Security Program Manager (Business SME 1) to help transition the SSDLC program for the State of Maine. You will coordinate cross‑functional teams, maintain the program roadmap, and drive adoption, performance, and risk reduction across the security portfolio.

This role requires 8–10 years in leadership, program management, and change agent work, with proven ability to translate policy into executable security processes and strong stakeholder

Qualifications

• 8–10 years in leadership roles and cybersecurity program management.
• Experience improving application security program maturity.
• Experience implementing SSDLC across multiple development teams.
• Strong facilitation, writing, and stakeholder communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate transition from project deliverables to owned processes with defined owners and handoffs.
• Maintain the program roadmap, priorities, dependencies, risks, and improvement backlog.
• Work with teams to validate risk profile, security requirements, and workflows.
• Plan rollout waves with development and platform partners and provide developer guidance.
• Track remediation progress, closure evidence, and reporting to leadership.
• Facilitate working groups and route questions to Security Architecture and policy teams.

Skills

Leadership

Program management

Change agent

Application security

SSDLC

Job description

Augusta, United States | Posted on 10/26/2026

The Application Security Program Manager (Business SME 1) supports the Information Security Office in transitioning the State’s secure software development lifecycle (SSDLC) from a near-complete modernization project to a sustained operating program. The position coordinates the people, decisions, workflows, and measures needed to make application security practices workable across State technology teams. As initial transition tasks are completed, the manager shifts effort to adoption, performance, risk reduction, and continuous improvement across the broader application security portfolio.

This is a cross-functional program management role. The manager works with Vulnerability Management, Security Architecture, Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC), Application Development, GitHub Governance, infrastructure and platform teams, agency product owners, and vendors. The manager drives follow-through, program adoption, and accountability across stakeholders and elevates decisions to the appropriate owner; specialist teams retain their established technical, product, and risk approval authority.

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

Coordinate transition from project deliverables to owned processes, including named owners, documented handoffs, decision paths, service expectations, and a practical operating cadence. Maintain the program roadmap, priorities, dependencies, risks, and improvement backlog.

Work with accountable teams to validate and improve the application risk profile, security requirements, design review, scanning, finding triage, remediation, exception, and release workflows. Ensure guidance reflects real tools and different applications and vendor models.

Plan rollout waves with development and platform partners; support security champions, training, office hours, and clear developer-facing guidance. Gather feedback and remove barriers that prevent teams from applying the workflow consistently.

Help product and development teams turn findings into risk-ranked plans with owners, target dates, and closure evidence. Track coverage gaps, aging findings, blockers, and escalations while the responsible teams perform remediation and verification.

Facilitate working groups and leadership reviews, maintain an accurate responsibility model, and route design questions to Security Architecture and policy, exception, and risk decisions through GRC and authorized Information Security Office leadership.

Define useful measures with data owners; coordinate trustworthy reporting on application coverage, adoption, remediation, exceptions, and control performance. Use trends and team feedback to propose changes, report progress, and adjust priorities.

Coordinate related initiatives in repository governance, security tooling, platform integration, third-party application security, and developer enablement. Surface capacity, funding, and service dependencies; prepare concise options and recommendations for leadership.

WHAT MAKES THIS JOB UNIQUE?

Make a Difference: The scope of this position impacts the trajectory of application security in the State of Maine, ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of critical systems.

Show Your Strength: A chance to apply your expertise in application security and demonstrate your capabilities.

Experience in State Government: Opportunity to work within a large IT enterprise supporting critical State applications.

Selfless Service: Play a pivotal role in safeguarding the State’s critical systems, contributing to the public good by protecting citizens' data and ensuring the secure operation of essential government services.

WHY WILL YOU LOVE IT HERE? If you seek a culture that fosters success and allows you to play a key role in maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the State of Maine’s applications and systems, then MaineIT is where you need to be! With the MaineIT Information Security Office, you can expect:

Immersion in rapidly evolving issues of state government and a fast-moving organization full of opportunity.

Collaboration with talented peers and exposure to creative problem-solving approaches.

Opportunities to tackle unique and complex projects in application security.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: The manager in this role requires the ability to oversee application security efforts across multiple teams and drive program improvements to strengthen the State of Maine’s security posture. We seek a self-motivated individual who thrives in fast-paced environments, seamlessly drives initiatives with multiple stakeholders, and has demonstrable experience in application security leadership. The candidate must have 8 to 10 years of experience in leadership roles, program management, and change agent roles, improving application security program maturity.

The selected candidate will be required to pass the required background checks as a condition of employment.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Substantial experience managing complex technology, cybersecurity, or application security programs across multiple teams, with demonstrated delivery through influence and shared accountability.

Working knowledge of software delivery and application security concepts, including security requirements, code and dependency scanning, vulnerability management, remediation, and risk treatment.

Ability to translate technical and policy issues into clear actions, owners, decisions, and management reporting; strong facilitation, writing, and stakeholder communication skills.

Experience establishing repeatable processes, coordinating organizational change, using measures to improve performance, and managing competing priorities in an evolving program.

Experience implementing, operationalizing, or governing Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC) practices across multiple development teams.

Requirements

Top Skills:

8 to 10 years of experience in leadership roles and cybersecurity program management.

Experience improving application security program maturity.

Stakeholder Management and Organizational Change Management Leadership.

Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC).