Deputy Program Manager

Viasat; Carlsbad (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 149,000; Full time

Job summary

Viasat is seeking a TMF Deputy Program Manager in Carlsbad, CA, to act as the second-in-command for the Tactical Mission Fabric program portfolio. You will own work packages end to end, manage the integrated master schedule, and ensure contracts are executed on time and within budget, across multiple programs with DoD stakeholders.

The role requires experience leading complex government contracts, strong communication skills, and the ability to navigate cross-functional teams across engineering,

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in program or project management within aerospace, defense, telecommunications, or related high-tech industry.
• Proven experience managing complex technical projects with multiple stakeholders and cross-functional teams.
• Working command of program management fundamentals: scope, schedule, budget, and risk management on contractual efforts.
• Experience with government contracts (DoD or other federal agencies), including deliverables and reporting obligations.
• Strong understanding of program management methodologies (Waterfall, Agile, or hybrid) and tools.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to tailor program and financial detail to leadership, engineering, and customer audiences.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Business, or a related field.
• US Citizenship or Lawful Permanent Residence required due to government contract requirements.
• Active US DoD Secret clearance required.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 25%
• Onsite position in the Carlsbad office

Responsibilities

• Support Program Leadership: act as trusted second-in-command and alternate.
• Drive Work Package Execution: own work packages end to end within budget and contract requirements.
• Integrated Master Schedule: build, maintain, and defend the schedule across TMF programs; manage critical path and recovery plans.
• Cost and Schedule Discipline: monitor scope, schedule, budget, and perform EVMS where required; track program health.
• Contract Deliverables: manage CDRLs, data items, and reporting obligations across the portfolio.
• Proposal Support: assist with BOEs, execution schedules, staffing plans, and past-performance narratives for pursuits.
• Subcontract and Supply Chain: coordinate with contracts, subcontracts, and procurement for deployments.
• Customer Engagement: support reviews, status Briefings, and acceptance with DoD stakeholders.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional leadership

Communication

Risk management

Waterfall/Hybrid

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/CS/Business

Tools

PM tools

Job description

About us

One team. Global challenges. Infinite opportunities. At Viasat, we’re on a mission to deliver connections with the capacity to change the world. For more than 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the globe communicate. We’re looking for people who think big, act fearlessly, and create an inclusive environment that drives positive impact to join our team.

What you'll do

The Integrated Solutions Business Unit is hiring a TMF Deputy Program Manager to serve as the second-in-command for program execution across our Tactical Mission Fabric (TMF) program portfolio.

TMF is a multi-tenant network-as-a-service platform that delivers secure, globally interconnected managed networking to DoD mission owners. The Integrated Solutions portfolio encompasses over 6 concurrent programs spanning development, deployment, and sustainment.

This is a program execution leadership role, not a project coordinator seat. You will own work packages end to end, run the integrated master schedule and cost/schedule discipline across the portfolio, and act for the Program Manager in their absence. The TMF team includes a Lead Systems Engineer, a Service Delivery Manager, and cloud and network engineering; you are the program mechanics that turn their work into delivered, on-contract capability.

We're looking for a deputy who has run real programs: someone fluent in the discipline of scope, schedule, budget, and risk on government contracts, and ready to step into full program ownership as the portfolio grows.

The day-to-day

Program Execution

• Support Program Leadership: Support the Program Manager in all aspects of program planning, execution, and closure across the TMF portfolio, acting as their trusted second-in-command and designated alternate.
• Drive Work Package Execution: Own specific work packages and program threads end to end, ensuring they are completed on time, within budget, and to contract requirements.
• Integrated Master Schedule: Build, maintain, and defend the integrated master schedule across concurrent TMF programs; manage the critical path, surface schedule risk early, and drive recovery plans.
• Cost and Schedule Discipline: Monitor and control scope, schedule, and budget; apply Earned Value Management discipline where contract-required and track financial health across all programs.

Contract, Capture, and Customer

• Contract Deliverables: Manage contract deliverables (CDRLs), data items, and reporting obligations across the portfolio; ensure deliverables are complete, on time, and accepted.
• Proposal Support: Support capture and proposal efforts with program management content: BOEs, execution schedules, staffing plans, and past-performance narratives for follow-on and new TMF pursuits.
• Subcontract and Supply Chain: Coordinate with contracts, subcontracts, and supply chain on hardware procurement, vendor deliveries, and subcontractor performance for platform deployments.
• Customer Engagement: Support customer interactions with DoD mission owners and program offices: program reviews, status briefings, and delivery acceptance, ensuring customer satisfaction and contractual compliance.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Cross-Functional Teams: Facilitate collaboration between systems engineering, cloud and network engineering, service delivery, security and compliance, finance, and operations so commitments stay aligned across functions.

What you’ll need

Required (Day-One Critical)

• 4+ years of experience in program or project management within aerospace, defense, telecommunications, or a related high-tech industry
• Proven experience managing complex technical projects with multiple stakeholders and cross-functional teams
• Working command of program management fundamentals: scope, schedule, budget, and risk management on contractual efforts
• Experience with government contracts (DoD or other federal agencies), including deliverables and reporting obligations
• Strong understanding of program management methodologies (Waterfall, Agile, or hybrid) and tools
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to tailor program and financial detail to leadership, engineering, and customer audiences
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Business, or a related field
• US Citizenship or Lawful Permanent Residence required due to government contract requirements
• Active US DoD Secret clearance required
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 25%
• Onsite position in the Carlsbad office

Strongly Preferred (90-Day Ramp)

• Experience supporting managed services, network, SATCOM, or large-scale infrastructure programs
• Earned Value Management (EVM) experience on DoD programs
• Basis of Estimate (BOE) development and proposal support experience
• Experience with contract types and structures (FFP, cost-plus, OTA) and FAR-based contracting
• Integrated master schedule ownership for multi-workstream programs
• Subcontractor or vendor management experience, including hardware procurement
• Active DoD Secret clearance currently held
• Experience with C4I, tactical network, or secure communications programs

What will help you on the job

Preferred (Accelerators)

• PMP or equivalent program management certification
• Experience on programs with FedRAMP, CMMC, or DoD accreditation deliverables
• Financial analysis experience: program financial health tracking, EAC development, or BOE review
• Experience supporting captures or proposals in a defense contractor environment
• Familiarity with network, cloud, or SD-WAN program deliver

Salary range

$94,500.00 - $149,000.00 / annually.For specific work locations within San Jose, the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, the base pay range for this role is $117,000.00- $176,000.00/ annually

At Viasat, we consider many factors when it comes to compensation, including the scope of the position as well as your background and experience. Base pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Additional cash or stock incentives may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered. Learn more about Viasat’s comprehensive benefit offerings that are focused on your holistic health and wellness at https://careers.viasat.com/benefits.

EEO Statement

Viasat is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, seeking to create a welcoming and diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, genetics, age, or veteran status or any other applicable legally protected status or characteristic. If you would like to request an accommodation on the basis of disability for completing this on-line application, please click here.