Pre-Award: CCPA- Program Manager – USCENTCOM Public Affairs Support

Barbaricum; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Barbaricum is seeking an experienced Program Manager to lead a multidisciplinary team supporting USCENTCOM Public Affairs. Based at MacDill AFB, you will oversee 24/7 media operations, strategic communications, and analytical support to CENTCOM leadership while ensuring compliance with contract requirements.

You will manage recruitment, staff planning, and performance metrics in a high-tempo environment, coordinating with CENTCOM and Barbaricum leadership to deliver mission-focused public

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI security clearance is required at time of award.
• Minimum seven (7) years of progressive program management experience with leadership of complex initiatives.
• Experience managing large-scale contract workforces of 40+ personnel in high-tempo environments.
• Experience with strategic communications planning, media operations, and content production planning.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze performance data and develop solutions under pressure.
• Knowledge of U.S. military structures, terminology, and operational processes.
• Strong leadership, communication, briefing, and critical-thinking skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day contract operations, ensuring delivery of personnel, resources, and services per the PWS.
• Oversee 24/7 media monitoring, operations, and regional analysis for CENTCOM.
• Serve as primary contractor POC with CENTCOM Public Affairs leadership and Barbaricum.
• Develop execution plans, staffing strategies, schedules, and performance management processes.
• Manage recruitment, onboarding, retention, and replacements to sustain mission support.
• Coordinate cross-functional priorities to align with CENTCOM objectives.
• Implement QA/QC processes for accuracy and timeliness of deliverables.
• Identify risks and provide mitigation for staffing and performance issues.
• Monitor performance with metrics and produce regular reports on trends and opportunities.
• Support surge requirements and after-hours operations as needed.

Skills

TS/SCI clearance

7+ years program management

leadership of complex initiatives

40+ personnel management

strategic communications planning

media operations

content production planning

performance data analysis

military knowledge

leadership & briefing skills

surge capability & after-hours support

Job description

Pre-Award: CCPA- Program Manager – USCENTCOM Public Affairs Support

Tampa, FL

Barbaricum is a rapidly growing government contractor providing leading-edge support to federal customers, with a particular focus on Defense and National Security mission sets. We leverage more than 17 years of support to stakeholders across the federal government, with established and growing capabilities across Intelligence, Analytics, Engineering, Mission Support, and Communications disciplines. Founded in 2008, our mission is to transform the way our customers approach constantly changing and complex problem sets by bringing to bear the latest in technology and the highest caliber of talent.

Headquartered in Washington, DC's historic Dupont Circle neighborhood, Barbaricum also has a corporate presence in Tampa, FL, and Bedford, IN, with team members across the United States and around the world. As a leader in our space, we partner with firms in the private sector, academic institutions, and industry associations with a goal of continually building our expertise and capabilities for the benefit of our employees and the customers we support. Through all of this, we have built a vibrant corporate culture diverse in expertise and perspectives with a focus on collaboration and innovation. Our teams are at the frontier of the Nation's most complex and rewarding challenges. Join our team.

Barbaricum is seeking an experienced Program Manager (PM) to lead contractor operations supporting the anticipated United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) Public Affairs Directorate (CCPA) at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. The Program Manager will oversee a multidisciplinary team delivering public affairs, strategic communications, media monitoring, operational planning, digital media, and analytical support to CENTCOM leadership. This position requires an experienced leader capable of managing personnel, resources, performance, and contract requirements in a high-tempo military operational environment. The successful candidate will serve as the primary contractor representative for program execution, ensuring mission continuity, quality performance, and responsiveness to evolving CENTCOM priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage day-to-day contract operations, ensuring effective delivery of all personnel, resources, and services required by the Performance Work Statement (PWS).
• Oversee multidisciplinary teams supporting 24/7 Joint Operations Center (JOC) media monitoring, media operations, strategic communications planning, regional media analysis, social media management, assessments, and multimedia production.
• Serve as the primary contractor point of contact for program execution, coordinating with CENTCOM leadership, the Public Affairs Directorate, and Barbaricum leadership.
• Develop and maintain program execution plans, staffing strategies, schedules, resource allocations, and performance management processes.
• Manage workforce recruitment, onboarding, retention, professional development, and personnel replacements to maintain uninterrupted mission support.
• Coordinate operational requirements and priorities across functional teams, ensuring personnel and resources are aligned with CENTCOM mission objectives.
• Implement and oversee quality assurance and quality control processes to ensure accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with contractual performance standards.
• Identify and mitigate program risks, including staffing shortages, operational disruptions, performance deficiencies, and emerging mission requirements.
• Monitor program performance using established metrics and prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual reports identifying trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Oversee personnel assignments, travel budgets, and other program resources within contractual and financial constraints.
• Facilitate communication and coordination among senior military officials, public affairs personnel, and external stakeholders.
• Support contingency operations and emergent mission requirements, including 24/7 surge support outside normal duty hours when required.

Required Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI security clearance at the time of award.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressive program management experience, including leadership of complex, multifaceted initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience managing large-scale contract workforces of 40 or more personnel in high-tempo operational environments.
• Experience with strategic communications planning, media operations, and content production, including photo and video production planning.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze performance data, anticipate operational challenges, and develop effective solutions.
• Proven understanding of U.S. military organizational structures, culture, terminology, and operational processes.
• Excellent leadership, interpersonal communication, briefing, and critical-thinking skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, coordinate multiple functional teams, and make sound decisions under pressure.
• Ability to support emergent operational requirements and mission-critical surge activities outside normal business hours.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience managing Department of War (DoW) contracts supporting a Geographic Combatant Command or major military headquarters.
• Experience supporting military public affairs, strategic communications, information environment analysis, or media operations.
• Familiarity with joint military operations, crisis communications, and 24/7 operational support environments.
• Experience managing geographically distributed teams and personnel supporting contingency operations.
• Familiarity with federal contract quality management, performance metrics, risk management, and Government reporting requirements.
• Accredited in Public Relations (APR) or APR+M certification.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent formal program management training.

This position is based at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, and requires regular coordination with USCENTCOM Public Affairs leadership and contractor personnel. The Program Manager must be available to support emergent operational requirements, including after-hours activities and surge operations as directed by mission needs.

Employment is contingent upon contract award and satisfaction of applicable security and customer access requirements.

EEO Commitment

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Barbaricum’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.