Program Director - (San Diego, CA)

Serco; Riverside (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

401(k) matching

Tuition reimbursement

Paid time off

Job summary

Serco Inc. seeks a Program Director – West Coast Operations (San Diego, CA) to lead a complex DoD/Navy portfolio, ensuring execution, financial performance, risk control, and customer engagement. You will drive growth, governance, and program outcomes across multiple modernisation and sustainment initiatives.

The role requires 12+ years in DoD/federal programs, 10+ years growing contracts, and strong leadership of cross-functional teams, with travel up to 25% and a U.S. passport.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or related field.
• 12+ years managing DoD, Navy, federal, or similarly complex government contracts.
• 10+ years leading organic and new customer growth as a Federal Contractor, with DoD focus.
• Experience leading complex technical programs through full lifecycle.
• Strong program governance, financial management, risk mitigation, and customer engagement.
• Willingness to travel up to 25% and obtain/maintain a U.S. Passport.

Responsibilities

• Manage a DoD portfolio with a P&L over $75M and 75+ staff.
• Oversee Program Managers to drive execution of multiple DoD projects.
• Own profit and loss for all programs in the portfolio.
• Implement cost-efficiency programs to improve profitability.
• Ensure programs meet contractual performance ratings (CPARS) of Satisfactory+.
• Drive internal/external communications and develop customer relationships for growth.
• Lead capture and proposal activities for new opportunities.
• Pursue 5%+ YoY growth across the portfolio.

Skills

Program leadership

DoD contracting

P&L management

Customer engagement

Risk management

Cross-functional leadership

Governance

Proposal/capture

Growth leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Business

Job description

Position Description & Qualifications

Serco is seeking an experienced Program Director – West Coast Operations (San Diego, CA) to lead a complex portfolio of U.S. Navy, DoD, and federal programs supporting C4ISR Security Solutions. This senior leader will provide portfolio-level operational leadership, financial accountability, customer engagement, execution discipline, program governance, and growth leadership across assigned programs.

The Director will be accountable for end-to-end portfolio outcomes, including execution, financial performance, risk management, customer satisfaction, compliance, talent development, and growth contribution across assigned programs. This role requires a leader who can act as the primary decision authority for the portfolio, analyze issues, develop options, make recommendations and drive forward motion.

The portfolio includes highly technical programs delivering design, modernization, integration, installation, sustainment, and operational support for enterprise physical security, information systems, electronic security systems, command and control, emergency operations, dispatch, telephony, access control, alerting, and related infrastructure solutions across Navy and DoD environments.

The successful candidate will be expected to lead growth, not support it passively. This includes identifying and shaping on-contract growth, improving recompete readiness, positioning future work, engaging customers proactively, surfacing emerging needs, and translating those needs into actionable opportunities.

In this role, you will:

• Manage a diverse DoD portfolio, responsible for a P&L of over $75M annually with a staff of over 75 people.

• Oversee Program Managers and their teams to drive successful execution multiple complex Department of Defense Modernization and Sustainment projects/programs, with a focus on In-Service Engineering Activities.

• Be responsible for the profit and loss performance of all programs assigned to their portfolio.

• Be responsible for implementation of cost efficiency programs that will result in improving contract profitability.

• Be responsible for ensuring that all programs within the portfolio execute their defined contractual requirements and result in Contractual Performance Assessment Ratings (CPARS) of Satisfactory or above for all categories.

• Drive regular effective internal and external communications to ensure program status and issues are communicated in a timely manner. Expected to establish and maintain customer relationships to allow for the identification of opportunities for organic growth.

• Ensure that all internal and external contractual performance reporting requirements are completed in accordance with established guidelines

• Expected to provide recommended solutions to resolve any identified program execution issues, while also ensuring corrective actions are executed.

• Be responsible for driving organic growth opportunities on all programs assigned to the portfolio.

• Be responsible for identifying new business opportunities to drive growth within the portfolio. Act as the operational lead in the capture and proposal for new business opportunity pursuits.

• Be responsible for driving a 5% or greater YoY growth within the portfolio.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• An active Secret clearance

• U.S Citizenship required

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field

• Minimum 12 years of experience managing DoD, Navy, federal, or similarly complex government contracts, including IDIQ or task-order-based programs

• Minimum 10 years leading organic and new customer growth as a Federal Contractor, specifically focused on Department of Defense projects

• Demonstrated experience leading complex technical programs through the full lifecycle, including transition, execution, financial management, risk management, customer engagement, and closeout

• Proven ability to lead multiple programs, task orders, projects, or operational teams in parallel while managing competing customer, schedule, resource, and financial priorities

• Strong understanding of federal contracting principles, funding mechanisms, compliance requirements, task order execution, and contract governance

• Demonstrated financial management experience, including revenue forecasting, cost control, margin performance, funding execution, and risk mitigation

• Experience managing multi-site programs with CONUS and/or OCONUS execution requirements

• Experience leading and developing program managers, project managers, technical staff, or cross-functional teams

• Demonstrated ability to interface directly with government customers, senior stakeholders, CORs, program offices, end-user communities, and internal leadership

• Ability to identify risks, develop options, make recommendations, and resolve issues without defaulting routine execution decisions upward

• Ability to travel up to 25%

• Ability to obtain/maintain a valid U.S Passport

Additional desired experience and skills:

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field

• Experience supporting NIWC Pacific, Navy installations, Navy program offices, or DoD operational customers

• Experience with enterprise physical security systems, electronic security systems, access control, command and control, telephony, dispatch systems, ROC/EOC systems, alerting, or integrated security environments

• PMP, PgMP, DAWIA, FAC-P/PM, Lean Six Sigma, or equivalent program/operations management certification

• Experience supporting capture, proposal development, competitive strategy, pricing strategy, or recompete positioning

• Demonstrated ability to manage a portfolio with significant revenue responsibility, multiple customers, subordinate managers, and complex contract requirements

• Experience building leadership depth, mentoring Program Managers, identifying successors, and improving management capability across an organization

• Experience implementing process improvements, operating rhythms, portfolio reviews, PMO standards, reporting discipline, and corrective action processes

Company Overview

Serco Inc. (Serco) is the Americas division of Serco Group, plc. In North America, Serco’s 9,000+ employees strive to make an impact every day across 100+ sites in the areas of Defense, Citizen Services, and Transportation. We help our clients deliver vital services more efficiently while increasing the satisfaction of their end customers. Serco serves every branch of the U.S. military, numerous U.S. Federal civilian agencies, the Intelligence Community, the Canadian government, state, provincial and local governments, and commercial clients. While your place may look a little different depending on your role, we know you will find yours here. Wherever you work and whatever you do, we invite you to discover your place in our world. Serco is a place you can count on and where you can make an impact because every contribution matters.

To review Serco benefits please visit: https://careers.serco-na.com/us/en/what-we-offer . If you require an accommodation with the application process please email: [e-mail] or call the HR Service Desk at 800-628-6458, option 1. Please note, due to EEOC/OFCCP compliance, Serco is unable to accept resumes by email.

Candidates may be asked to present proof of identity during the selection process. If requested, this will require presentation of a government-issued I.D. (with photo) with name and address that match the information entered on the application. Serco will not take possession of or retain/store the information provided as proof of identity. For more information on how Serco uses your information, please see our Applicant Privacy Policy and Notice.

Serco does not accept unsolicited resumes through or from search firms or staffing agencies without being a contracted approved vendor. All unsolicited resumes will be considered the property of Serco and will not be obligated to pay a placement or contract fee. If you are interested in becoming an approved vendor at Serco, please email [e-mail] .

Serco is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.

Pay Transparency

Our Total Rewards package includes competitive pay, performance-based incentives, and benefits that promote well-being and work-life balance—so you can thrive both professionally and personally. Eligible employees also gain access to a wide range of benefits from comprehensive health coverage and health savings accounts to retirement plans, life and disability insurance, and time-off programs that support work-life balance. Program availability may vary based on factors such as contract type, location, hire date, and applicable collective bargaining agreements.

Salary range: The range for this position can be found at the top of this posting. This range is provided as a general guideline and represents a good faith estimate across all experience levels. Actual base salary will be determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to, the scope of the role, relevant experience, job-related knowledge, education and training, key skills, and geographic market considerations. For roles available in multiple states, the range may vary to reflect differences in local labor markets. In addition to base salary, eligible positions may include other forms of compensation such as annual bonuses or long-term incentive opportunities.Benefits – Comprehensible benefits for full-time employees (part-time employees receive a limited package tailored to their role):

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• Robust vacation and sick leave benefits, and flexible work arrangements where permitted by role or contract

• 401(k) plan that includes employer matching funds

• Tuition reimbursement program

• Life insurance and disability coverage

• Optional coverages that can be purchased, including pet insurance, home and auto insurance, additional life and accident insurance, critical illness insurance, group legal, ID theft protection

• Birth, adoption, parental leave benefits

• Employee Assistance Plan

To review all Serco benefits please visit: https://careers.serco-na.com/us/en/about-us .

Serco complies with all applicable state and local leave laws, including providing time off under the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act for eligible Colorado residents, in alignment with our policies and benefit plans. The application window for this position is for no more than 60 days. We encourage candidates to apply promptly after the posting date, as the position may close earlier if filled or if the application volume exceeds expectations. Please submit applications exclusively through Serco’s external (or internal) career site. If an applicant has any concerns with job posting compliance, please send an email to: [e-mail] .