Public Sector Defense Subcontracts Manager

Scale AI, Inc.; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 166,000 - 249,000; Full time

Job summary

Scale AI, Inc. is seeking a Subcontracts Manager to own day-to-day relationships with subcontractors supporting Public Sector programs in the Washington, DC area.

You will ensure subcontractors understand how their work fits into Scale's broader technical solution, translate milestones into deliverables, and integrate activities into the IMS with clear dependencies and risks. You will collaborate with Scale technical leads and program managers to uphold technical quality, onboard new

Qualifications

• Active Top Secret clearance.
• 0
• 5+ years of experience in program management or related roles.
• Experience managing external organizations against defined scope, schedules, milestones, and deliverables.
• Experience with Integrated Master Schedules, Work Breakdown Structures, Statements of Work, deliverable tracking, and formal program reviews.
• Strong technical acumen to understand software, systems integration, interfaces, dependencies, and technical program plans without needing to be the engineer.
• Experience spanning both technical and administrative domains (engineering, invoicing, onboarding, documentation).
• Experience building integrated program plans with multiple teams and external dependencies.
• Strong ability to influence organizations outside your direct reporting line.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with engineers, program managers, executives, subcontractors, and government stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail around commitments, documentation, financial workflows, and scheduling.
• Willingness to work onsite in the Washington, DC area.
• Willingness to travel to subcontractor facilities.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day relationships with subcontractors supporting large Public Sector programs.
• Understand Scale's technical solution and ensure subcontractors understand how their scope fits into it.
• Translate prime contract milestones into subcontractor deliverables, timelines, dependencies, and acceptance criteria.
• Integrate subcontractor activities into the IMS and identify dependencies, risks, and schedule impacts.
• Hold subcontractors to committed scope, timelines, and reporting; enforce corrective actions.
• Partner with Scale technical leads and program managers to review technical quality; you own execution.
• Establish operating cadences with subcontractors (status reviews, risk logs, escalation).
• Drive resolution of blockers across Scale teams, subcontractors, customers, and external stakeholders.
• Lead onboarding of new subcontractors with context, access, security, and processes.
• Coordinate flow-down of security, access, compliance, and program requirements.
• Manage subcontractor administrative workflows (invoices, staffing changes, docs).
• Provide project managers with a clear view of subcontractor performance and escalate issues early.
• Build high-trust relationships with subcontractor teams while maintaining accountability.

Skills

Top Secret clearance

Program management

Subcontractor management

Defense acquisition

Systems integration

Technical program management

External stakeholder management

Clear communication

Onsite collaboration

Risk management

Job description

Scale AI, Inc. is seeking a Subcontracts Manager to own day-to-day relationships with subcontractors supporting Public Sector programs in the Washington, DC area.

You will ensure subcontractors understand how their work fits into Scale's broader technical solution, translate milestones into deliverables, and integrate activities into the IMS with clear dependencies and risks. You will collaborate with Scale technical leads and program managers to uphold technical quality, onboard new