Senior AIML Portfolio Manager — DoD Programs & Growth

The Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State University; Reston (VA); On-site; USD 168,000 - 319,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits package

75% tuition discount

Job summary

The Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State University seeks a senior Portfolio Manager to lead a growing AIML data science portfolio in Reston, VA. You will partner with the technical lead on a large IDIQ contract, coordinating across engineering, contracts, and finance to drive program success and growth.

This onsite role requires strong DoD/IC program experience, stakeholder engagement, and ability to manage cost, schedule, and performance while mentoring staff.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience managing complex DoD or IC programs, including cost, schedule, scope, and performance.
• Sponsor-facing liaison with strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
• Financial oversight experience, including budgeting, spend plans, and financial reporting.
• Contributed to proposals or task order responses.
• Ability to understand and communicate business and programmatic aspects of a technical AIML portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Support the technical lead and serve as the senior program and portfolio management partner across all business and management functions of a large IDIQ contract currently supporting a team of 30 or more engineers, with a strong and continuing growth trajectory
• Serve as the senior program and portfolio management lead across the full lifecycle of a large IDIQ contract, from strategic planning through execution, growth, and closeout, partnering closely with the technical lead who owns all technical aspects of the work
• Act as a primary onsite liaison to government sponsors and stakeholders, building and sustaining relationships that support current mission execution and future growth
• Manage program cost, schedule, scope, and performance, ensuring compliance with contractual, regulatory, and institutional requirements
• Oversee budgets, spend plans, burn-rate tracking, financial reporting, and expenditure analysis, and prepare financial analyses and reports for internal leadership and sponsors
• Coordinate with contracts, finance, and administrative teams on funding actions, subawards, and compliance matters
• Lead and support proposal and task order response development, including narratives, budgets, schedules, and compliance documentation
• Support staffing and hiring efforts and coordinate subcontractor and subaward activities to keep pace with portfolio growth
• Coordinate cross-functional activities across the task order, connecting related efforts to maximize impact within an Agile delivery environment (program increments, sprints, scrums, and standups)
• Prepare and present portfolio status, technical progress, financial performance, and strategic plans through briefings and reports to a variety of audiences, including senior sponsor and leadership stakeholders
• Assess risks and implement mitigation strategies, anticipate problems, and recommend solutions
• Develop portfolio vision, roadmaps, and expansion strategies in collaboration with the technical lead
• Establish, refine, and improve program and portfolio management processes and tools as the team scales
• Mentor staff and provide guidance on program management best practices

Skills

DoD/IC program management

Sponsor-facing liaison

Financial oversight

Proposal / task order experience

AIML portfolio understanding

Excellent communication

Onsite work readiness

Education

Master's Degree

Job description

The Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State University seeks a senior Portfolio Manager to lead a growing AIML data science portfolio in Reston, VA. You will partner with the technical lead on a large IDIQ contract, coordinating across engineering, contracts, and finance to drive program success and growth.

This onsite role requires strong DoD/IC program experience, stakeholder engagement, and ability to manage cost, schedule, and performance while mentoring staff.