Senior Mission Manager (Clearance Required)

InvestedintheMission; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental and vision insurance

Remote-friendly with WeWork access

Unlimited PTO

401(k) match

Wellbeing stipends

Parental leave

Job summary

Vannevar Labs is seeking a Senior Mission Manager to drive mission-focused adoption of our AI capabilities within government program offices. You will shape pilots, translate needs into technical narratives, and convert successful pilots into funded programs.

The role requires deep mission credibility, strong technical intuition, and ability to operate in ambiguous, early-stage environments. U.S. clearance and location flexibility are emphasized.

Qualifications

• 15–20+ years of government or defense mission experience.
• Strong ability to scope, pitch, and sell technical solutions to senior government stakeholders.
• Proven experience navigating budgets, requirements, authorities, timelines, and stakeholder dynamics.
• Sufficient technical fluency to understand modern software systems and agent-based approaches.

Responsibilities

• Lead engagements with program offices to identify mission problems that Vannevar Labs’ technology can solve.
• Translate program needs into technical narratives mapping to requirements and outcomes.
• Scope and shape pilots with objectives, timelines, and scaling paths.
• Pitch the technology with credibility to build trust with program managers and authorities.
• Navigate contracting and budgeting processes and stakeholder coordination.
• Collaborate with product and engineering to reflect mission context in scope and plans.
• Convert pilots into sustained programs and justify follow-on funding.
• Represent Vannevar Labs as a mission-credible, technically fluent partner.

Skills

Government/defense domain

Stakeholder management

Technical storytelling

Program management

Executive communication

Ambiguity tolerance

Job description

Vannevar builds AI systems for the Department of War's most consequential missions. We have 125 deployments across every branch and combatant command spanning our core platform and five distinct products. An an example of how we work, when major combat operations started with Iran, we fielded a new product supporting 24/7 operations and 9,000+ users in three months.
How we build is our advantage: we deploy forward with the people who own the mission. Our engineers, product team, and CTO deploy forward to the point of friction, including visiting units in Ukraine. We focus on embedding directly with operational units supporting great power competition with China, combat operations with Iran, and counter-narcotics missions.

About the role

As a Senior Mission Manager, you will serve as a senior mission-facing leader responsible for driving program-based adoption of Vannevar Labs’ technology within government program offices. You will work closely with PEOs, PMWs, and program managers to shape pilots, scope capabilities, and convert demonstrated mission value into funded programs. This is a highly autonomous role that requires deep mission credibility, strong technical intuition, and the ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, early-stage program environments.

U.S. Persons status with at least a current Top Secret US DoD or IC clearance is required. This position is required to be based in DC, North Carolina, or Tampa.

What you’ll do

• Lead engagements with program offices (PEOs, PMWs, PMOs, and equivalent organizations) to identify mission problems that Vannevar Labs’ technology can solve.
• Translate program needs into technical narratives, clearly explaining how our software and agent-based capabilities map to requirements, constraints, and outcomes.
• Scope and shape program-based pilots, defining objectives, success criteria, timelines, and pathways to scale.
• Pitch the technology with credibility, leveraging your mission and domain background to build trust with program managers and technical authorities.
• Navigate programmatic realities, including requirements development, budgeting cycles, contracting pathways, and stakeholder coordination.
• Partner closely with product managers and engineers to ensure mission context is accurately reflected in technical scope, tradeoffs, and delivery plans.
• Convert successful pilots into sustained programs, helping program offices justify follow-on funding and broader adoption.
• Represent Vannevar Labs within the program ecosystem as a mission-credible, technically fluent partner.

What we’re looking for

• 15–20+ years of experience in government or defense missions, typically as a retired O5/O6 or senior enlisted or civilian equivalent
• Deep expertise in a specific mission or technical domain (e.g., cyber, information warfare, ISR, networks, operational intelligence, warfare systems/command and control).
• Strong ability to scope, pitch, and sell technical solutions to senior government stakeholders — not just explain missions, but connect them to software capabilities.
• Proven experience navigating programmatic realities, including budgets, requirements, authorities, timelines, and stakeholder dynamics.
• Sufficient technical fluency to:
  • Understand modern software systems and agent-based approaches
  • Partner effectively with product and engineering teams
  • Translate complex concepts into clear, mission-relevant narratives
• Demonstrated scrappiness and bias toward action — comfortable operating in ambiguity and pushing programs forward without perfect structure.
• High enthusiasm for building something new and shaping how cutting-edge technology is adopted inside government.
• Bonus of having acquisition, resource sponsor, or program manager experience.

What we value

• Mission-first mindset with a focus on real operational outcomes.
• Technical credibility paired with humility — able to learn quickly and ask the right questions.
• Clarity and precision in communication, especially with senior leaders.
• Ownership mentality — taking responsibility for moving programs from idea to execution.
• Low ego, high trust, and comfort collaborating across product, engineering, and mission teams.

What we offer

Competitive Salary

The salary range for this position is $180,000 - $220,000 + equity. Within the range, individual pay is determined by experience, relevant education, and/or training.

Comprehensive Benefits

We’re proud to offer competitive benefits that support our employees. Some key highlights of our benefits package include:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Remote friendly with WeWork access
• Unlimited PTO, shared downtime during the federal holiday calendar, and company-wide off time at the end of each year
• 401(k) match
• Lifestyle & wellbeing stipends
• Salary top-up during military reserve duty
• Fully paid parental leave
• Child and pet care reimbursement during travel

Vannevar is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender perception or identity, national origin, age, marital status, protected veteran status, or disability status.

We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply, even if you don't feel like you're a perfect fit. If you're passionate about contributing to our mission, we'd love to hear from you!