Senior Program Manager

Peraton; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Peraton in Chantilly, VA, seeks a Senior Program Manager to provide leadership and oversight for a large-scale government program. You will align strategy, governance, and performance across multi-organizational teams to meet technical, operational, and contractual objectives.

The ideal candidate will bridge program management, technology, cybersecurity, cloud, AI/ML, and software delivery without being hands-on.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of program management experience on large government programs.
• Demonstrated experience managing IC and/or DoD programs.
• Experience leading large, complex technology, software, or mission programs.
• Hands-on with CPAF contracts including performance management and award-fee strategies.
• Experience with COTRs and senior Government stakeholders.
• Experience with Agile/incremental software delivery and evolving requirements.
• Strong knowledge of DevSecOps, CI/CD, cybersecurity, and modern software development.
• Experience managing multi-partner or subcontractor teams in a government environment.
• Experience with risk management, financial oversight, and EVM.
• Ability to develop and execute transition/operational plans for complex environments.
• Experience building high-performing teams and recruiting senior technical talent.
• Knowledge of government contracting, acquisition, and contract compliance.
• Exceptional executive communication and stakeholder management.
• Strategic planning and decision-making in a complex government environment.
• Ability to balance customer needs, contractual requirements, technical considerations, risk, and program objectives.
• PMP, PgMP, or equivalent certification.
• Active TS/SCI with Poly.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership, strategic direction, and accountability for program performance and execution.
• Develop and execute program strategies, governance, and performance management processes.
• Lead Agile and incremental delivery with MVP focus and evolving requirements.
• Oversee transition and operational planning for complex environments.
• Foster accountability, collaboration, innovation, and customer focus.
• Ensure contractual and mission objectives are met.
• Interface with Government stakeholders, including COTRs and leadership.
• Build relationships across multiple levels of Government and executives.
• Lead executive briefings, program reviews, and strategic communications.
• Balance customer needs, contractual requirements, technical considerations, risk, cost, and objectives.
• Provide program-level oversight of DevSecOps, CI/CD, cloud, AI/ML, security, and modernization.
• Coordinate across multiple programs and subcontractors.

Skills

Program management

IC/DoD programs

Agile delivery

DevSecOps

COTRs & govt stakeholders

Risk management

Earned Value Management

Executive communication

PM certification (PMP/PgMP)

TS/SCI with poly

Cloud/AI/ML awareness

Staffing & team leadership

Education

PMP/PgMP or equivalent

Job description

Required

• 12+ years of program management experience, with significant experience leading complex, large-scale government programs.
• Demonstrated experience managing Intelligence Community (IC) and/or DoD programs.
• Demonstrated experience leading large, complex technology, software, platform, or mission programs.
• Hands-on experience with CPAF contracts, including performance management and award-fee strategies.
• Demonstrated success managing relationships with COTRs and senior Government stakeholders.
• Experience with Agile/incremental software delivery and managing programs with evolving requirements.
• Strong working knowledge of DevSecOps, CI/CD, cybersecurity, and modern software development practices, sufficient to effectively lead technical discussions and program execution.
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-partner and/or subcontractor teams in a complex government environment.
• Experience with program-level risk management, financial oversight, and Earned Value Management (EVM).
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute transition and operational plans for complex programs or technical environments.
• Experience building and maintaining high-performing teams, including recruiting and retaining senior technical talent.
• Strong knowledge of government contracting, acquisition, and contract compliance.
• Exceptional executive communication, briefing, relationship-building, and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrated strategic planning and decision-making experience in a complex government environment.
• Ability to balance customer needs, contractual requirements, technical considerations, risk, cost, and program objectives.
• PMP, PgMP, or equivalent program management certification.
• Active TS/SCI clearance with Poly.

Desired

• Experience delivering AI/ML-enabled software or technology programs and integrating AI capabilities into operational environments.
• Experience engaging effectively across multiple levels of Government, from working-level technical teams through senior executive leadership.
• Experience managing OCONUS, geographically distributed, or multi-region technical operations.
• Experience with hybrid, multi-cloud, or cloud-agnostic environments, including cloud governance and architecture considerations.
• Understanding of cloud-native technologies, containerized environments, and strategies for reducing cloud dependency and optimizing infrastructure.
• Experience integrating research, development, innovation, or emerging technology into production environments and operational delivery.
• Experience managing transitions from R&D or prototype capabilities into operational programs.
• Experience with cloud cost management, including monitoring cloud spend, resource efficiency, container utilization, and cost-avoidance opportunities.
• Experience supporting proposal, capture, or business development activities.
• Experience establishing or improving program governance and quality management processes.
• Experience coordinating across multiple technical or operational programs.
• Strong understanding of the Intelligence Community acquisition and contracting environment.
• Demonstrated history of successfully recovering, stabilizing, or improving complex programs.
• Experience managing programs through significant organizational, technical, or customer transitions.

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Program Manager to provide overall leadership, strategic direction, and performance oversight for a large-scale, mission-focused government program.

The Senior Program Manager will serve as the primary point of accountability to the Government, ensuring exceptional customer satisfaction, contract compliance, program performance, and successful execution across a complex, multi-organizational environment. This individual will establish strong relationships with senior Government stakeholders, oversee program strategy and governance, and ensure the program consistently meets technical, operational, financial, and contractual objectives.

The ideal candidate is a strategic leader and integrator who can bridge program management, technology, cybersecurity, cloud, AI/ML, and software delivery without needing to be the hands-on technical expert. The Senior Program Manager must be comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment with evolving requirements, multiple partners, and significant customer expectations.

Key ResponsibilitiesProgram Leadership & Strategy

• Provide overall leadership, strategic direction, and accountability for program performance and execution.
• Develop and execute comprehensive program strategies, governance frameworks, and performance management processes.
• Lead Agile and incremental delivery, balancing MVP-focused development, sprint-based execution, evolving requirements, and long-term program objectives.
• Lead transition and operational planning for complex technology environments and evolving program requirements.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, innovation, and customer focus.
• Ensure program objectives, contractual commitments, and mission requirements are consistently met.

Customer & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the primary interface and trusted advisor to senior Government stakeholders, including COTRs and other Government leadership.
• Build and maintain relationships across multiple levels of Government, from technical and working-level stakeholders through senior executive leadership.
• Establish strong customer relationships and maintain accountability for customer satisfaction and mission outcomes.
• Lead executive-level briefings, program reviews, and strategic communications.
• Balance customer needs, contractual requirements, technical considerations, risk, cost, and program objectives.

Technical & Delivery Oversight

• Provide program-level oversight of DevSecOps, CI/CD, software delivery, cybersecurity, AI/ML, cloud, and technology modernization efforts.
• Ensure technical teams maintain effective development, integration, security, testing, and deployment processes.
• Partner with technical and cybersecurity leadership to ensure security considerations are integrated throughout the development and delivery lifecycle.
• Provide strategic oversight of emerging technologies and ensure appropriate innovation is transitioned from research and development into operational delivery.
• Provide sufficient technical oversight to effectively lead discussions and program execution without serving as the hands‑on technical expert.
• Coordinate across multiple technical and operational programs as needed.

Contract, Financial & Performance Management

• Oversee contract performance, compliance, modifications, and contractual requirements.
• Manage CPAF performance and evaluation activities, including strategies to maximize program performance and customer satisfaction.
• Provide program-level oversight of risk management, financial performance, Earned Value Management (EVM), quality, and operational execution.
• Monitor program financial performance, including resource utilization, cloud expenditures, cost efficiency, and opportunities for cost avoidance.
• Maintain accountability for program performance and ensure contractual and financial objectives are achieved.

Risk & Operational Management

• Establish a disciplined risk management cadence to identify, track, elevate, mitigate, and communicate program risks.
• Identify and address program-level dependencies, challenges, and emerging issues.
• Lead transition and operational planning for complex technical environments.
• Ensure effective coordination and accountability across multiple subcontractors, partners, and technical organizations while avoiding unnecessary micromanagement.
• Develop practical strategies to address evolving requirements, technical challenges, cost considerations, and operational constraints.

Team & Organizational Leadership

• Develop staffing strategies focused on attracting, retaining, and developing highly qualified technical professionals, including cleared talent.
• Build and maintain a high‑performing program organization capable of supporting evolving mission and technical requirements.
• Mentor and develop program leadership and team members while promoting effective communication and organizational alignment.
• Provide strategic oversight of subcontractor relationships and ensure effective integration across a multi‑company team.

Growth & Business Development

• Support proposal, capture, and business development activities as they relate to the program and customer relationship.
• Identify opportunities to expand program capabilities and strengthen customer relationships.
• Support strategic initiatives that contribute to program growth and long‑term mission success.

Location: This position is fully onsite in Chantilly, VA.