Senior Program Manager (5484)

Socket.dev; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 235,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid leave

Retirement

Job summary

SMX is seeking a Senior Program Manager to provide executive-level program management and strategic oversight for a complex portfolio of modernization initiatives supporting Army logistics transformation. The role acts as the liaison to SES leadership, coordinating with government personnel and contractor teams across multiple workstreams.

This position requires on-site presence in Crystal City, VA for coordination with senior Army leadership and stakeholders, with travel up to 10–20% for site

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive program/project management experience
• 5+ years supporting Army or DoD logistics/IT modernization programs
• Demonstrated experience managing relationships with SES/Flag Officer leadership
• Proven track record managing complex, multi-project portfolios (10+ concurrent efforts)
• Experience managing both government and contractor personnel

Responsibilities

• Executive Relationship Management with Army SES leadership and governance boards
• Direct and mentor government personnel and manage contractor teams across multiple workstreams
• Oversee multiple in-flight initiatives and coordinate portfolio reviews
• Track milestones, deliverables, and risks; maintain audit trails
• Coordinate with external Army organizations and plan site visits
• Negotiate agreements and MOUs to support program execution

Skills

Executive relationship management

Stakeholder management

Portfolio management

Strategic thinking

Executive communication

Time management

Written communication

Emotional intelligence

Facilitation

Relationship management

Problem-solving

Team leadership

Executive briefing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field

Master’s degree

Tools

SAFe

Scrum Master

PMP

DevSecOps

Enterprise architecture frameworks

Job description

SMX is hiring a Senior Program Manager to provide executive-level program management and strategic oversight for a complex portfolio of modernization initiatives supporting Army logistics transformation. This senior program manager will act as the primary point of contact and trusted advisor to Senior Executive Service (SES) leadership while managing relationships with subordinate government personnel (GS-14/15) and multi-functional contractor teams. The successful candidate will orchestrate multiple concurrent projects including RPA Center of Excellence, RPA Overview, portfolio rationalization, system integrations, and enterprise architecture initiatives.

This position requires daily presence in Crystal City to facilitate face-to-face coordination with senior Army leadership and stakeholders.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Executive Relationship Management (30%)

• Serve as primary liaison to Army logistics SES leadership, providing strategic counsel, decision support, and executive-level program status reporting
• Manage upward relationships
• Facilitate executive meetings, briefings, and working groups
• Navigate complex organizational dynamics across Army Staff, removing obstacles and facilitating decision-making at senior levels
• Translate technical program details into executive summaries suitable for SES-level consumption and decision-making
• Represent Army logistics community interests in cross-functional forums, governance boards, and strategic planning sessions

Downward Team Leadership (20%)

• Direct and mentor government personnel
• Manage contractor team performance across multiple workstreams, ensuring quality deliverables and adherence to scope
• Conduct performance counseling, coaching, and professional development for team members
• Assign tasks and establish priorities aligned with Army logistics strategic objectives
• Foster collaborative team environment across government and contractor personnel
• Resolve interpersonal conflicts and team dynamics issues that impede mission accomplishment

Multi-Project Portfolio Oversight (40%)

• Oversee and direct numerous in-flight initiatives

Portfolio Oversight Responsibilities:

• Track milestones, deliverables, and risks across all programs
• Conduct integrated program reviews and status reporting
• Identify cross-program dependencies and synergies
• Escalate critical issues to Army SES leadership
• Ensure resource allocation aligns with priorities
• Maintain program documentation and audit trails

Strategic Coordination & Stakeholder Engagement (10%)

• Coordinate with external Army organizations
• Manage stakeholder communications across field sites, depots, and operational commands
• Plan and execute site visits to validate solutions and gather user feedback
• Facilitate cross-functional working groups addressing technical, policy, and resourcing challenges
• Build and maintain relationships with key decision-makers across the Army logistics enterprise
• Negotiate agreements and MOUs supporting program execution

Required Skills/Experience

• Ability to work on-site in Crystal City, VA a minimum 4 days per week (Monday-Thursday or Tuesday-Friday) with core hours of 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM on in-office days
• Ability to travel 10-20% of the time for CONUS/OCONUS site visits, coordination and field engagement
• Active Secret clearance required
• Bachelor's degree required in Business Administration, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field
• 10 or more years of progressive program/project management experience
• 5 or more years supporting Army or DoD logistics/IT modernization programs
• Demonstrated experience managing relationships with SES/Flag Officer leadership
• Proven track record managing complex, multi-project portfolios (10+ concurrent efforts)
• Experience managing both government and contractor personnel
• Pentagon or HQDA staff experience strongly preferred
• Expert knowledge of Army logistics systems (GCSS-Army, SAAS Mod, LMP, property accountability systems)
• Deep understanding of Army Staff processes, decision-making forums, and organizational structure
• Comprehensive knowledge of DoD/Army IT acquisition, MAIS designation, and ATO processes
• Working knowledge of:
• Agile and traditional project management methodologies
• Enterprise architecture frameworks
• RPA and automation technologies
• DevSecOps and modern software development practices
• Portfolio management best practices
• PPBE and Army programming cycles
• Executive communication: Ability to brief and advise senior military officials
• Strategic thinking: Translate vision into actionable roadmaps
• Problem-solving: Navigate complex technical, organizational, and political challenges
• Facilitation: Lead effective meetings, workshops, and decision-making sessions
• Relationship management: Build trust and influence across organizational boundaries
• Time management: Prioritize competing demands in fast-paced environment
• Written communication: Produce clear, concise executive-level documents
• Emotional intelligence: Read situations, adapt approach, manage difficult conversations

Desired Skills/Experience

• Eligibility for Top Secret clearance
• Master’s degree
• SAFe, Scrum Master, or other Agile certifications
• PMP certification

The SMX salary determination process takes into account a number of factors, including but not limited to, geographic location, Federal Government contract labor categories, relevant prior work experience, specific skills, education and certifications. At SMX, one of our Core Values is to Invest in Our People so we offer a competitive mix of compensation, learning & development opportunities, and benefits. Some key components of our robust benefits include health insurance, paid leave, and retirement.

The proposed salary for this position is: $150,000—$235,000 USD

At SMX®, we are a team of technical and domain experts dedicated to enabling your mission. From priority national security initiatives for the DoD to highly assured and compliant solutions for healthcare, we understand that digital transformation is key to your future success.

We share your vision for the future and strive to accelerate your impact on the world. We bring both cutting edge technology and an expansive view of what’s possible to every engagement. Our delivery model and unique approaches harness our deep technical and domain knowledge, providing forward-looking insights and practical solutions to power secure mission acceleration.

SMX is an Equal Opportunity employer including disabilities and veterans.

Selected applicant may be subject to a background investigation and/or education verification.

SMX does not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization or immigration related support for this position (i.e. H1B, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, F-1 CPT, J-1, TN, E-2, E-3, L-1 and O-1, or any EADs or other forms of work authorization that require immigration support from an employer).