Senior Program Manager (Army)

Appian Corporation; McLean (VA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 350,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan with company match

Paid parental leave

Healthcare benefits

Job summary

Appian Corporation, a leader in AI-powered automation for government operations, seeks a Senior Program Manager for the Public Sector practice. You will lead a $13M+ services portfolio supporting U.S. Army modernization efforts with a 50+ person multidisciplinary team.

This role partners with senior military leadership to drive strategy, execution, and enterprise automation across defense and civilian platforms.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field.
• 15+ years of program management experience leading complex technology modernization in DoD or federal agencies.
• Managed teams of 50+ resources and over $13M in annual services revenue.
• Hands-on leadership of software modernization using agile methodologies and AI‑assisted generation.
• US Citizenship with ability to obtain Top Secret clearance in the future.
• Willingness to travel to client sites.

Responsibilities

• Lead Portfolio Delivery across onboarding, adoption, value realization, and renewal.
• Drive opportunity identification, solutioning, and capture including RFI/RFPs for Army accounts.
• Engage with senior government stakeholders on direction, requirements, and contracts.
• Incorporate AI-powered automation to accelerate program delivery and quality.
• Monitor program metrics, agile velocity, health scores, and P&L.
• Mentor and lead a high-performing team of PMs, architects, and engineers.

Skills

Program management

Leadership

Agile methodologies

AI in PM

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Salesforce

ServiceNow

Job description

Here at Appian, our values of Intensity and Excellence define who we are. We set high standards and live up to them, ensuring that everything we do is done with care and quality. We approach every challenge with ambition and commitment, holding ourselves and each other accountable to achieve the best results. When you join Appian, you’ll be part of a passionate team dedicated to accomplishing hard things, together.

Drive high-impact technology modernization and mission success across Army programs through AI-Powered Process Automation.

Location: McLean, VA | Work Model: On-site (5 days/week or on customer site)

About the Team

The Appian Public Sector team enables US Federal agencies to modernize mission-critical operations through Enterprise-Grade Orchestration. We combine industry-leading software capabilities with deep public sector expertise to deliver agile, high-value outcomes for government leaders. By accelerating software delivery and simplifying complex workflows, our team directly drives operational readiness and digital transformation across defense and civilian platforms.

The Opportunity

As a Senior Program Manager within Appian’s Public Sector practice, you will lead a $13M+ services portfolio supporting complex technology modernization for the U.S. Army. You will serve as a strategic partner to senior military leadership and oversee a multidisciplinary team of 50+ resources, driving program growth, account strategy, and solution delivery. If you are looking to combine customer advocacy with strategic execution to help government stakeholders solve their toughest operational challenges, this is your opportunity to shape the future of enterprise automation at Appian.

What You’ll Do

• Lead Portfolio Delivery: Design, implement, and optimize a portfolio of customer success projects across onboarding, adoption, value realization, and contract renewal.
• Drive Business & Sales Strategy: Lead opportunity identification, solutioning, and capture activities—including RFI/RFP responses for new opportunities and existing Army accounts.
• Partner with Government Leadership: Engage, influence, and negotiate with senior government stakeholders on program direction, technical requirements, and contract strategies.
• Accelerate Delivery via AI: Drive innovation into program execution, incorporating AI-Powered Process Automation and AI-enabled code generation techniques to increase delivery velocity and solution quality.
• Manage Operations & Financials: Monitor and report on key program metrics, including agile delivery velocity, customer health scores, resource utilization, and program P&L.
• Empower People: Mentor and lead a high-performing team of project managers, architects, and engineers to foster a culture of continuous improvement and delivery excellence.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Experience: Minimum of 15+ years of experience in program management leading complex technology modernization initiatives within the Department of Defense (specifically Army) or relevant federal agencies.
• Scale & Financial Oversight: Proven track record of managing program teams of over 50 resources and overseeing over $13M in annual services revenue.
• Methodologies & AI: Hands‑on leadership experience delivering software modernization programs using agile methodologies and AI‑assisted application generation.
• Clearance & Citizenship: US Citizenship required, with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret government clearance in the future.
• Mobility: Willingness to travel to client sites as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certifications: Active PMP, PgMP, or agile certifications (SAFe Agilist, Certified Scrum Master).
• Enterprise Ecosystem Experience: We value experience with enterprise platforms such as Salesforce or ServiceNow, as these skills translate exceptionally well into our Enterprise-Grade Orchestration environment.
• Strong negotiation skills with demonstrated experience managing large-scale federal fixed-price and T&M contracts.

The base salary range provided represents a good faith and reasonable estimate of the range at the time of posting. In addition to the base salary, this position is eligible for a government clearance differential. Actual compensation will be dependent on a number of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s relevant work experience, qualifications, internal peer equity, and market and business conditions that exist when extending an offer. A discretionary bonus may be awarded in recognition of individual and company performance.

In addition, Appian provides generous benefits offerings that include a 401(k) plan with company match, flexible time off, paid parental leave, medical, dental, and vision plans, life insurance, disability insurance, wellness programs, flexible spending accounts, health savings account contributions, an employee referral bonus program, and learning and development resources. Certain positions may be eligible for equity awards.

Pay and benefits are subject to change at any time, consistent with the terms of any applicable compensation, commission, bonus, or benefit plans.

Base Salary Range

$175,000 - $350,000 USD

Tools and Resources

• Training and Development: During onboarding, we focus on equipping new hires with the skills and knowledge for success through department-specific training. Continuous learning is a central focus at Appian, with dedicated mentorship and the First-Friend program being widely utilized resources for new hires.
• Growth Opportunities: Appian provides a diverse array of growth and development opportunities, including our leadership program tailored for new and aspiring managers, a comprehensive library of specialized department training through Appian University, skills based training, and tuition reimbursement for those aiming to advance their education. This commitment ensures that employees have access to a holistic range of development opportunities.
• Community: We’ll immerse you into our community rooted in respect starting on day one. Appian fosters inclusivity through our 8 employee-led affinity groups . These groups help employees build stronger internal and external networks by planning social, educational, and outreach activities to connect with Appianites and larger initiatives throughout the company.

Appian offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, wellbeing, and financial future. Benefits may include health coverage, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with free mental health support, life and disability insurance, an Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), a retirement/pension plan, wellness dollars, tuition reimbursement, family-forming benefits and more. Benefits vary by country—please ask your Talent Acquisition contact for details specific to the location you are applying to.

About Appian

Appian provides AI automation for the most important business processes at the world’s largest organizations. Our platform is known for its unique power, reliability, and scale. We’ve been automating processes for more than 25 years and have proven expertise in enterprise operations. For more information, visit appian.com .

Appian is an equal opportunity employer that strives to attract and retain the best talent. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Appian provides reasonable accommodations to applicants in accordance with all applicable laws. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at [e-mail] . Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.

We use artificial intelligence tools to assist our recruiting team in reviewing applications, screening and filtering resumes, assessing qualifications, and identifying whether a candidate possesses skills relevant to this position. The system evaluates candidate-provided data against predefined job requirements and competencies. Please be advised that this process does not involve automated rejection or hiring decisions. AI tools function as preliminary screening aids. Human personnel review all recommendations and retain final authority over who advances in the hiring process.

You have the right to request an alternative evaluation process.