Transition Manager

Computer World Services; Colorado Springs (CO); On-site; USD 103,000 - 138,000; Full time

Job summary

Computer World Services Corp. (CWS) seeks a Transition Manager to lead the phase-in of the CNECTS program for the US Space Force's 21st Communications Squadron.

You will plan and execute a 60-day transition with a phased cutover while onboarding ~400 cleared personnel and ensuring zero gaps in critical C2 and life-safety systems. The role requires ten years of IT program management experience, five years in federal contract transitions, and strong coordination with Government leadership,

Qualifications

• Ten years of IT program or project management experience, with at least five years leading federal IT service transitions.
• Experience recruiting, clearing, and onboarding a cleared technical workforce under tight deadlines.
• Knowledge of USAF/USSF squadron operations, AFNET and mission networks.
• Experience developing transition plans, schedules, risk registers, and government-facing status reports.
• Colorado Springs area experience preferred: Peterson, Schriever, or Cheyenne Mountain.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the CNECTS Transition Plan with phased sequencing and milestone criteria.
• Chair the Transition IPT and manage status reviews with leadership.
• Lead recruit-hire-clear-onboard pipeline for ~400 personnel with onboarding accuracy.
• Track hiring, clearance, onboarding, training, and DoDM 8140.03 status by position/site.
• Plan parallel operations to ensure zero-degradation of C2 and mission systems during cutovers.
• Capture mission-essential knowledge and establish a central knowledge repository.
• Coordinate asset turnover and validate baselines with Government.
• Enforce configuration management and prevent unauthorized changes.
• Coordinate with CFP and stand up operations integration.
• Liaise with incumbents, government staff, and partners; manage risk and reporting.
• Close-out and lessons learned; hand off to program manager.

Skills

IT program management

Transition planning

Staff onboarding

Security clearance processes

Risk management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Engineering, Business, or related field

Four additional years of directly relevant work may substitute for the degree

Job description

Computer World Services Corp. (CWS) seeks a Transition Manager to lead phase-in of the CNECTS program for the United States Space Force (USSF) 21st Communications Squadron (21 CS). CNECTS consolidates four legacy IT support contracts—Base Operating Support-IT (BOS-IT), the Cheyenne Mountain SFS 21 CS Communications contract, Wing Information & Communications Support (WICS), and Plans and Programs Engineering Design Support (PEDS)—into a single, integrated communications and IT enterprise supporting Peterson SFB, Schriever SFB, and Cheyenne Mountain SFS.

The Government has identified the transition itself as one of the program’s greatest risks. The Transition Manager will plan and execute 60-day phase-in and phased cutovers from four contracts with staggered end dates, while recruiting, clearing, and onboarding approximately 400 technical contractor personnel—all with zero gaps or degradation in support to critical Command and Control (C2), mission, and life-safety systems. The Transition Manager reports to the CNECTS Program Manager and serves as the primary point of contact for the Contracting Officer, COR, and 21 CS leadership on all transition matters.

Key Tasks & Responsibilities

• Transition Planning and Execution: Develop, maintain, and execute the CNECTS Transition Plan, including phased sequencing across the four legacy contracts and their staggered end dates, an integrated master schedule, milestones, entry/exit criteria, and Government decision points for each cutover.
• Transition Governance: Stand up and chair the Transition Integrated Product Team (IPT); conduct weekly status reviews with the CO, COR, and 21 CS leadership; maintain action, issue, and decision logs; and manage a defined escalation path so every phase has clear accountability.
• Workforce Transition: Lead the recruit–hire–clear–onboard pipeline for approximately 400 personnel in coordination with Recruiting, HR, and the Facility Security Officer, including incumbent capture, offer management, clearance transfers and visit requests, base access, CAC issuance, and network account provisioning.
• Workforce Readiness Tracking: Track and report hiring, clearance, onboarding, training, and DoDM 8140.03 qualification status by position, site, and contract so each work center is fully staffed and qualified before cutover.
• Zero-Degradation Continuity: Plan and oversee parallel operations, shadowing, and phased hand-offs with incumbent contractors to ensure uninterrupted support to C2 systems, mission systems, and life-safety capabilities (e.g., Giant Voice and emergency notification systems) throughout every transition phase.
• Knowledge Transfer and Retention: Direct the capture of mission-essential knowledge before incumbent personnel depart, including SOPs, legacy and mission-system documentation, configuration baselines, network diagrams, and workarounds for legacy systems lacking commercial replacement parts; establish a central knowledge repository.
• Asset and Baseline Turnover: Coordinate joint inventories and acceptance of equipment, spares, accounts, tools, licenses, open tickets, and work orders, and validate configuration baselines with the Government before acceptance of responsibility.
• Configuration Management Enforcement: Ensure no unauthorized network or system changes occur during transition by enforcing Government oversight and configuration management protocols across incoming staff, incumbents, and mission partners.
• Service Desk and Operations Integration: Coordinate with operations leads to stand up the consolidated Communications Focal Point (CFP), aligning intake, triage, and escalation processes across N/NC, Mission, and AFNET networks before legacy help desks are retired.
• Stakeholder Integration and Culture: Serve as primary liaison with incumbent contractors, Government civilian communications specialists, mission partners, and Technical Control Facilities (TCFs); foster a unified operational culture between the incoming workforce and the enduring Government team.
• Risk Management: Identify, assess, and mitigate transition risks—including workforce availability, clearance and onboarding timing, knowledge-transfer gaps, and contract overlap—and maintain a transition risk register with owners, triggers, and contingency actions.
• Transition Reporting and Metrics: Define and report transition performance indicators (staffing fill rate, clearance and onboarding cycle time, knowledge-transfer completion, service levels during cut-over) and provide near-real-time status to Government leadership.
• Close-Out and Hand-Off: Conduct transition close-out and lessons-learned reviews, hand off steady-state responsibilities to the Program Manager and functional leads, and maintain the phase-out plan to support continuity at contract end.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Engineering, Business, or a related field. Four (4) additional years of directly relevant work may substitute for the degree.
• Minimum ten (10) years of IT program or project management experience, including at least five (5) years leading transitions of federal IT services contracts, preferably DoD.
• Experience recruiting, clearing, and onboarding a cleared technical workforce under compressed timelines, including incumbent capture.
• Working knowledge of USAF/USSF communications squadron operations, AFNET and mission network environments, service desk operations, and configuration management practices.
• Experience developing transition plans, integrated master schedules, risk registers, and Government-facing status reporting under fixed-price contracts.
• Preferred: Prior experience supporting USSF or USAF installations in the Colorado Springs area (Peterson, Schriever, or Cheyenne Mountain).

Certifications

• Preferred: Project Management Professional (PMP) or Program Management Professional (PgMP).
• Preferred: ITIL 4 Foundation or higher (service transition).

Security Clearance

• U.S. citizenship required.
• Active DoD Top Secret clearance required at start of the phase-in period.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain Top Secret/SCI if required by the final DD Form 254 for access to Cheyenne Mountain or mission network areas.

Other (Travel, Work Environment, DoD 8570 Requirements, Administrative Notes, etc.)

• Remote work with frequent local travel to Peterson SFB, Schriever SFB and Cheyenne Mountain SFS (estimated 25%).
• Extended hours, evening, and weekend work may be required during cutover events and major transition milestones.
• This is a proposed Key Personnel position; candidates must be available to start at contract award and commit to the full phase-in and staggered transition period.
• Must be able to work in secure Government facilities and comply with installation access, OPSEC, and configuration management requirements.

$75 - $100 an hour

The offered rate will be based on the selected candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities and/or experience and in consideration of internal parity. The posted range is appropriate for a typical candidate meeting, at a minimum, all the core requirements of the position.

Computer World Services is an affirmative action and equal employment opportunity employer. Current employees and/or qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

Computer World Services is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Computer World Services will ensure that individuals with disabilities (IWD) are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Human Resources at [e-mail].