
Aerospace & Defense Senior Acquisition & Sustainment Program Manager
MCLEAN, VAJob$149–248K/yrSeen 3 days agoSeen in employer's feed today
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At a glance
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Requirements
Credentials this posting asks for.
Job overview
The Senior Program Manager leads consulting engagements with Department of Defense clients to improve program operations and outcomes. The role supports acquisition and sustainment functions, aligns programs with cost, schedule, and performance objectives, and leads teams through execution. It also involves advising senior government stakeholders, managing program lifecycle activities, and identifying client challenges and solutions.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Benefits
Full job description
Job Family :
Operational Effectiveness Consulting
Travel Required :
Up to 25%
Clearance Required :
Active Secret
What You Will Do :
The Senior Program Manager will be responsible for leading and managing engagements with major Department of Defense (DoD) clients to improve operations and outcomes for major DoD Programs. As an experienced industry professional, the Senior Program Manager will be responsible for supporting Program Acquisition and Sustainment functions, driving alignment with cost/schedule/performance objectives, leading multiple teams of mid- and junior-level staff towards project execution, and identifying new client challenges to solve.
Additional responsibilities include:
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Lead and manage large-scale consulting projects for major DoD weapon systems, overseeing all phases of the program lifecycle, including acquisition, sustainment, and modernization activities.
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Serve as the primary point of contact for senior government stakeholders, providing strategic guidance and status updates.
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Develop and maintain integrated master schedules, risk management plans, and performance metrics.
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Coordinate cross-functional teams, subcontractors, and internal resources to achieve program goals.
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Identify and implement process improvements to enhance program efficiency and effectiveness.
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Engage with stakeholders across the client enterprise to build consensus and design solutions align with the client’s overall objectives
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Develop strategies to gain customer buy-in towards a common operating picture, solution architecture, and roadmap for execution
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Research and recommend cost-effective government-approved technologies, frameworks, and systems towards achieving the desired future state
What You Will Need :
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An ACTIVE and MAINTAINED "SECRET" Federal or DoD security clearance
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Bachelor's Degree
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TEN (10) or more years of experience with DoD organizations
What Would Be Nice To Have :
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Advanced degree in business, engineering, or related field
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FIFTEEN (15) or more years of experience in A&D or DoD production, acquisition, engineering and/or supply chain management
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Additional certifications in Program/Project Management and/or other relevant functional areas
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Experience in applying in-depth knowledge of A&D and/or DoD practices to improve operational performance and drive cost reductions and
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Experience managing programs for DoD weapon systems
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Experience with lifecycle logistics planning and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) operations
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Ability to work effectively in a dynamic, flexible, fast-paced environment
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Ability to excel in a dynamic organization, adapting and responding quickly to new information and/or evolving requirements
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Advanced proficiency with MS Office tools: Word, Excel, PowerPoint
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Experience managing complex programs, ideally in DoD or A&D
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Proven ability to manage complex projects, schedules, budges, and deliverables
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Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills
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Must be currently authorized to work in the country
The annual salary range for this position is $149,000.00-$248,000.00. Compensation decisions depend on a wide range of factors, including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, security clearances, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs.
What We Offer :
Guidehouse offers a comprehensive, total rewards package that includes competitive compensation and a flexible benefits package that reflects our commitment to creating a diverse and supportive workplace.
Benefits include:
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Medical, Rx, Dental & Vision Insurance
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Personal and Family Sick Time & Company Paid Holidays
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Position may be eligible for a discretionary variable incentive bonus
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Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance
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401(k) Retirement Plan
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Basic Life & Supplemental Life
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Health Savings Account, Dental/Vision & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
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Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
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Student Loan PayDown
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Tuition Reimbursement, Personal Development & Learning Opportunities
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Skills Development & Certifications
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Employee Referral Program
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Corporate Sponsored Events & Community Outreach
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Emergency Back-Up Childcare Program
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Mobility Stipend
About Guidehouse
Guidehouse is an Equal Opportunity Employer–Protected Veterans, Individuals with Disabilities or any other basis protected by law, ordinance, or regulation.
Guidehouse will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law or ordinance including the Fair Chance Ordinance of Los Angeles and San Francisco.
If you have visited our website for information about employment opportunities, or to apply for a position, and you require an accommodation, please contact Guidehouse Recruiting at 1-571-633-1711 or via email at [email protected] . All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodation.
All communication regarding recruitment for a Guidehouse position will be sent from Guidehouse email domains including @guidehouse.com or [email protected] . Correspondence received by an applicant from any other domain should be considered unauthorized and will not be honored by Guidehouse. Note that Guidehouse will never charge a fee or require a money transfer at any stage of the recruitment process and does not collect fees from educational institutions for participation in a recruitment event. Never provide your banking information to a third party purporting to need that information to proceed in the hiring process.
If any person or organization demands money related to a job opportunity with Guidehouse, please report the matter to Guidehouse’s Ethics Hotline. If you want to check the validity of correspondence you have received, please contact [email protected] . Guidehouse is not responsible for losses incurred (monetary or otherwise) from an applicant’s dealings with unauthorized third parties.
Guidehouse does not accept unsolicited resumes through or from search firms or staffing agencies. All unsolicited resumes will be considered the property of Guidehouse and Guidehouse will not be obligated to pay a placement fee.
How this job compares
Set against the 11,564 open Program Manager jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 5, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$149–248K/yr
- Virginia median$131–200K/yr449 salary ranges
- US median$120–202K/yr9,069 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $199K, is 20% above the Virginia median midpoint ($165K) — in the top quarter of Program Manager salary ranges in Virginia.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 571 open Program Manager jobs in Virginia and 11,564 across the US. 4% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 10 years of experience — more than three in four Program Manager postings that state a minimum ask for (median 6 years, across 9,888 postings).
- Education
- This posting asks for a bachelor's degree; 4,684 of the 11,564 open Program Manager jobs (41%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 5, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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