Government Contract Program Manager

We are seeking a highly experienced Program Manager (PM) to lead the execution and delivery of a large-scale, high-visibility federal government contract. In this role, you will be the primary point of contact for the government customer and technical stakeholders, taking full ownership of program execution from contract award through system deployment. The ability to communicate and translate information between the government customer and technical stakeholders, as well as communication to leadership will be an integral part of this role. You will perform all necessary program management functions, including rigorous deliverable tracking, baseline management, compliance reporting, schedule integration, and active risk mitigation. This role requires an individual who intimately understands the systems engineering lifecycle and can confidently steer a technical team through highly scrutinized formal milestones and cross-functional collaborations. Key Responsibilities Program Execution & Contract Management Contract Stewardship: Perform all necessary program management functions to ensure the vendor meets all contractual obligations, performance metrics, and cost targets. Deliverable Tracking & Reporting: Oversee the creation, quality control, tracking, and timely submission of all contract deliverables and mandatory reporting requirements (e.g., CDRLs). Milestone Tracking: Establish and maintain robust tracking mechanisms to ensure the program meets all critical schedule and technical milestones. Scope & Change Control: Establish rigorous configuration and change management protocols. Identify scope creep early and manage formal engineering change proposals (ECPs) or contract modifications as necessary. Schedule, Risk, & Collaboration Frameworks Integrated Master Schedule (IMS): Manage, analyze, and maintain the IMS to track dependencies, resource allocation, and critical paths across the entire program lifecycle. RIO Management: Implement and drive a proactive Risk, Issue, and Opportunity (RIO) management program to identify technical and programmatic roadblocks early, execute mitigation plans, and leverage program efficiencies. Technical Exchange Meetings (TEMs): Lead and participate in regular TEMs and Cross-Collaboration TEMs to synchronize engineering efforts, resolve complex technical challenges, and ensure crossfunctional alignment between multiple vendor teams and agency partners. Program Management Reviews (PMRs): Prepare for and facilitate recurring PMRs with government leadership to report on program health, financial status, schedule variance, and RIO posture. Lifecycle & Design Milestone Reviews Drive the program successfully through formal lifecycle milestones by organizing briefings, coordinating entry/exit criteria, and securing government sign-off for as needed.