Deputy Program Manager

C5MI is not your typical consulting firm. We are a high-performance team of SAP and supply chain experts who solve complex, mission critical challenges for organizations that cannot afford failure. We hire consultants who thrive in complexity, move fast, take ownership, and deliver under pressure. At C5MI, you will not be siloed or stuck in theory. You will be hands on, client facing, and directly influencing outcomes that matter. Our culture rewards initiative, accountability, and continuous growth. This is a place where your expertise is valued, your work is meaningful, and your performance truly matters. If you’re energized by learning through real-world challenges, collaborating with top-tier talent, and expanding your capabilities every day, C5MI is where strong consultants level up. Position Summary The Deputy Program Manager is the senior delivery leader for a large-scale, greenfield SAP S/4HANA financial management modernization program for a Department of War (DoW) organization, accountable for day-to-day execution of the program baseline and fully empowered to assume the duties and authorities of the Program Director in the Program Director’s absence. This position leads the program management office, directing process area project managers, integrated master schedulers, project controls, and agile delivery staff, and owns the operating rhythm that keeps nine concurrent financial process areas aligned to a five-gate milestone structure. The Deputy Program Manager translates program strategy into executable plans, owns cost and schedule performance at the workstream level, manages the risk and issue register, and ensures every contractual deliverable is produced on time and at quality. Note: This position is contingent upon contract award. Essential Functions & Responsibilities Directs day-to-day program execution across all nine financial process areas, ensuring scope, schedule, cost, and quality commitments are met at each milestone gate. Assumes full Program Director responsibilities and decision authority during the Program Director’s absence. Leads and develops the program management office, including process area project managers, integrated master schedulers, project controls analysts, and agile delivery leadership. Owns the integrated master schedule, critical path analysis, dependency management, and schedule risk assessment across concurrent process area workstreams. Owns the program risk and issue register; drives mitigation planning, ownership assignment, burn-down tracking, and escalation of material risk to the Program Director and government leadership. Manages cost performance at the workstream level in partnership with program cost and earned value management staff; reviews forecasts, variance explanations, and estimates at completion. Directs production, quality review, and on-time delivery of all contract data requirements list (CDRL) deliverables, monthly status reports, and milestone review artifacts. Governs staffing and onboarding for the program, including position requisition, clearance processing, resource ramp plans, and utilization management against approved labor parameters. Coordinates subcontractor and teaming partner execution, including statement of work adherence, deliverable acceptance, invoicing review, and integration into the program schedule. Establishes and enforces the program operating rhythm, including stand-ups, sprint and increment planning, program management reviews, change control board, and government working group participation. Prepares and leads milestone gate reviews, including pre-design approval, preliminary design review, critical design review, production readiness review, and closeout. Ensures program performance against the performance work statement and quality assurance surveillance plan metrics, and drives corrective action where performance trends adverse. Coordinates cutover, go-live, and hypercare planning with release management, functional delivery, and data migration leadership. Ability to travel up to 50% to client sites, varying based on client program schedules. Adheres to all certified processes as part of our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of quality and information security, which includes actively participating in quality assurance activities and ensuring the protection of sensitive information in accordance with our security policies. Performs other related tasks as assigned by direct supervisor. Minimum Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in a related field (Master’s degree a plus); 10-15 years of professional experience and 5-8 years of people leadership experience with a Bachelor’s degree, or 14-18 years of professional experience and 8-11 years of people leadership experience without a degree. People leadership experience must include experience managing other people leaders. 8+ years of federal program or project management experience, including experience on defense programs with formal milestone review and government acceptance processes. Demonstrated experience as a deputy program manager, delivery manager, or equivalent senior delivery leader on an enterprise system implementation. Experience leading a program management office, including direct supervision of project managers, schedulers, and project controls personnel. Demonstrated proficiency with integrated master schedule development and management, critical path analysis, and schedule risk assessment. Experience managing formal risk registers, corrective action plans, and government-facing status reporting. Experience with both Agile and traditional (waterfall/hybrid) delivery methodologies in a regulated environment. Experience coordinating subcontractors and teaming partners on a multi-vendor delivery team. PMP certification or equivalent program management certification required. Secret security clearance required: must hold an active Secret clearance or be able to obtain and maintain one prior to assignment (requires U.S. citizenship). Nice to Have: Active Secret security clearance at time of hire. Experience delivering SAP ECC or SAP S/4HANA implementations in a federal or defense environment. Experience delivering within the SAP Activate methodology using a fit-to-standard, clean-core approach. SAFe Agilist, SAFe Release Train Engineer, or equivalent scaled agile certification. Familiarity with federal financial audit drivers, including the Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness (FIAR) methodology, DoD 7000.14-R (Financial Management Regulation), and FFMIA. Experience with earned value management systems (ANSI/EIA-748) or equivalent performance measurement baselines. Experience supporting contract data requirements list (CDRL) and data item description (DID) deliverable production. Compensation: In accordance with pay transparency law, the expected salary range for this position is $140,000 – $160,000 annually. The actual compensation offered will be determined based on factors such as the candidate’s experience, qualifications, skills, and location. We are committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. This posted range reflects our good faith estimate of the compensation we reasonably expect to offer for this role at the time of posting. Application Deadline: We anticipate this job posting will be posted until 12/31/2026. Benefits: C5MI offers a market competitive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability coverage, a 401(k) plan, bonus opportunities, paid holidays, and paid time off. See more information on our benefits here: C5MI Benefits Our employees are key to our success, so we strive to be more than just a team; we’re a community built upon a set of Core Values that guide our every action: Challenge – We believe in challenging the present – it’s the only way to shape the future. We must be exceptional communicators and collaborators while always learning. We also understand that speaking your mind requires equal parts brain (what to say), thoughtfulness (when to say it), and caring (how it’s said). Incremental won’t win. Have Fun – We are on a journey, together. Take care of your family, take care of yourself, and take care of each other. Live your happiness. Stay human, take care of each other and invest in your community. Life isn’t all about work. Live your happiness. Be healthy. All In – You can’t fake passion – show your energy. Own it – take charge and lead. Our team is made up of top quartile talent and we never accept second best. Accountability, trust, and integrity create an environment to realize the team’s true potential. Never Forget the Customer – We have walked a mile in your shoes. Experience matters. We drive innovation to generate business value. Be true – no BS. GSD (Get Stuff Done) – We take initiative and never make excuses. We act with urgency, and we delivery high quality outcomes with extreme velocity. We embrace process discipline, drive continuous improvement, and stay audit ready. We relentlessly execute and plan for tomorrow by creating sustainable outcomes. That is how we win! Empower – Our people are the foundation for our success. We recognize their value, and support them by fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation. We recognize individual strengths, build confidence through action, and invest in personal development. How to Apply: To apply for this position, use the application link provided in this job posting and complete the application and submit a resume. If the position requires a specific certification, please be sure to upload a copy of your certification when you apply. If you would like to be considered for employment opportunities with C5MI and have accommodation needs such as for a disability or religious observance, please call us toll free at View phone number on click.appcast.io or send us an email here or speak with your recruiter. C5MI is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, pregnancy-related conditions, and lactation), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. C5MI Insight