Senior Program Manager

Program Manager - Senior

Lead the programs shaping next-generation Air Force capabilities - Where program leadership drives mission success

Location: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio (On-Site; GSU travel possible)
Industry: Department of Defense
Salary: $120,000-$125,000
Employment Type: Full-Time
Clearance: Active TS/SCI with SCI eligibility required; SAP access as required

Overview:
The Senior Program Manager will lead program-management execution for Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) research and technology portfolios at Wright-Patterson AFB. Serving as a senior program-management authority, this position will drive cost, schedule, performance, acquisition, and risk-management activities across complex technical programs while ensuring execution remains aligned with approved Acquisition Program Baselines (APBs), DoD requirements, and mission objectives.
This is a key leadership position for an accomplished DoD Program Manager who brings extensive experience supporting highly classified programs, including Special Access Programs (SAP). You will work directly with Government leadership, technical teams, acquisition professionals, and other stakeholders while mentoring Journeyman Program Managers and helping maintain the health and execution of critical Air Force research portfolios.

Responsibilities & Duties:

• Lead the execution and management of complex technical programs within approved Acquisition Program Baselines and in accordance with DoD 5000-series directives and Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) guidelines.
• Provide senior-level oversight of cost, schedule, performance, risk, acquisition, and program execution across assigned research and technology programs.
• Own and oversee resource-loaded Integrated Master Schedules (IMS) developed in Microsoft Project and integrated with applicable Work Breakdown Structures (WBS).
• Direct monthly schedule updates and integrate program status across the portfolio to provide leadership with clear visibility into program performance.
• Analyze program-health metrics, including cost and schedule variance, and identify potential impacts to program objectives.
• Serve as the primary program-management briefer during Program Management Reviews (PMRs), milestone decision briefings, and other senior-level reviews.
• Direct program risk-management activities in accordance with the DoD Risk, Issue, and Opportunity (RIO) Guide.
• Ensure High and Moderate program risks are identified, documented, tracked, and supported by appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Develop, review, and quality-assure critical DoD acquisition documentation, including Acquisition Program Baselines, milestone decision materials, and acquisition strategy documentation.
• Develop and review Request for Proposal (RFP) inputs, source-selection strategies, evaluation criteria, and supporting program analyses.
• Provide senior-level support for source-selection planning, acquisition activities, and program decision-making.
• Direct the development and maintenance of Systems Modeling Language (SysML) models within the Magic Cameo Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) environment.
• Ensure program and technical models remain current following Technical Reviews and Government-approved changes.
• Lead program communications, action-item management, deliverables, and Government taskers to ensure requirements are completed accurately and on time.
• Coordinate across Government leadership, engineering, acquisition, contracting, and technical organizations to maintain alignment across program objectives.
• Mentor Journeyman Program Managers, review work products, provide quality assurance, and strengthen program-management execution across the portfolio.

Qualifications:

• Master's degree required.
• Active Project Management Professional (PMP) certification required.
• Minimum of 10 years of Department of Defense cost and schedule management experience required.
• Five years of Special Access Program (SAP) experience required.
• Active U.S. Government TS/SCI clearance with SCI eligibility required.
• U.S. citizenship required; permanent residency does not meet program requirements.
• Extensive experience managing complex technical programs within a DoD acquisition environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing program cost, schedule, performance, risk, and acquisition requirements.
• Experience developing and managing resource-loaded Integrated Master Schedules and Work Breakdown Structures.
• Experience evaluating cost and schedule variance and communicating overall program health to senior stakeholders.
• Experience developing, reviewing, or managing DoD acquisition and source-selection documentation.
• Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Program Management certification with ability to obtain DAWIA Advanced/Level III within 24 months of appointment.
• Ability to obtain and maintain required Special Access Program access.
• Strong understanding of DoD acquisition processes, program baselines, milestone requirements, and risk-management principles.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365, including Outlook, Word, Excel, OneNote, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Teams.
• Proficiency with Adobe Acrobat and ability to independently troubleshoot basic software and administrative-system issues.
• Ability to complete required security-awareness and Level I Operations Security (OPSEC) training within 30 days.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with the ability to brief senior Government and program leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and provide quality oversight to other program-management professionals.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience serving as a Lead or Senior Program Manager supporting a DoD research, development, engineering, or acquisition organization.
• Prior Air Force or Air Force Research Laboratory program-management experience.
• Demonstrated experience developing DoD source-selection strategies and evaluation criteria.
• Experience supporting RFP development and acquisition planning.
• Advanced experience with resource-loaded scheduling in Microsoft Project.
• Experience with earned-value management, cost and schedule variance analysis, and portfolio-level program-health reporting.
• Strong working knowledge of the DoD Risk, Issue, and Opportunity (RIO) management process.
• Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) experience.
• Systems Modeling Language (SysML) experience.
• Experience managing technical or program portfolios within the Magic Cameo MBSE environment.

Why Join Our Mission:

• Lead programs supporting the Air Force Research Laboratory and the development of next-generation defense capabilities.
• Serve in a highly visible leadership role where your decisions directly influence cost, schedule, performance, risk, and mission execution.
• Work alongside Government leaders, engineers, acquisition professionals, and technical experts supporting advanced research and technology programs.
• Apply your DoD and Special Access Program experience to highly classified programs where proven leadership and sound judgment matter.
• Take ownership of complex program portfolios from planning and acquisition through execution and milestone decisions.
• Shape program strategy while mentoring the next level of DoD program-management professionals.
• Expand your experience across acquisition strategy, source selection, integrated scheduling, risk management, and Model-Based Systems Engineering.
• Bring your program-management expertise to an environment where successful execution directly supports future Air Force capabilities.

SRG4 Government Services is a leading provider of information technology, training, engineering, accounting, and intelligence analytical services for agencies in the intelligence, defense, homeland security, cybersecurity, and federal civilian markets. SRG4 utilizes an innovative approach to identify and qualify talent that is unique to the federal contracting industry, featuring a cutting-edge platform that allows us to rapidly and precisely match professionals to client requirements. We have a proprietary database of over one million candidates and maintain continuous contact with our qualified talent.

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