Program Manager

Program Manager

Washington, D.C. Metro - hybrid/remote

At Ardent, we hire people who want more than a job — they want to serve a mission that matters. Our teams support the federal government's most critical national security and defense priorities, helping protect the nation, strengthen resilience, and advance the technologies and capabilities that keep America secure. For veterans, cleared professionals, and purpose-driven innovators, Ardent is a place to continue serving alongside a team that understands the importance of the mission and the people behind it.

We also know top talent has choices, which is why we back our mission with benefits and flexibility that stand out: competitive pay, comprehensive health coverage, flexible PTO, federal holidays off, tuition reimbursement, professional development support, wellness stipends, and a culture that values and rewards hard work, dedication, and adaptability. If you want to build something meaningful, while enjoying the kind of flexibility and support that you need to do your best work — Ardent is where your next mission begins.

Ardent is seeking a Program Manager to lead and oversee delivery of Virtual Security Operations Center (vSOC) services. This role serves as the primary point of accountability for contract performance, service delivery, and stakeholder engagement. The Program Manager will ensure adherence to service level agreements (SLAs), oversee reporting and operational cadence, and maintain staffing continuity. This position requires strong leadership, program management expertise, and experience managing cybersecurity or IT service delivery in a federal environment.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for all contract deliverables and stakeholder engagement.
• Oversee vSOC operations to ensure performance against SLAs and contractual requirements.
• Manage program execution, including staffing, resource allocation, and service delivery.
• Provide weekly, monthly, and quarterly reporting on program performance and metrics.
• Coordinate incident escalation and ensure timely communication with stakeholders.
• Maintain staffing continuity and manage surge support as needed.
• Lead internal governance cadence and performance reviews.
• Ensure alignment between technical teams and customer expectations.
• Identify risks, issues, and opportunities for process improvement.
• Support contract compliance and ensure adherence to security and operational requirements.

Requirements:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Information Technology, Cybersecurity, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 5+ years of experience managing programs or projects within IT or cybersecurity environments.
• Experience managing service delivery in a SOC or similar operational environment.
• Experience overseeing SLAs, reporting, and performance metrics.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders effectively.

Preferred Qualifications:

• PMP or equivalent project management certification.
• CISSP or other cybersecurity-related certification.
• CIPP/US, CIPM, or other privacy-related certification.
• Experience supporting federal or government programs.
• Experience working in secure or compliance-driven environments.

Due to the nature of the work we support, all candidates in consideration for this role must be willing to undergo and maintain a government-issued background investigation process. We highly encourage all Veterans and those with disabilities to apply.

Ardent is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the bases of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other basis protected by state, local, or federal law.