Program Associate

Senior Program AssociateWe are a mission-driven, detail-oriented Senior Program Associates to support high-priority initiatives for a defense sector client. This role is ideal for professionals with 2-3 years of experience who can independently own defined workstreams, produce high-quality, decision-ready deliverables, and coordinate effectively across complex government, military, civilian, and industry stakeholder environments.Financial Management specialty: You will work closely with the Government business manager and program leadership to execute resource alignment, modernize financial planning, manage budget and performance information, and translate complex spend data into actionable mission insights. You will also support a structured action cell using Dcode's RAIC methodology to streamline acquisition and improve decision-making. An acquisition or defense contracting background is preferred; prior military service is not required.Duty Station: Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WASalary range: $79,000 to $98,000 plus bi-annual bonusesTop Secret clearance is strongly preferred. Eligibility for clearance is required.Key ResponsibilitiesProgram Delivery & Client SupportExecute defined workstreams with appropriate guidance, ensuring timely and high-quality delivery of outputs.Develop clear, structured deliverables - including briefings, analyses, frameworks, reports, and program artifacts - that support client decision-making and program progress.Support day-to-day client interactions through meeting preparation, note-taking, action tracking, stakeholder follow-up, and synthesis of inputs.Build a strong understanding of client mission priorities and connect day-to-day activities to broader organizational goals.Contribute to agile, sprint-based execution cycles while managing multiple tasks, changing priorities, and dependencies.Anticipate potential issues, recommend practical solutions or process improvements, capture lessons learned, and help refine tools, frameworks, and methodologies.Financial Management & Resource AlignmentWork with the Government business manager and program stakeholders to execute resource alignment and ensure fiscal activities directly support mission objectives.Track and analyze budgets, spend, performance metrics, cycle time, throughput, and decision velocity to improve leadership visibility and resource decisions.Translate complex financial and spend data into clear, actionable insights for program leadership and other non-finance stakeholders.Conduct discovery and analysis across acquisition, funding, and requirements processes to identify bottlenecks, gaps, risks, and opportunities.Support development of ROI and impact models, risk assessments, down-select frameworks, transition-readiness assessments, and future investment strategies.Support the design, documentation, and validation of financial operating models, workflows, governance structures, decision frameworks, and repeatable playbooks.Coordinate inputs among finance, acquisition, contracting, program, and mission stakeholders to maintain accurate status, resolve issues, and keep actions moving.Skills and ExperienceRequired Skills and Experience2-3 years of relevant professional experience in consulting, government, defense, operations, finance, program delivery, or a related field.Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to structure ambiguous problems and develop practical next steps.Experience producing high-quality, client-ready deliverables using PowerPoint, Excel, and written reports.Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the judgment to tailor information for working teams and senior leaders.Ability to manage multiple tasks, priorities, stakeholders, and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.Familiarity with or interest in government acquisition, innovation, technology integration, and mission delivery.Comfort working in agile, iterative delivery environments with evolving requirements.Demonstrated ownership, attention to detail, follow-through, and a proactive approach to identifying and resolving issues.Financial Management Specialty QualificationsDemonstrated proficiency in financial management, budget tracking, spend analysis, performance measurement, and data analysis that supports resource alignment and ROI modeling.Ability to bridge technical finance teams, a Government business manager, and program leadership by translating complex financial data into actionable mission insights.Experience developing or maintaining financial trackers, resource-allocation views, forecasts, decision-support analyses, or related management products.Familiarity with government acquisition and defense contracting is preferred, including an understanding of how funding, requirements, and contract actions interact. Prior military service is not required.You'll Excel in This Role If You:Take ownership of your workstreams and consistently deliver high-quality outputs.Are proactive in identifying problems, coordination gaps, resource issues, and thoughtful solutions.Can connect day-to-day tasks, financial decisions, and operational actions to broader mission and organizational priorities.Thrive in structured but fast-moving environments with evolving requirements and multiple stakeholders.Communicate clearly, maintain attention to detail, and create reliable follow-through without waiting for continuous direction.Are curious, adaptable, resilient, and eager to learn in a mission-driven setting.Additional InformationWe look for resilient hustlers:Our CEO busted her face on the balance beam in college and got back up... our CRO has knocked on a thousand doors, was rejected 999 times, and kept on knocking... What is your story?Equal Opportunity StatementWe provide equal opportunity to all persons without regard to ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, family or parental status, national origin, veteran, or disability status. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.We believe diversity is a strength and aim to build an innovative and welcoming culture where people from all backgrounds feel respected and included. We believe that true innovation happens when everyone has the tools, resources, and opportunities to excel.