Program Manager - Federal Programs

Program Manager - Federal Programs

Must be a US Citizen with Active Secret Clearance, or the ability to obtain one.

Columbia, Maryland, Hybrid role can be located in MD, VA, or DC

@Orchard is assisting a Federal Contractor to add a strategic Program Management hire to their leadership team. The Program Manager will combine billable responsibilities with assisting the strategic direction of the firm as they seeks to grow. Our client is a Woman-Owner Small Business (WOSB) focused on the areas of digital transformation, data analytics, systems engineering, and cybersecurity. This is a hybrid role located in the Metro DC area, but will require visits to client sites and the company headquarters in Columbia, MD.

As the Program Manager, you will lead efforts across multiple project teams and be the guiding source for designing, developing, testing, implementing, and sustaining solutions in support of long-term business strategies. This role will integrate with all aspects of the business but will specifically oversee the program's engineering efforts for complex products and systems.

Responsibilities:

• Translate organizational strategy into program-level objectives, aligning scope with business goals, and identifying opportunities for innovation.
• Lead integration management by coordinating interdependent projects, aligning outcomes with program objectives, and managing cross-project dependencies and sequencing. Responsibilities include managing and leading comprehensive test efforts across hardware and software systems, developing detailed test plans, implementing automated testing solutions where appropriate, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure robust validation of complex systems.
• Drive stakeholder engagement by building trust with sponsors and cross-functional teams, managing expectations through consistent communication, influencing decisions with balanced insights, and leading key stakeholder meetings (e.g., TRR, IPT, TWG).
• Lead metrics and reporting by defining success indicators aligned with program goals, developing dashboards and reports to track KPIs, risks, and benefits, and providing detailed analysis of testing defects to inform design improvements and communicate insights to stakeholders.
• Manage resource allocation by planning across multiple projects, resolving constraints through trade-offs, and collaborating with functional leads to ensure team capacity and capability align with program needs.
• Implement a governance framework to manage scope, quality, and change while ensuring compliance with organizational policies, external regulations, and ISO standards, and maintaining audit readiness through strong documentation practices.
• Drive change management by partnering with change agents, addressing stakeholder resistance, and ensuring program alignment with established change management frameworks.
• Demonstrate strong financial acumen by managing program budgets, forecasts, and cost controls, tracking ROI and benefit realization, and proactively identifying financial risks and opportunities.
• P rovide coaching and mentorship to project managers and engineers by sharing best practices across projects and offering guidance on systems engineering, testing methodologies, tools, and professional development.

Required Skills:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college in a related discipline (i.e., Engineering, Science, Math, Computer Science, or the equivalent).
• 1 0+ years of Project/Program Management Experience (DoD Systems Experience is preferred).
• 10+ years of experience in systems engineering and testing. Experience with automated testing frameworks, tools, and CI/CD pipeline integration.
• Experience working with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP) and containerized environments (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes).
• Familiarity with cloud-based and virtualized environments for testing purposes.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, C++, Java, or similar.
• Strong understanding of machine learning, deep learning, and AI model development.
• Understanding of AI/ML frameworks and libraries (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, Keras).
• Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills, and leadership skills.
• Familiarity with Agile methodologies.
• Ability to obtain DOD Security Clearance.

Compensation will be based upon experience and an assessment of capabilities; the salary range is currently assessed to be between $140-190k. Our client offers full benefits, including a 401K plan.

Established in 2010, @Orchard has an exceptional reputation, providing staffing solutions to time-sensitive, talent scarcity issues to deliver better talent management ROI. Our specialty lies in the critical area of program talent acquisition and resource management, not in one narrow skillset, but across many areas of technical and functional delivery. To learn more about our other exciting opportunities, visit our Jobs Page at www.atorchard.com .