Bridge Team Program Manager

Job specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

SUMMARY:

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is seeking a collaborative and proactive, mission- driven Program Manager to support the Commercial Engagement, Portfolio Support Team. The Portfolio Support Team plays a central role in ensuring DIU’s portfolio companies are able to scale by identifying and offering tools and services that enable transitioning into DoD operations. Members of this team understand the systemic hurdles faced by new entrants to the defense industrial base and seek to contribute to their success. The team members interface with both internal DIU stakeholders and external vendors, partners, and portfolio companies.

KEY FUNCTIONS:

• Provide strategic and execution support to the Commercial Engagement Director and work collaboratively with peer PMs in Commercial Engagement and across the technology portfolios.• Oversight, management, and execution of programs that offer services to portfolio companies as designated by the Commercial Engagement Director which may touch on compliance, regulatory, or other barriers to scaling for companies developing prototypes.• Provide recommendations on how to enhance program performance.• Prepare project requirement documents, white papers, briefs, and meeting minutes.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and manage project timelines, budgets, milestones, and deliverables to ensure DIU Services enable scaling of DIU porfolio.• Collaborate closely with DoD stakeholders, end-users, and commercial vendors to define operational needs, translate them into technical requirements, and ensure alignment throughout the project lifecycle.• Evaluate vendor proposals, participate in selection decisions, and oversee performance and deliverables.• Represent DIU at interagency meetings, conferences, and stakeholder engagements to champion innovation and foster partnerships.• Contribute to internal process improvements and knowledge-sharing within the DIU community.• Identify barriers to DIU companies scaling and recommend thoughtful services that the Government can offer to enable transitioning.• Work across the enterprise to achieve objectives. This includes driving alignment across finance, contracts, legal, strategic communications, and other DIU PMs.• Develop program requirements documents to support program ideas and enable roadmap for execution.• Define program scope, goals, deliverables, and success metrics.• Proactively identify program risks and mitigation strategies and effectively communicate status and issues to leadership.• Manage and report on the performance and progress to delivery of acquired services.• Identify and track metrics/KPI’s to measure project effectiveness.• Develop and present recommended program improvements or modifications informed by environmental conditions, stakeholder feedback, experience, and execution results.• Maintain awareness and deep understanding of capabilities offered by commercial partners and other services offered by other DOD offices to help ensure deconfliction and that DIU is providing the most relevant services to its companies.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance (current clearance preferred)• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Engineering, Computer Science, Business, National Security); advanced degree preferred.• At least 5 years of relevant experience in project or program management, preferably in defense, national security, or emerging technology sectors.• At least 5 years of relevant experience in operations related to scaling prototype projects.• Strong understanding of challenges to scaling that new entrants to DoD experience.• Strong understanding of DoD acquisition frameworks and experience with rapid prototyping or Other Transaction Authority (OTA) processes.• Proven ability to manage complex, cross-functional teams and stakeholder relationships.• Excellent communication, negotiation, and organizational skills.• Familiarity with commercial technology sectors and emerging innovation trends.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• PMP or equivalent program management certification.• Experience working in DOD program executive offices.• Technical experience in one or more of DIU’s portfolio areas (AI/ML, autonomy,• cyber, energy, space, human performance).• Experience in transitioning prototypes to acquisition programs of record.• Ability to work in a dynamic team environment, interact with DoD Partners’ and• commercial contractors.• Experience in navigating defense-focused requirements including CMMC compliance, ATOs, FCLs, PCLs, etc.• Experience managing vendors through contracting mechanisms.• Ability to help improve the organization and collection of data associated with program execution.• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.• Strong organizational skills.• Experience with Salesforce PowerPoint/Google Slides, excel/Google Sheets, and the G-Suite platform.• Ability to take direction and respond to taskings while also maintaining the ability to act independently and responsibly with commercial executives and senior government stakeholders.

Experience in Secure Environments:

• Demonstrated experience working within secure environments, including Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs) or similar controlled-access spaces.• Familiarity with procedures for handling classified information and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in accordance with DoD security protocols.• Experience coordinating activities, meetings, and program execution within secure facilities while maintaining compliance with security requirements. * Proven ability to support or lead the establishment of new secure workspaces, including coordination with security, facilities, and IT stakeholders to ensure accreditation, compliance, and operational readiness.• Experience managing or supporting programs that require the build-out, activation, or expansion of secure environments, including aligning project timelines, security requirements, and mission needs.• Ability to operate effectively within security-constrained environments while maintaining program execution, stakeholder coordination, and compliance with DoD requirements.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

This position may require occasional travel. The role involves working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment with government, military, and commercial partners.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential functions may require maintaining physical condition necessary for frequently bending, stooping, sitting, walking or standing for prolonged periods of time; most of time is spent sitting in a comfortable position with the opportunity to move about. Occasionally there may be a need to move or lift moderately light items up to 35 pounds. Near visual acuity to review written documentation, ability to hear and understand speech at normal room levels and on the telephone; manual dexterity to operate a telephone and keyboard; lift horizontally and vertically.

WORK ENVIORNMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The job is performed in an office setting with exposure to computer screens and requires extensive use of a computer, keyboard, mouse and multi-line telephone system. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILIITES:

• None

ADDITIONAL QUALIFYING FACTORS:

As a condition of employment, must pass a pre-employment drug screening, as well as have acceptable reference and background check results.