Deputy Program Manager / Operations Lead
Position Type: Full-time
Location: Washington, DC Metro preferred; telework as approved
Clearance / Suitability: Secret preferred; ability to obtain and maintain Secret and DHS suitability required
Travel: Occasional travel required
Position Summary The Deputy Program Manager / Operations Lead supports the PM in daily contract operations and ensures the team remains synchronized across multiple concurrent CISA exercise, planning, reporting, and support activities. The role manages operational rhythm, staffing coordination, deliverable control, task tracking, calendar integration, and internal quality gates so the PM can maintain senior customer engagement and contract-level oversight.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities - Coordinate day-to-day task execution across exercise planners, SMEs, analysts, logistics staff, communications staff, and administrative support personnel.
- Maintain the master deliverable tracker, action item log, meeting schedule, exercise calendar, staffing calendar, and internal review cycle.
- Support development and update of the PMP, project schedule, staffing plan, QCP, continuity plan, and transition-out materials.
- Coordinate internal preparation for C&O meetings, IPMs, MPMs, FPMs, IPRs, MSEL synchronization meetings, execution events, hotwashes, and AAMs.
- Track Government requests for information, draft responses, route inputs for review, and ensure deadlines are met.
- Support monthly reporting by collecting task updates, schedule status, personnel status, risks, corrective actions, travel summaries, and financial inputs.
- Manage surge staff scheduling for onsite events, operations-based exercises, travel requirements, and post-event deliverables.
- Support quality assurance reviews to ensure deliverables are complete, formatted, technically accurate, and ready for Government submission.
- Coordinate continuity coverage when personnel are unavailable due to leave, travel, training, or clearance/suitability processing delays.
- Act on behalf of the PM for routine operational matters when delegated.
Required Qualifications - 7+ years of experience supporting federal program management, operations management, exercise support, or mission-support contracts.
- Experience coordinating complex multi-stakeholder schedules, events, meetings, deliverables, and reporting cycles.
- Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office 365, Teams, SharePoint, Excel, PowerPoint, and MS Project or similar scheduling tools.
- Experience supporting Government COR-facing communications, status reporting, action tracking, and deliverable management.
- Ability to manage competing priorities, short-turn requests, and multiple simultaneous exercise planning efforts.
- Strong written and oral communication skills.
Preferred Qualifications - PMP, CAPM, or equivalent project management training.
- Prior DHS, CISA, FEMA, DoD, or emergency management program support experience.
- Experience with HSEEP exercise lifecycle support.
Primary Deliverables / Work Products Supported - Inputs to PMP/QCP and project schedule
- Master action item and deliverable trackers
- Monthly report inputs
- Exercise calendar updates
- Staffing and surge support schedules
- Internal quality review records
