About You:

You are a seasoned national security leader who understands how technical programs transition from R&D efforts into deployable operational capabilities. You have a proven track record leading complex, multi-stakeholder national security, defense, or intelligence programs where emerging technologies must be integrated, assessed, governed, and fielded at operationally relevant speed. You excel at building and leading high-performing teams across government, industry, and mission-user communities, while balancing competing priorities related to security, intellectual property protection, technical interoperability, and mission outcomes. You are equally comfortable engaging senior Government executives, operational users, acquisition professionals, and technical leaders, translating strategic objectives into executable plans and measurable results. The ideal candidate brings experience establishing governance frameworks, managing classified integration environments, accelerating technology transition and ATO processes, and coordinating diverse vendor ecosystems within a neutral and trusted collaboration model. You thrive in dynamic, fast-paced environments where success depends on aligning technical innovation, mission requirements, and program execution to deliver operational capability, while maintaining rigorous standards for security, compliance, and stakeholder trust.

Position Overview & Responsibilities:

The Program Director will lead the strategic planning, execution, and growth of a trusted, neutral integration environment designed to accelerate the transition of mature technologies from development into deployable operational capabilities for national security missions. This leader will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of program execution, including governance, stakeholder engagement, technology transition, mission-based integration, operational-user collaboration, and ATO pipeline management. Working closely with Government, industry, and mission partners, the Program Director will drive the coordination of complex technical and operational activities across classified and unclassified environments while ensuring the protection of intellectual property, adherence to security requirements, and alignment with mission objectives. The successful candidate will foster collaboration among diverse stakeholders, lead high-performing multidisciplinary teams, and establish effective governance and execution frameworks that enable emerging capabilities to be integrated, assessed, accredited, and delivered at operationally relevant speed. Through strong leadership, strategic vision, and disciplined program management, the Program Director will ensure the integration environment serves as a trusted, mission-focused hub for accelerating adoption and strengthening national security outcomes.

This position is contingent upon contract award

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Lead the overall execution, growth, and strategic direction of the integration environment, ensuring alignment with Government objectives, Lines of Effort (LOEs), and mission priorities.
• Serve as the primary interface with Government leadership, including OSD, Joint Staff, Service, Combatant Command, and other national security stakeholders, providing program status, risk assessments, and recommendations.
• Direct the operation of a neutral, Government-owned, contractor-operated integration environment that enables rapid technology transition from prototype to operational deployment.
• Establish and maintain program governance structures, decision-making processes, and performance metrics that support transparent and effective execution across all mission activities.
• Lead a multidisciplinary team of cleared managers, technical leads, integration specialists, and operational subject matter experts supporting classified and unclassified activities.
• Ensure execution of a 90-day tech-to-ATO pipeline by coordinating technical, security, operational, and acquisition stakeholders to remove barriers and accelerate capability delivery.
• Oversee mission-based integration activities that evaluate emerging capabilities against operational use cases and mission requirements.
• Facilitate operational-user participation throughout the integration lifecycle to ensure solutions are relevant, effective, and aligned with mission needs.
• Lead efforts to identify, mitigate, and resolve programmatic, technical, operational, security, and schedule risks that may impact mission outcomes.
• Oversee program budgets, staffing plans, subcontractor performance, and resource allocation to ensure successful execution of all program objectives.
• Foster collaboration among Government organizations, industry partners, operational users, and technical teams to overcome technology transition barriers and accelerate mission capability delivery.
• Ensure all activities are conducted in accordance with applicable security, regulatory, acquisition, and compliance requirements.
• Build and maintain a culture of mission focus, operational excellence, accountability, innovation, and stakeholder trust across the organization.

Required Education, Certification, Skills, Capabilities:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, Systems Engineering, Business Management, Public Administration, National Security Studies, or a related field.
• Minimum of 15 years of progressive leadership experience managing complex defense, intelligence, homeland security, or national security programs.
• Proven experience managing programs involving systems integration, technology evaluation, operational testing, cybersecurity accreditation, DevSecOps, or capability fielding.
• Demonstrated success coordinating diverse stakeholder communities including senior Government leaders, operational users, acquisition organizations, technical teams, and industry partners.
• Strong understanding of DoD acquisition processes, capability development, requirements generation, systems engineering, cybersecurity frameworks, and technology transition mechanisms.
• Proven ability to manage program budgets, schedules, staffing, risk management, and performance metrics for large, complex initiatives.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams in classified environments supporting national security missions.

Desired Education, Certification, Skills, Capabilities:

• Master's degree in Engineering, Systems Engineering, Business Administration (MBA), Public Policy, National Security Studies, or a related field.
• Experience leading technology transition, integration, or innovation programs within the Department of Defense (DoD), Intelligence Community (IC), Homeland Security, or related national security organizations.
• Experience managing programs involving artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), autonomy, cyber, data analytics, cloud computing, digital engineering, space, communications, or C5ISR systems.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams responsible for systems integration, operational experimentation, mission assessment, and capability delivery.
• Experience developing and implementing governance models that balance mission requirements, security constraints, technical interoperability, and stakeholder interests.

Primary Work Location: Work will be performed in Arlington, VA, with the option for remote work in accordance with the Hybrid Work & Telecommuting Policy and mission requirements

Security:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance

Special Work Conditions:

• Travel to CONUS locations.
• Occasional work outside of corporate core business hours.

Salary Range: $225,000• $312,000 annually

Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation: VT-ARC is a 501(c)(3), non-profit R&D organization affiliated with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech or VT). Our mission is to provide superior analytic and technology solutions across multiple domains by leveraging Virginia Tech's multidisciplinary research and innovation ecosystem. With unique access to the broad and rich research enterprise found at Virginia Tech, VT-ARC forms multi-disciplinary teams to apply innovative solutions to the real-world problems that strain our social, political, industrial, and economic foundations.

To learn more about VT-ARC's Benefits, Perks, Culture & more visit our Careers page: https://vt-arc.org/careers/