If this sounds like the kind of environment where you can thrive, then keep reading because Leidos is seeking a qualified
Program Manager to join our team. The successful candidate will be a customer-focused Senior IT Program leader who thrives on complex, high-visibility federal transformation efforts.
*This position is onsite /hybrid. Candidates must reside within the DMV area, preferably near
Bethesda, MD, and
Gaithersburg MD.
Key Responsibilities:The Program Manager will own full contract performance across 10 integrated task areas spanning data center operations, network services, compute/storage/cloud (AWS, Azure, and GCP), enterprise services, laboratory IT support, cross-functional services, client advocacy, program/project management, and transition services.
Additional Duties: - Serve as the single point of accountability for overall program performance - scope, schedule, cost/budget, quality, staffing, and risk - across all 10 Task Areas of the contract.
- Own and maintain the Program Management Plan (PMP), Integrated Master Schedule (IMS), Risk Management Plan, Subcontractor Management Plan, Communications Plan, Staffing Plan, and Quality Assurance Plan (QAP).
- Lead the three-phase transition (Transition Planning, Transition, and Cutover to Managed Services), in coordination with the Transition Manager, including oversight of the GFP equipment buyout and the Ashburn data center lease takeover from the incumbent contractor.
- Represent Leidos at the Strategic Layer (Executive Committee) of the joint FDA/Contractor governance structure; support Tactical Layer (Steering Committee) and Operational Layer (weekly service delivery) governance as needed.
- Identify, align, and manage qualified resources across all contract task areas; maintain the contractor organizational chart and full personnel roster for FDA visibility.
- Direct and mentor a senior leadership team including the Deputy Program Manager, Transition Manager, Task Area Leads (Data Center Operations, Network Services, Cloud & Compute/Storage, Enterprise Services, Lab Support, Cross-Functional Services), Client Advocate/Technical Leads, Service Delivery Manager, Program Security Officer/ISSM, and Financial/Chargeback Manager.
- Drive the multi-cloud migration strategy (AWS, Azure, GCP landing zones) covering roughly 60% of FDA applications, while ensuring continued high-quality operation of the ~40% of workloads remaining in the Contractor-Owned, Contractor-Operated (COCO) data center environment.
- Establish and operate a simplified, transparent cloud/data-center chargeback ("pass-thru") model that FDA's individual Centers can readily understand and administer.
- Ensure staffing and skill levels remain adequate to meet FDA's service objectives; coordinate all contractor onboarding/offboarding and required training/certification compliance (e.g., FDA Records Management Training, Computer Security Awareness Training, IT Security Recertification).
- Own monthly and ad hoc reporting to the COR, including the Monthly Financial Report (MFR), performance-metric reporting against Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and responses to Government data calls, audits, and security assessments.
- Manage subcontractor and vendor relationships (including hyperscale cloud providers and legacy ITSM tool vendors) to ensure integrated, seamless service delivery.
- Proactively manage program risk, including the financial and operational risk inherent in transitioning from a T&M/GOCO structure to an FFP/COCO structure, aging on-premises infrastructure (White Oak), accrued technology debt, and reliance on third-party cloud providers.
- Lead Transition-Out planning and execution at contract end (or upon re-compete loss), ensuring an orderly, low-risk handover of services, assets, and documentation.
- Ensure compliance with FDA policies, procedures, and standards (including NARA records schedules and FDA Staff Manual Guides) and with all applicable federal acquisition and IT governance requirements.
Basic Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree and 12+ years of progressive experience managing large-scale federal IT infrastructure, data center, or managed-services contracts or a master's degree with 10+ years of prior relevant experience. Additional years of experience may be considered in lieu of degree.
- 7+ years in a Program Manager or equivalent senior leadership role on a program of comparable scope and value.
- Demonstrated success managing both Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) and Time & Materials (T&M) contract types, ideally including a T&M-to-FFP or GOCO-to-COCO (or similar ownership-model) transition.
- Proven experience overseeing large-scale IT transition/transformation efforts, including asset transfer, facility/lease takeover, or similar high-stakes transition activities.
- Strong working knowledge of hybrid/multi-cloud environments (AWS, Azure, and/or Google Cloud Platform) and of enterprise data center operations.
- Experience establishing and operating IT service governance structures (e.g., Executive/Steering/Operational committee models) with a federal civilian customer.
- Excellent executive communication, negotiation, and relationship-management skills, with demonstrated ability to serve as the primary customer-facing interface for a Contracting Officer, COR, and senior agency stakeholders.
- U.S. Citizenship.
- Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust.
- Project Management Professional (PMP), current and active.
Preferred Qualifications:- ITIL Foundation certification (or higher).
- Prior experience directly supporting FDA, another HHS operating division, or a comparable federal health/regulatory science agency.
- Experience with cloud cost-management/FinOps chargeback or showback models.
Original Posting:August 4, 2026
Pay Range:Pay Range $154,050.00 - $278,475.00
The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.
