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 is seeking a collaborative, proactive, and mission-driven Program Manager to support the Commercial Engagement Portfolio Support Team. This role requires a seasoned professional with demonstrated experience supporting DoD missions, managing complex program execution, coordinating across geographically dispersed teams, and operating effectively within secure, controlled-access, or security-constrained environments. The ideal candidate will bring practical experience supporting DIU or DIU-adjacent innovation activities, working across multiple portfolios or functional teams, and helping government stakeholders translate operational needs into executable services, requirements, timelines, and measurable outcomes.

The Portfolio Support Team plays a central role in helping DIU portfolio companies overcome barriers to scaling and transition into DoD operations. The Program Manager will support services, coordination activities, and execution mechanisms that enable portfolio companies to better navigate DoD requirements, stakeholder expectations, secure-environment constraints, and operational pathways to adoption. This position requires a professional who can work across commercial engagement, technology portfolios, finance, contracts, legal, strategic communications, facilities, security, and government mission partners while maintaining a disciplined program management approach.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide strategic and execution support to the Commercial Engagement Director and work collaboratively with peer Program Managers across Commercial Engagement, DIU portfolios, and enabling functions. • Support oversight, management, and execution of programs and services that assist portfolio companies in scaling into DoD operations, including services related to compliance, secure environments, stakeholder coordination, operational readiness, and other barriers to transition. • Coordinate across distributed teams, government stakeholders, commercial partners, and internal DIU functions to maintain alignment, continuity, and execution momentum. • Provide recommendations to enhance program performance, improve service delivery, reduce execution risk, and strengthen portfolio company support. • Prepare project requirement documents, program plans, white papers, briefs, meeting minutes, status updates, and leadership-ready decision materials. • Develop and manage project timelines, milestones, budgets, deliverables, and execution plans to ensure DIU services enable the scaling and transition of portfolio companies. • Collaborate closely with DoD stakeholders, end users, commercial vendors, mission partners, and internal DIU teams to define operational needs, translate them into actionable requirements, and maintain alignment throughout the project lifecycle. • Contribute to internal process improvements, knowledge-sharing, documentation standards, and execution practices across the DIU community. • Identify barriers that limit portfolio company scaling, including operational, security, compliance, stakeholder, facility, or DoD process constraints, and recommend practical services or support mechanisms to address them. • Work across finance, contracts, legal, strategic communications, security, facilities, technology portfolios, and other DIU stakeholders to drive alignment and execution. • Develop program requirement documents, implementation roadmaps, coordination plans, and support materials to enable program ideas to move from concept to execution. • Define program scope, goals, deliverables, risks, mitigation strategies, success metrics, and reporting mechanisms. • Manage and report on the performance, progress, and delivery of acquired services. • Identify, track, and report metrics and key performance indicators to measure program effectiveness and inform leadership decisions. • Develop and present recommended program improvements or modifications informed by stakeholder feedback, environmental conditions, execution results, and lessons learned. • Maintain awareness of capabilities offered by commercial partners, DIU portfolios, and other DoD offices to support deconfliction and ensure DIU services remain relevant, practical, and mission-aligned.

EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION, AND LICENSURE:

• U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance; current or prior clearance preferred. • Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as business, healthcare administration, national security, operations, program management, or a related discipline. • At least 5 years of relevant experience in project management, program management, operations management, or mission support within defense, national security, healthcare, innovation, or government contracting environments. • Demonstrated experience supporting DoD customers, military organizations, government stakeholders, or interagency mission partners. • Experience coordinating work across geographically dispersed teams, multiple portfolios, or cross-functional organizations. • Proven ability to manage program execution, schedules, deliverables, personnel coordination, customer responsiveness, issue resolution, and stakeholder communication. • Experience operating in fast-paced, evolving mission environments where organizational priorities, reporting structures, or mission needs may change. • Strong ability to translate operational needs into actionable plans, requirements, documentation, timelines, and measurable outcomes. • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare briefs, meeting minutes, status updates, program plans, and leadership-facing materials. • Strong organizational skills, sound judgment, attention to detail, and ability to act independently while remaining responsive to direction and government priorities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience supporting DIU, NSIN, or similar DoD innovation organizations, portfolios, regional networks, or mission support teams. • Experience supporting programs through organizational transitions, realignments, integrations, or portfolio restructuring while maintaining continuity of operations. • Experience managing professional services contracts, contractor personnel, vendor performance, or support teams in a government or DoD environment. • Military leadership experience, senior noncommissioned officer experience, or equivalent operational leadership background. • Experience working with interagency, embassy, intelligence, military, diplomatic, security, or mission partner stakeholders. • Experience managing programs or support activities in high-pressure environments requiring disciplined execution, adaptability, and customer responsiveness. • Familiarity with DoD operational processes, government contracting support, rapid innovation environments, commercial technology adoption, or transition pathways for prototype capabilities. • Ability to improve organization and collection of data associated with program execution, performance reporting, and stakeholder coordination. • Experience with PowerPoint or Google Slides, Excel or Google Sheets, collaboration platforms, and standard business productivity tools.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS:

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the following essential functions.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Lead a team of approximately 10 contractors.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

This position may require occasional travel. The role involves working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment with government, military, commercial, security, facilities, and internal DIU partners. The position may require coordination across multiple locations, portfolios, and stakeholder groups.

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. The position may also require coordination within secure, controlled-access, or government-designated workspaces.

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 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 is required to review written documentation, hear and understand speech at normal room levels and on the telephone, use manual dexterity to operate a telephone and keyboard, and lift horizontally and vertically.

WORK AUTHORIZATION/SECURITY CLEARANCE:

DoD Secret or higher security clearance, or the ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance. U.S. Citizenship is required.

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.

BENEFITS:

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