Senior Program ManagerTS/SCI clearance with ability to obtain TS/SCI/PolyAlexandria, VA The
Decision Advantage (DA) Business Area at Leidos currently has an opening for a TS/SCI cleared
Senior Program Manager in Alexandria, VA. This is an exciting opportunity to lead the delivery of mission optimization capabilities for a classified customer, applying agile software development practices to extend and tailor a mature commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) product to meet demanding operational mission needs.
This leader will own day-to-day program execution-cost, schedule, technical performance, quality, and customer satisfaction-while serving as the primary interface to the customer's program office and mission stakeholders. The role blends hands-on agile program leadership with product thinking: balancing COTS product baseline alignment, mission-specific customization, release planning, and sustainment in a secure, fast-moving environment.
This position represents a critical opportunity to translate an existing, proven product into mission-optimized outcomes-delivering measurable improvements in planning, resource allocation, and decision speed for the end user, and positioning the program for follow-on scope and expanded mission adoption.
Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Serve as the single point of accountability for program execution, including cost, schedule, technical baseline, risk, quality, and customer satisfaction.
- Lead agile software delivery of an existing COTS product-owning release planning, backlog prioritization, sprint cadence, increment reviews, and definition of done in partnership with the product owner and technical lead.
- Manage the program financial baseline, including EAC/ETC development, monthly financial reviews, variance analysis, funding and staffing plans, and achievement of Annual Operating Plan (AOP) commitments.
- Engage directly with the customer's program office and mission users to build trusted relationships, translate mission optimization needs into prioritized requirements, and ensure delivery excellence and satisfaction.
- Balance COTS product baseline integrity against mission-specific customization-working with the product organization to determine what is configured, extended, or contributed back to the core product.
- Communicate clearly and proactively with leadership, employees, peers, and customers to ensure transparency and shared understanding of goals, risks, dependencies, and outcomes.
- Own risk and opportunity management, including identification, mitigation planning, and escalation of issues that threaten cost, schedule, or mission outcomes.
- Lead with a focus on team cohesion, collaboration, and a high-performance culture aligned to Leidos values and mission outcomes.
- Coordinate cross-functional efforts across Leidos-engineering, security, contracts, subcontracts, finance, talent acquisition, and the COTS product organization-to integrate capabilities and maximize mission and business outcomes.
- Ensure program compliance with all applicable security requirements, classification guidance, contractual obligations, and Leidos program management standards.
- Support organic growth by identifying follow-on and adjacent opportunities, contributing to capture and proposal efforts, and demonstrating past performance that strengthens recompete position.
- Travel as required to support customer engagements, program reviews, and execution activities.
Basic Qualifications- Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Business, or a related field and 12+ years of relevant experience; Master's Degree and 10+ years of relevant experience. (Four additional years of related experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.)
- Must be a U.S. Citizen with an active Top Secret/SCI clearance; must be willing and able to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI/Poly and program access.
- Demonstrated success managing software development programs with full cost, schedule, and technical accountability.
- Hands-on experience leading agile software development teams (Scrum, SAFe, Kanban, or similar), including backlog management, release planning, and iterative delivery to an operational user base.
- Experience executing programs within classified environments, including working within security constraints, classification guidance, and accredited development enclaves.
- Strong communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills-able to influence and align diverse stakeholders including customers, technical teams, and internal leadership.
- Proven ability to analyze, solve, and execute complex technical and business challenges while instilling confidence among customers, staff, and senior leadership.
- Demonstrated experience interviewing, hiring, staffing, and developing multi-disciplinary project teams.
- Bias for action with a willingness to personally engage at the point of execution-removing friction, driving decisions, and delivering outcomes at speed.
Preferred Qualifications- Experience delivering, integrating, configuring, or extending a COTS or commercial software product in a government or mission environment.
- Experience with mission planning, mission optimization, resource allocation, scheduling, or operations research-based decision support solutions.
- PMP, PgMP, Certified Scrum Master (CSM), SAFe Program Consultant (SPC), or equivalent certification.
- Experience with DevSecOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, cloud or hybrid deployment, and software ATO/accreditation processes in classified environments.
- Experience supporting Special Access Programs (SAPs) or other highly controlled environments.
- Working knowledge of multiple contract types (FFP, CPFF, T&M) and their impact on agile delivery and program financial management.
- Experience managing subcontractors, product vendors, and teaming partners across the Defense Industrial Base (DIB).
- Experience briefing senior internal and external stakeholders.
- Demonstrated success growing scope on an existing program through delivery performance and customer trust.
