Senior Project Manager/SAFe Release Train Engineer - Clearance Required

Cydecor is a premier Federal Government solutions provider, delivering differentiated innovations in mission systems and business platforms. We leverage leading-edge secure systems and software development, backed by industry-leading subject matter expertise, and business intelligence to enable decision-support and remain ahead of ever-evolving national security challenges. Our success rests squarely on three bedrock principles: People, our center of gravity; Mission, what inspires us; and an unyielding commitment to Excellence, what separates us.

About the role

We’re looking for an experienced Senior Project Manager/SAFe Release Train Engineer to run delivery across a multi-team Agile Release Train on a large Navy readiness reporting program. You’ll be the person who makes the train run — planning and facilitating PI Planning, holding the cadence, surfacing cross-team dependencies before they bite, and clearing the impediments that slow teams down. This is a hands-on facilitation and coaching role, not an administrative one. Because the organization is standing up its ART for the first time, you’ll be the resident SAFe expert from day one: setting up the ceremonies and the program board, coaching Scrum Masters, Product Owners, and teams, and owning the release path from development through production.

Responsibilities

• Plan and facilitate PI Planning end to end — preparation, team readiness, agenda, and the event itself — so every team leaves with a committed, aligned plan.
• Facilitate the recurring ART events — ART Sync (Scrum of Scrums and PO Sync), System Demos, and Inspect & Adapt — and keep the cadence predictable.
• Own the program board and the ART risk and impediment backlog. Surface cross-team dependencies early, elevate the ones that matter, and clear the blockers teams can’t clear themselves.
• Own the release path from development through production, coordinating with operations, test, and security gates so finished work reaches users without surprises.
• Coach the train. Build up the Scrum Masters, Product Owners, and teams; track the few flow metrics that reveal bottlenecks; and drive continuous improvement PI over PI.
• Stay current with SAFe practice, facilitation techniques, and Lean-Agile tooling, bringing useful changes back to the train and the program.
• Communicate delivery status, risks, and dependencies clearly — in writing and out loud — to teams, product, and program leadership.
• Build the train’s playbooks and reusable patterns — readiness checklists, facilitation guides, and templates — so the practice doesn’t live only in your head.
• Take ownership. When something is broken or missing, fix it or get it fixed.

Requirements

• Minimum 10 years managing complex software/IT development efforts, including team leadership, customer coordination, and directing execution of technical and program objectives.
• At least 3 years working as a Release Train Engineer, personally responsible for planning and facilitating PI Planning and all ART events for a multi-team Agile Release Train. Attendance or participation without ownership of PI Planning facilitation does not meet this requirement.
• Expert-level facilitation of the full SAFe event set: PI Planning, ART Sync (Scrum of Scrums and PO Sync), System Demos, and Inspect & Adapt.
• Proven success coaching Scrum Masters, Product Owners, and teams, and standing up or running an ART — ideally including a transition from team-level Scrum to SAFe.
• Current SAFe Release Train Engineer (RTE) certification (required). Able to serve as the organization’s SAFe subject matter expert with no ramp-up and to train all ART roles.
• Bachelor’s degree in a technical field such as computer science, information systems, engineering, mathematics, or a related discipline. Master’s degree desired. Equivalent additional relevant experience may substitute for the degree.
• DoD Secret Clearance.

Nice-to-have

• SAFe Practice Consultant (SPC) certification.
• Experience using Azure DevOps (ADO) for ART planning and tracking.
• Experience scaling Agile across multiple teams in a regulated, security-gated delivery environment.
• Prior U.S. Navy experience, especially with Navy readiness reporting or U.S. Navy staff officer experience.
• Prior work on DoD or Navy software programs.
• Lean Six-Sigma Black Belt.
• CMMI Process Quality Assurance experience.

Schedule

Monday through Friday, 8 hours per day.

Pay

The projected compensation range for this position is $145,000–170,000. There are numerous factors that can impact a final salary/hourly rate including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, skills and competencies that align to the role, work location, education/certifications, and a contract's Labor Categories.

Benefits

• Health and Dental Insurance.
• Vision and Life Insurance.
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability.
• 401(K) + company match.
• Paid Time Off (PTO).
• Paid Company Holidays.
• Tuition and Professional Development Assistance.

Company values

We have an unwavering commitment to diversity with the aim that every one of our people has a full sense of belonging within our organization. As a business imperative, every person at Cydecor has the responsibility to create and sustain an inclusive environment.