Sr. Manager, Configuration Management

About the role

The Senior Configuration Data Management (CDM) Manager is an operational execution leader responsible for managing the government CDM team and implementing and operationalizing configuration management practices across government programs by deploying and sustaining CDM leadership-approved strategy, governance, standards, and tools. This role ensures deployment and consistent application of established expectations for data integrity, traceability, and change control across the product lifecycle, aligning with company, contractual, and regulatory requirements. The Senior CDM Manager provides cross-functional leadership, drives execution of CDM leadership-approved improvements, and influences program and functional leadership to adopt Configuration Management governance and practices.

The role represents the government CDM function to programs, customers, auditors, and external authorities and reports directly to the Director of Configuration Data Management. It includes direct people leadership for an approximately 8–10-person CDM team, with responsibility for performance management, prioritization, and professional development.

Responsibilities

• Provides operational leadership and direction for hardware and software configuration management execution, ensuring integrated hardware and software CM governance, including lifecycle control, change management, and cross-discipline integration.
• Provides configuration management leadership and subject matter expertise to proposal and capture activities, including review of RFPs and SOWs, contribution to CM scope definition, and input to Basis of Estimate development.
• Operationalizes and sustains organizational configuration management capability across programs and business areas by deploying established CM expectations and governance, assessing prime and subcontract documentation to identify CM responsibilities, risks, and dependencies.
• Ensures appropriate CM work requirement flow-down, mitigation, staffing, and execution in partnership with program and technical leadership, including programs where CM requirements must be clarified or matured.
• Leads execution of CDM practices across multiple programs or product lines, ensuring consistency, compliance, and alignment with organizational and contractual requirements.
• Accountable for configuration data integrity, traceability, and change control outcomes across hardware and software baselines, including audit readiness, deficiency resolution, and sustained compliance.
• Provides leadership and direction to the CDM team, ensuring clear priorities, performance management, and development of talent.
• Builds partnerships with engineering, operations, quality, supply chain, and program management to strengthen configuration control, traceability, and execution effectiveness.
• Translates enterprise and program objectives into actionable execution plans, influencing prioritization and sequencing of CDM deployment.
• Represents the CDM function to programs, customers, auditors, and regulatory authorities, escalating strategic or policy matters to CDM leadership as appropriate.
• Serves as subject matter expert in configuration identification, change management, data management, configuration status accounting, and audit readiness, supporting audits and compliance activities.
• Oversees day-to-day execution and adoption of approved PLM and configuration data systems, ensuring effective use of established tools, workflows, and governance models.
• Anticipates operational risks and leads resolution of execution-level issues spanning multiple programs, escalating systemic or strategic risks as appropriate.
• Ensures compliance with applicable industry standards (e.g., AS9100, EIA-649, MIL-STD-973, ISO-9001, ITAR/EAR) in regulated government environments.
• Monitors CDM process performance and implementation effectiveness, identifying execution gaps and partnering with CDM leadership on continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develops capability within the CDM team by coaching and mentoring professionals to strengthen execution discipline, accountability, and consistency.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, or a related field required or equivalent experience in Configuration Data Management.
• 5+ years leadership experience managing professional staff, with demonstrated responsibility for team performance, prioritization, and development.
• Strong working knowledge of configuration management practices across hardware and software domains, with depth in one or more areas.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional execution initiatives, manage competing operational priorities, and influence program leaders, customers, auditors, and regulatory authorities.
• Experience working with industry PLM systems and configuration data governance frameworks, with the ability to support effective adoption and execution of established tools and processes.
• US Citizenship required.
• Active Secret Clearance is required.
• Regular travel to support business and team activities is an essential function of this position. Travel may be required to Viasat locations in Carlsbad, CA, Tempe, AZ, or other locations as determined by business needs.

Skills

• Strong analytical mindset with proven ability to anticipate, identify, and mitigate configuration and program risks to ensure compliance with product and contractual requirements.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• CM 2 or CMPIC certification preferred.
• Track record of driving process improvement, adoption of new tools/technologies, and organizational change in CDM functions.

Pay

Salary range $139,000.00 - $219,500.00 annually. For specific work locations within San Jose, the San Francisco Bay area, and the New York City metropolitan area, the base pay range is $173,000.00 - $259,000.00 annually. Base pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Additional cash or stock incentives may be provided as part of the compensation package.

Benefits

Viasat offers a range of medical, financial, and other benefits focused on holistic health and wellness. Learn more at https://careers.viasat.com/benefits.