Strategic Program Manager

Role Overview

Strategic Program Manager – Vienna, VA (Hybrid). Initial 6‑month contract with possible extensions. Work requires U.S. citizenship, green card holder, or other authorization to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

• Lead a portfolio of multiple, large, and complex business programs, initiatives, and projects that support strategic priorities and measurable business outcomes.
• Translate business strategy and leadership direction into integrated program roadmaps, workstreams, milestones, deliverables, decision points, and implementation plans.
• Establish and maintain program governance, including charters, roles and responsibilities, decision forums, status reporting, escalation paths, and change control.
• Partner with senior leaders, business owners, and cross‑functional stakeholders to define program objectives, scope, success measures, KPIs, and short‑ and long‑term outcomes.
• Drive alignment across business units by facilitating planning sessions, resolving competing priorities, clarifying ownership, and enabling timely decisions.
• Manage programs and related initiatives from intake and prioritization through planning, execution, implementation, transition, adoption, and benefits realization.
• Develop and coordinate integrated work plans, schedules, milestones, dependencies, resources, budgets, and deliverables across multiple workstreams.
• Monitor program performance using agreed‑upon measures; synthesize insights, identify trends and gaps, and recommend corrective actions to leadership.
• Identify, assess, communicate, and mitigate strategic, operational, financial, organizational, and delivery risks, issues, constraints, and dependencies.
• Prepare concise executive‑level program updates, recommendations, decision materials, and presentations that communicate progress, outcomes, risks, trade‑offs, and next steps.
• Manage stakeholder engagement and communications to build shared understanding, accountability, commitment, and sustained business adoption.
• Lead business readiness and change management activities, including impact assessments, communications, training coordination, transition planning, and adoption measurement.
• Facilitate requirements definition and business process analysis to ensure solutions address business needs and support target‑state outcomes.
• Evaluate program effectiveness and business value; track benefits realization and recommend adjustments to improve outcomes and ROI.
• Manage program budgets, resource needs, vendor or partner coordination, and the impact of changes to approved plans.
• Maintain complete and accurate program documentation, including plans, decisions, assumptions, risks, issues, dependencies, status, lessons learned, and outcomes.
• Provide guidance, coaching, and strategic program management expertise to project leads, workstream owners, and business partners.
• Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of program management standards, templates, governance practices, and business planning processes.
• Serve on cross‑functional teams and task groups for programs or initiatives with significant business unit or organizational impact.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading multiple strategic business programs, initiatives, and projects in complex, cross‑functional environments.
• Significant experience translating strategy into executable roadmaps, integrated plans, governance structures, and measurable business outcomes.
• Expert program and project management skills, including scope, schedule, milestones, resources, budgets, dependencies, risks, issues, and change control.
• Extensive experience partnering with senior leadership, business owners, and cross‑functional teams to influence decisions and drive alignment without direct authority.
• Significant experience establishing program governance, executive reporting, decision processes, and stakeholder accountability.
• Demonstrated experience leading business transformation, operational improvement, organizational change, business readiness, and adoption activities.
• Expert ability to manage competing priorities, ambiguity, and interdependencies across multiple programs and workstreams.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to synthesize qualitative and quantitative information, evaluate trade‑offs, and develop actionable recommendations.
• Expert skill defining KPIs, monitoring performance, assessing program effectiveness, and tracking outcomes and benefits realization.
• Excellent facilitation, negotiation, and conflict‑resolution skills, guiding diverse stakeholders toward decisions and shared outcomes.
• Exceptional verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills, including creating concise executive‑level updates and communicating complex business topics to varied audiences.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Management, Strategy, Operations, or a related field, or equivalent combination of training, education, and experience.

Desired Qualifications

• Project Management Professional (PMP), Program Management Professional (PgMP), or equivalent certification.
• Experience with strategic planning, portfolio management, business transformation, operating model design, or enterprise‑wide initiatives.
• Change management certification or demonstrated experience applying structured change management practices.
• Expert knowledge of the client’s functions, philosophy, operations, and organizational objectives.
• Working knowledge of state and Federal laws, industry regulations, principles, and practices, and company policies governing the business unit’s products and services.

Compensation

Hourly rate: $60 – $69.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical benefits
• Competitive pay
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Additional benefits not listed