USMC Program Manager

About the role

Kearney & Company is seeking a highly skilled Program Manager to provide overall leadership, coordination, and strategic oversight for a portfolio of 3‑4 contract teams supporting the United States Marine Corps (USMC). The role oversees a team of approximately 60 personnel for multiple USMC stakeholders under the Deputy Commandant for Programs and Resources (P&R) and the Deputy Commandant for Installations and Logistics (I&L), ensuring that all project activities meet Marine Corps expectations, contractual requirements, and mission priorities.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior‑level oversight and client management for all ongoing USMC contract activities, serving as the primary coordination point for Marine Corps stakeholders.
• Lead and manage a diverse team supporting diverse task areas for multiple USMC stakeholders, ensuring alignment across contract tasks and high performance across all workstreams.
• Establish, track, and enforce clear delivery milestones; ensure staffing levels and skill alignment are appropriate; drive consistent client satisfaction.
• Support ongoing business development activities by identifying new opportunities, shaping project concepts, and advocating for initiatives that benefit the USMC, DON, and DOW.
• Contribute to strategic messaging for proposals, capability briefs, and senior‑level engagements.
• Build and strengthen relationships with key USMC stakeholders through proactive engagement, dependable execution, and trusted advisory support.
• Demonstrate strong customer service skills and the ability to work in occasional high‑pressure situations with short deadlines.
• Hold daily or weekly syncs with project leads to monitor progress, resolve obstacles, and ensure coordination across all contract workstreams.
• Provide oversight of workload distribution, staffing plans, and resource allocation across the portfolio.
• Coordinate recurring status meetings with Marine Corps stakeholders, ensuring agendas are prepared, discussions stay focused, and action items are documented and driven to completion.
• Maintain visibility over schedule performance and major milestones, ensuring teams stay on track and risks are identified early.
• Manage program‑level communications, including updates to senior leadership, cross‑contract coordination messages, and client‑facing summaries.
• Monitor contract health through regular review of budgets, LOE burn, subcontractor performance, and overall contract compliance.
• Escalate risks, resourcing gaps, or delivery challenges to leadership promptly, along with recommended mitigation strategies.
• Work with BD teams to shape new opportunities, support proposal development, and refine messaging for engagements with senior USMC stakeholders.
• Build relationships with key USMC personnel through regular outreach, meeting participation, and consistent delivery follow‑through.
• Serve as the integrator across all contracts, ensuring consistency in communication, expectations, and strategic direction.

Qualifications

Required

• BA/BS/BBA degree from an accredited college/university with a degree in a relevant field of study.
• Minimum 8 years of progressive, relevant experience.
• Experience working with DoW clients.
• Experience in DoW financial management and leading and developing large teams/organizations.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret (or higher, such as Top Secret or TS/SCI) security clearance (requires U.S. citizenship).
• Ability to travel up to 25%.

Preferred

• Experience leading and implementing process improvement efforts within a military service.
• Experience working with the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps.
• One of the following professional certifications: CPA, CISA, CIA, CGFM, or CDFM.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D, and Disability Insurance.
• 401(k) Retirement Plan and 529 Education Savings Plan.
• Flexible Spending & Health Savings Account.
• Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity Insurances.
• Legal Insurance and Pet Insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program, fitness and wellness benefits, and other firm benefits.
• Paid holidays, vacation, and sick time.

Pay

The expected salary range for this position is between $103,000 and $180,000. This range represents base pay only and does not include straight‑time pay for hours worked over 40 per week, company contributions toward paid benefits, or bonuses. Actual compensation (meeting or exceeding the range) will be determined based on specific experience, education, work location, clearance level, and other factors permitted by law. This position is eligible for bonuses when applicable.