Program Manager - Air Force HQ (Senior Managing Consultant)

Technical Assent seeks a Program Manager to lead a multi-task technical and analytical support program for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (SAF/AQ). The Program Manager is accountable for all contractor work on the effort, spanning IT requirements and enterprise architecture, industrial base analysis, AI integration, acquisition program support, and the Department of the Air Force Modernized Process Model (MPM).

This is a full-time, hands-on leadership role. You will lead a multi-company team, lead the team through transition during the kick-off phase and quickly stabilize performance to ensure client objectives are met; keep every position staffed with qualified people; and serve as the primary point of contact for the Contracting Officer and COR.

About the program

SAF/AQ is the Service Acquisition Executive and Senior Procurement Executive for the Department of the Air Force. The program supports SAF/AQ, other Headquarters Air Force organizations, Program Executive Offices, Portfolio Acquisition Executives, and Department of War components. The Program Manager supervises and integrates several technical lanes, each with its own workstream lead:

• Program Management

• IT requirements, portfolio rationalization, and enterprise architecture

• Industrial base support

• Artificial intelligence support

• Strategic and acquisition support

• Acquisition integration (MPM)

Key responsibilities

Contract leadership and customer engagement

• Serve as the single point of contact for the Contracting Officer and COR, and respond to their inquiries within 24 hours during normal duty hours.

• Build trusted-advisor relationships with SAF/AQ and AQX leadership, connecting the team's work to Air Force acquisition outcomes.

• Lead strategic planning, budgeting, and staffing in response to task requirements and shifting Government priorities.

• Set, communicate, and enforce quality standards across all five lanes, and resolve issues that threaten delivery.

Leading a multi-company team

• Lead a team that includes Technical Assent employees and subcontractor personnel as one integrated workforce under Technical Assent's management.

• Direct and coordinate the five Key Personnel lanes, holding each lead accountable for quality, timeliness, and staffing.

• Flow contract performance standards down to subcontractors and manage them through regular reviews.

• Establish associate contractor agreements as directed by the Government.

Staffing and retention

• Keep every position filled with qualified, cleared personnel from contract start, and fill any vacancy within 30 days.

• Hold annual team turnover at or below 10%.

• Monitor staff performance, coach and develop analysts, and realign or replace personnel when needed, coordinating with the Government beforehand.

Financial and contract management

• Track burn rate at the CLIN/SLIN level and forecast fund depletion.

• Manage the T&M CLIN within 10% of the budget defined in the project management plan.

• Apply the approved vacancy-reduction formula and invoicing language when required.

• Track pending modifications, travel, and contract issues, and escalate to the CO as needed.

• Ensure all labor hours, including subcontractor hours, are reported in CMRA by 31 October each year.

Quality, reporting, and deliverables

Prepare and deliver:

• Quarterly Program Management Reviews, with materials due 5 business days before each briefing

• Project management plans within 10 business days of a new requirement

• The kickoff agenda and the Quality Control Plan

• Monthly Quality Control Inspection Reports

• The annual GFP list

• Run Technical Assent's quality control program so defects are identified, corrected, and prevented from recurring.

Senior Managing Consultant expectations

This role sits at Technical Assent's Senior Managing Consultant level. In this role, those expectations mean:

• Delivering client outcomes. Lead the program as one integrated effort, connecting every deliverable to SAF/AQ's mission and acquisition outcomes.

• Trusted-advisor relationships. Earn standing with SAF/AQ leadership as the person who anticipates risks and needs, not just the person who reports status.

• Integrated program management. Plan timelines, direct staff allocation across all five lanes, and run the work as a single large, complex program.

• Contribution margin. Improve the margin on the engagement by building repeatable capability in tools, technology, and talent: strong hiring pipelines, reusable templates, and efficient reporting.

• Growing the firm's expertise. Mentor the workstream leads and analysts, apply Technical Assent's consulting approaches and methods, and pursue continuous learning in DAF acquisition and related disciplines.

• Organizational capability. Build reusable process assets, templates, and tools aligned with Technical Assent's CMMI for Services (Maturity Level 3) framework, such as transition playbooks, PMR templates, and staffing trackers.

• Thought leadership. Share knowledge with internal and external peers through writing and speaking 6 to 8 times per year, subject to applicable security and public-release review.

• Account growth. Take responsibility for account goals and collaborate with Technical Assent leadership to identify growth adjacent to current work. All business development must comply with OCI restrictions, procurement integrity rules, and the contract's limits on using information obtained in performance.

• Business development lifecycle. Support capture and lead proposal or RFI responses as assigned, coordinated with leadership so contract performance and billable commitments are never compromised.

• Professional conduct. Maintain a professional demeanor consistent with Technical Assent's core values at all times.

Required qualifications

• Education: Master's degree in Business or Engineering. Experience may not be substituted for this degree.

Certification: One of the following:

• Project Management Professional (PMP)

• DAWIA Program Management Advanced, or a legacy DAWIA Level III Program Management certification

• Experience: At least 5 years managing multi-project or multi-task technical or advisory and assistance services (A&AS) contracts. The role also calls for experience leading multidisciplinary teams, managing contract financials, and serving as the primary contact for a Government CO or COR.

• Clearance: Active Secret clearance, or one eligible for reinstatement, maintained throughout performance.

• U.S. citizenship is required.

• Location: Able to work from a contractor facility within 15 miles or 30 minutes of the Pentagon, and to work regularly in person at the Pentagon and other National Capital Region Government sites.

• Availability: Able to respond to CO and COR inquiries within 24 hours during normal duty hours.

• Communication: Strong written and oral communication skills, including briefing senior Government leaders.

Preferred qualifications

• Prior Department of the Air Force acquisition service, either as an acquisition officer or as a DAF civilian program manager (GS-14/15 or equivalent).

• Direct experience with SAF/AQ or AQX and their stakeholders, including PEOs and Portfolio Acquisition Executives.

• Experience as a prime contractor's Program Manager leading a workforce that includes substantial subcontractor staff.

• Experience leading a contract transition, including knowledge capture and retention of the existing workforce.

• A track record of running cleared hiring pipelines and keeping vacancy and turnover low on staffing-sensitive contracts.

• Ownership of financial reporting on a hybrid FFP/T&M contract, including CLIN-level burn tracking and forecasting.

• Working knowledge of:

• The Adaptive Acquisition Framework and the Business Capability Acquisition Cycle (BCAC)

• Defense business system governance

• PMRT and the DAF Modernized Process Model

• Working literacy in defense industrial base and supply chain risk topics, and in AI adoption and governance within DoW frameworks.

• Both a PMP and DAWIA Program Management Advanced (or legacy Level III).

• Top Secret eligibility.

• Experience working within a CMMI for Services or similar process framework.

Work environment

• Workplace: You will work primarily from a Technical Assent facility near the Pentagon. You will spend regular time on site at the Pentagon, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, and other Government facilities where your team works.

• Telework: Ad hoc and situational, for unclassified work only, with COR approval.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Salary: $160,000-$200,000 annually, commensurate with skills and experience 

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental & Vision coverage

• 401(k) plan with employer contributions and matching

• Company-paid Life Insurance and Short- & Long-Term Disability

• Flexible PTO

• Health & Dependent Care Spending Accounts

• OneMedical primary care membership

• Annual Learning & Development benefit to support your career growth

• Wellness benefit

• Mobile phone stipend

• Charitable contribution matching

Technical Assent is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all persons without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, marital status, citizenship status, age, veteran status, or disability.

For individuals assigned and/or hired to work in Virginia, Technical Assent is required by law to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This compensation range is specific to Virginia and takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. At Technical Assent, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is $160,000 to $200,000.

This position is contingent upon contract award. Final offers are contingent upon verification of education, certifications, and security clearance.