IT Program Manager, Classified Infrastructure as a Service (CIaa with Security Clearance

Overview Job specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

SUMMARY: The IT Strategist supports the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), Classified Infrastructure as a Service (CIaaS) mission by driving strategy and execution for TS/SCI networks and systems, SIPRNet VDI network and systems architectures, and Cross Domain Solutions (CDS) for commercial SCIFs. The role supports a high-stakes, department-wide transformation effort focused on enabling the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) to access classified data at mission speed through a government-funded, agile, contractor-delivered Minimum Viable Product.

The IT Strategist serves as a hybrid operator with deep knowledge of Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), classified network engineering, security accreditation, vendor accountability, and on-the-ground operational execution. The primary objective of this role is to oversee the strategic implementation of the Commercial Wide Area Network (CWAN) to streamline Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) access for the Defense Industrial Base (DIB).

The Senior IT Strategist will guide the paradigm shift from a government-funded infrastructure to a commercial fee-for-service model. The IT strategist will lead the Classified Infrastructure as a Service (CIaaS) Pilot, focusing on rapid capability delivery. The core scope involves reducing the current 12 to 24-month site onboarding timeline to under 3 months by transitioning to a contractor-delivered minimum viable product. The strategist will also ensure the architecture strictly adheres to a Zero Data Footprint policy, guaranteeing that no classified data resides at the contractor facility.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Network Architecture Oversight: Direct the establishment of IC Exchange Points (ICX) utilizing high-speed peering to connect contractor network backbones across Eastern, Central, and Western geographic regions.
• Security & Accreditation: Manage the implementation of a single, scalable Authority to Operate (ATO) that covers all global kiosks, ensuring new sites require only administrative updates rather than new ATO cycles.
• VDI Implementation: Supervise the integration of government-controlled peering connected to a contractor Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) network.
• Encryption Standards: Validate that all commercial transport network connections utilize mandatory Type-1 encryption.
• Stakeholder Integration: Empower the contractor to operate as the industry Program Management Office (PMO), serving as the single accountability interface between government stakeholders and the DIB.
• Future State Planning: Authorize and evaluate future hosting services, including the implementation of centralized Virtual Resource Hosting Clusters for industry contract performance.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities

• Drive CIaaS strategy and execution to modernize how the Defense Industrial Base accesses classified data while maintaining centralized government control of classified resources.
• Guide the transition to a government-funded, agile, contractor-delivered Minimum Viable Product operating at mission speed.
• Support the industry Program Management Office model by enabling commercial vendors to serve as the single point of accountability between government stakeholders, intelligence agencies, and the Defense Industrial Base.
• Establish program strategies that accelerate DIB operational onboarding from lengthy legacy timelines to an objective of less than three months per site.
• Support a shift from government-funded infrastructure to a commercial, fee-for-service model where industry can self-fund at mission speed.
• Guide scalable accreditation approaches where new sites can be treated as administrative updates rather than net-new accreditations when appropriate and approved.
• Support risk transfer strategies that move operational risk, lifecycle management, and infrastructure ownership to the contractor while preserving government authority to revoke access.
• Ensure a zero-data-footprint operating model where classified data remains on centralized government resources and does not reside at contractor facilities.
• Plan and execute architecture strategy for contractor network backbones, including high-speed peering via IC Exchange Points (ICX) across Eastern, Central, and Western geographic regions.
• Coordinate and oversee technical access to secure compute environments, including VLAN tunnels to IL6 clouds via existing SIPR circuits and dedicated connections to environments such as Microsoft Isolated Secret Region (ISR) or AWS Bubble.
• Manage rollout of Contractor VDI Networks leveraging Type-1 encryption over commercial transport to support seamless, zero-data-footprint execution.
• Lead Security Assessment and Authorization (A&A) efforts to obtain and maintain enterprise-wide Authority to Operate (ATO) packages for commercial CIaaS systems.
• Interpret and apply federal cybersecurity standards, including NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5, NIST SP 800-53A, FISMA, CNSS, and Intelligence Community security guidance.
• Partner with DCSA to address bottlenecks in Facility Clearance (FCL) and Personnel Clearance (PCL) processing and support SCIF construction and accreditation lifecycle requirements under ICD 705.
• Manage continuous monitoring programs, configuration baseline compliance, vulnerability tracking, remediation activity, and Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) logs.
• Act as the central translator and synchronization point between network engineers, Information System Security Managers (ISSMs), Authorizing Officials (AOs), and non-technical mission leaders.
• Navigate Department of War contracting mechanisms to ensure commercial partners meet deliverables, Statements of Work (SOW) requirements, and technical standards.
• Coordinate configuration management, change management activities, and participation in Configuration Control Board (CCB) activities.
• Serve as a senior cybersecurity and program advisor to DIU leadership, providing strategic recommendations regarding authorization decisions, risk posture, and roadmap execution.
• Other duties as assigned.

KEY POSITION SUCCESS METRICS

• A comprehensive transition strategy shifting the total cost of ownership and infrastructure funding from the government to the DIB.
• An operational VDI/Kiosk deployment roadmap that allows access using government-issued credentials without local data storage.
• A risk transfer framework ensuring the contractor owns the infrastructure and absorbs operational risk while the government retains the authority to revoke access. EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION, AND LICENSURE:
• Active, in-scope Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility is required.
• 10+ years of tactical and strategic project management experience within the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, or Defense Industrial Base.
• Extensive operational experience working with DCSA and DIA; Intelligence Community experience is a plus.
• Deep working proficiency with the Risk Management Framework (RMF), the ATO lifecycle, and ICD 705 SCIF build-outs.
• Practical understanding of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), secure cloud environments, Type-1 encryption transport, and modern software development lifecycles.
• Proven ability to manage concurrent, multi-layered projects involving hardware deployment, facility construction, and complex IT network activations under tight deadlines.
• Ability to communicate complex technical, cybersecurity, accreditation, and operational concepts to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Minimum of three professional references required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Project Management Professional (PMP), Agile/Scrum certification, or DoD 8140/8570 compliance certification such as Security+, CISSP, or CISM.
• Familiarity with classified cloud architectures such as AWS Secret/Top Secret or Microsoft Azure Government Secret.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS: Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the following essential functions.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: None.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Job is performed in an office setting with exposure to computer screens and requires extensive use of a computer, keyboard, mouse and multi-line telephone system. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. This role may require coordination with government, contractor, and classified infrastructure stakeholders in secure or controlled environments as mission requirements dictate.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Essential functions may require maintaining physical condition necessary for frequently bending, stooping, sitting, walking or standing for prolonged periods of time; most of time is spent sitting in a comfortable position with the opportunity to move about.

Occasionally there may be a need to move or lift moderately light items up to 35 pounds. Near visual acuity to review written documentation; ability to hear and understand speech at normal room levels and on the telephone; manual dexterity to operate a telephone and keyboard; lift horizontally and vertically.

WORK AUTHORIZATION/SECURITY CLEARANCE: DoW Top Secret with SCI eligible or higher security clearance, or the ability to o