Senior Strategic Program Manager, Open Innovation

A high-agency, operational leader who bridges external partners and funding agencies with internal R&D, legal, and financial teams, to drive program execution. In this role, you will take ownership of the federal award program lifecycle after technical scoping. This includes preparing submission documents, leading contract negotiations (Statements of Work, terms and conditions, sub-award structures, and amendments), establishing operational governance, managing high-level schedules in coordination with the R&D Program Leads and Technical Program Managers, coordinating project accounting with Finance, and delivering flawless program execution from contract execution to final closeout.

What you'll do:

Lead Contract & Agreement Negotiations:

• Take direct ownership of contract negotiations for key government-funded programs
• Work with CFS’ Legal, Procurement, and Global Affairs teams to draft, negotiate, and finalize Government Agreements, Statements of Work (SOWs), required contractual plans, sub-awards, and collaborator contracts

Drive Flawless Program Execution & Schedule Discipline:

• Own the end-to-end operational execution of complex multi-partner programs
• Maintain master schedules, establish critical-path program management milestones, track progress against commitments, and resolve operational friction before it impacts timelines

Manage Contractual Change Control & Compliance:

• Coordinate with Legal and R&D teams to process post-award scope adjustments, Statement of Work (SOW) amendments, budget realignments, and performance modifications
• Translate federal (FAR/DEAR) and institutional compliance requirements into clear operational guidance and processes for execution teams

Partner with Finance on Budget & Sub-Recipient Operations:

• Collaborate closely with Project Accounting to monitor program burn rates, track company cost-share/matching funds, review and approve sub-recipient invoices, and prepare audit-ready documentation for financial reviews

Unite Cross-Functional Leads & External Partners:

• Act as the operational nexus for federally funded programs, connecting R&D Technical PMs, Legal, Finance, Supply Chain, and external program officers (e.g., DOE, National Labs, Universities)
• Facilitate seamless handoffs from technical scoping to formal contract execution

Lead Partner Communication & Executive Governance:

• Organize executive progress updates and site visits as required for successful execution of federally funded programs
• Produce clear, actionable reporting dashboards for CFS leadership and external sponsors and partners

What we're looking for:

Required Education & Experience:
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Public Administration, Law/Contracts, or a related field
• At least 7+ years of experience leading program execution and contract negotiations for complex, multi-stakeholder technical programs ($10M+/year)
• Proven track record negotiating SOWs, university sub-awards, or government grants/contracts with clear ownership of contract execution
• Demonstrated experience coordinating project accounting, milestone tracking, and cross-functional teams (Legal, Finance, Engineering, R&D

Flawless Execution Leader:

You bring rigorous program management discipline

You manage multi-million-dollar programs with precision, tracking milestones, identifying critical-path bottlenecks, and implementing immediate risk mitigation strategies

Technically Capable Business Operator:

While you do not need to generate deep physics or engineering models, you possess strong technical literacy

You can read complex technical SOWs, understand engineering deliverables, and translate them into enforceable contract milestones

Contract & Agreement Negotiator:

You have proven experience negotiating complex technical agreements, Statements of Work (SOWs), sub-awards, and contract amendments with universities, national labs, government sponsors, or corporate partners

You know how to align legal terms, business objectives, and execution

Cross-Functional Translator & Information Architect:

You excel at translating intricate technical advancements into polished, executive-ready updates

Working alongside R&D leads, you synthesize deep scientific milestones into clear progress dashboards, high-impact decks, and audit-ready reporting for government sponsors and external governance bodies

Self-Starting Dynamo & Problem Solver:

You possess relentless agency and drive

You proactively eliminate organizational friction, resolve partner ambiguities, and drive alignment across cross-functional teams without waiting for direction

Mastery of Governance & Details:

You are obsessive about contract compliance, milestone verification, budget reconciliation, and audit readiness

You ensure no detail falls through the cracks

Bonus points for:

• Master of Business Administration (MBA, MS, or JD) or equivalent advanced degree
• Experience in deep-tech, energy, advanced manufacturing, aerospace or microelectronics environments
• Familiarity with federal grant compliance (FAR/DEAR, DOE/ARPA-E post-award execution)
• Proficiency in project management tools (Jira, Confluence, MS Project)

Must-have requirements:

• Perform activities such as typing, standing, and sitting, for extended periods of time
• Willingness to occasionally travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call - this position requires occasional travel for partner meetings, government site visits, and industry reviews
• Work in a facility that contains industrial hazards including heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead (Pb), high voltage, high current, pressure systems, and cryogenics