Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Aquia Inc. is a digital services firm specializing in cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, and compliance automation for the U.S. government. The Program Manager is responsible for overseeing contract performance on a large federal engagement, managing client relationships, and ensuring the successful delivery of program objectives while identifying growth opportunities.
Responsibilities
- Serve as the accountable lead for all contract deliverables, milestones, and performance outcomes
- Maintain a strategic contract roadmap aligned to the client's mission priorities and evolving needs
- Own the program risk register, integrating inputs from project and product leads; ensure risks are identified, tracked, and actively mitigated
- Oversee program budget and burn rate; proactively flag variances and model corrective actions
- Monitor contract health against PWS/SOW requirements; escalate issues before they become findings
- Act as Aquia's primary point of contact with the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) and key government stakeholders
- Build and maintain strategic relationships across the client organization, including leadership levels above the day-to-day POC
- Negotiate scope, timelines, and contract adjustments with the customer as program conditions evolve
- Lead CPARS preparation and manage the formal performance evaluation process
- Represent Aquia with credibility during audits, reviews, and executive touchpoints
- Produce and own monthly Program Status Reports (internal and external), ensuring accuracy, consistency, and strategic framing
- Fulfill all program-level reporting requirements as defined in the contract PWS/SOW
- Serve as incident response communications lead, coordinating Aquia's response posture and stakeholder notifications
- Act as the final internal and client-facing escalation point for program issues
- Define roles and responsibilities across the program team, including subcontractors
- Manage subcontractor relationships: performance, deliverables, and compliance with contract terms
- Own onboarding and offboarding for all program personnelAddress issues in partnership with Project Managers; create conditions for team performance and retention
- Partner with Aquia recruiting and hiring managers on backfill and growth hiring for your program
- Identify and pursue organic growth opportunities within your portfolio; document and communicate white space to Aquia business development leadership
- Contribute to proposal efforts and past performance write-ups tied to your program
- Represent Aquia's capabilities in client conversations in a way that positions the firm for expanded work
Skills
- You must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident, currently residing in the US, and able to obtain Public Trust clearance
- 8+ years of program or project management experience in federal IT contracting
- PMP, PgMP, CSM, or equivalent program management certification
- Direct experience supporting CMS programs strongly preferred; federal experience broadly considered
- Demonstrated experience owning contract performance on a federal program- including COR relationships, deliverables, and CPARS
- Experience managing teams of 20+ people, including subcontractors or matrixed staff
- Proven track record managing program budgets and burn rate in a T&M or fixed-price federal contract environment
- Experience negotiating scope changes and contract modifications with government clients
- Working knowledge of FAR/DFARS and contract vehicle structures (IDIQ, BPA, T&M, FFP)
- Familiarity with federal IT compliance frameworks: FISMA, NIST 800-53, and FedRAMP concepts
- Exposure to digital modernization, cloud modernization, or cybersecurity programs preferred
- Understanding of federal program reporting requirements (status reports, CDRLs, deliverable tracking)
- Exceptional written and verbal communication; able to translate technical delivery status into executive-level narratives
- Strong judgment in ambiguous situations; knows when to escalate, when to decide, and when to involve others
- Organized and detail-oriented without losing sight of the strategic picture
- Comfortable managing conflict- with clients, subcontractors, and internal team members- professionally and effectively
- Collaborative partner to Aquia project managers, technical leads, and internal operations
- Familiarity with Medicare parts A/B/C/D
- Experience with agile delivery in a federal context (SAFe, Scrum, or hybrid)
- Familiarity with Aquia's core practice areas: security, compliance, engineering, and UX/UI
- Experience supporting agency-wide programs with multiple workstreams and cross-functional teams
Benefits
- Premium health care plans (90% employer-paid)
- Employee stock plan
- 100% 401k match (up to IRS annual max)
- Generous PTO package
- Personal training and development budget
Company Overview
Aquia is a developer-centric company that secures the digital transformation. It was founded in 2021, and is headquartered in Millsboro, Delaware, USA, with a workforce of 51-200 employees. Its website is https://www.aquia.us.