IT & Cybersecurity Program Manager

CHAOS Industries is redefining modern defense with omniscient systems purpose-built for today's realities. Designed and built by top U.S. military veterans and Silicon Valley innovators, CHAOS Industries' products are powered by Coherent Distributed Networks (CDN™), empowering warfighters, commercial air operators, and border protection teams to act faster, adapt rapidly, and stay ahead of evolving threats. In a world where technological threats move at unprecedented speed, CHAOS Industries delivers advanced sensing and detection solutions that give the ultimate advantage: time.

CHAOS Industries was founded in 2022 and has raised $1B in total funding from leading investors including 8VC, Accel, and NEA. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Seattle, and London. For more information, please visit

Role Overview:

We are seeking an experienced Program Manager to shape and drive the company's project and program execution discipline across IT, cybersecurity, infrastructure, enterprise systems, and DoD-aligned technology initiatives.

This role combines hands-on project and program delivery with strategic organizational development. You will design lightweight-but-scalable Disciplined Agile ways of working, establish foundational project and program governance, and set the stage for a future Enterprise Project Management Office (PMO) that supports both corporate initiatives and DoD customer programs.

The ideal candidate has deep experience leading IT and cybersecurity project and program teams in secure government environments and brings a strategic mindset suited for a fast-moving, high-innovation startup working with the Department of Defense.

Responsibilities:

• Strategic Departmental PMO Foundations & Leadership
  • Establish the initial project and program management framework for the department using Disciplined Agile (DA) methodology principles-context-driven, fit-for-purpose, minimal bureaucracy, focused on flow and value delivery.
  • Partner with company leadership to align IT and cybersecurity projects and programs with strategic objectives, customer commitments, and compliance requirements.
  • Drive continuous improvement in ways of working (WoW), team throughput, and technical delivery processes.
  • Introduce scalable governance, reporting, and project controls appropriate for a startup working in regulated DoD environments.
  • Build foundational project and program management practices from the ground up, shaping organizational standards and preparing the company for future PMO implementation.
    
    Champion organizational readiness for a future PMO, including intake processes, prioritization models, work visualization, and cross-team coordination.
• Project Planning & Execution
  • Lead end-to-end delivery of IT and cybersecurity initiatives supporting DoD programs, including infrastructure buildouts, system implementations, secure network deployments, enterprise tools, and software or automation capabilities.
  • Build adaptive project plans that incorporate hybrid approaches (Agile, Lean, Kanban, iterative, traditional) selected based on context, constraints, and government customer expectations.
  • Manage scope, schedules, risks, and resources while maintaining alignment with contract deliverables, DoD technical requirements, and security standards.
  • Coordinate across internal engineering, cybersecurity, compliance, facilities, and operations teams as well as any third-party partners or contractors.
  • Build transparent communication channels and cadence-based reporting for executive leadership and DoD customers.
• Compliance, Security & Regulatory Alignment
  • Ensure all program activities comply with DoD cybersecurity requirements, including NIST 800-171/CMMC.
  • Maintain strict adherence to ITAR, EAR, and all export control regulations.
  • Help establish and uphold policies and procedures for handling CUI and classified materials; ensure teams understand and adhere to secure work protocols.
  • Partner with Information Assurance, Security, IT, and other enterprise teams to support assessment and accreditation activities.
  • Build compliance checkpoints into program workflows to reduce rework, improve audit readiness, and maintain compliance programs post-operationalization.
• Contract & Customer Management
  • Operate programs in alignment with FAR/DFARS, contract requirements, and customer expectations.
  • Track and report deliverables, milestones, burn-down/burn-up metrics, risks, and performance indicators.
  • Prepare briefings, status updates, and customer communications for government program offices and oversight personnel.
  • Support on proposals, capture activities, Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) estimates, and technical inputs for new business opportunities.
• Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Influence
  • Provide project and program management leadership to establish scalable standards, best practices, and governance frameworks, guiding the evolution toward a formal Project Management Office (PMO).
  • Lead cross-functional teams across…