Management Specialist; Herndon, VA

Application Management Specialist (Staff)

Herndon, VA

Staff Application Management Specialist

About Us:

Black Sky is a real-time intelligence company. We own and operate the world's most advanced space-based intelligence platform and provide customers satellite imagery, automated analytics and high-frequency monitoring of strategic locations, economic assets, and events from around the globe. Black Sky is trusted by the most demanding allied military and intelligence organizations and commercial companies to deliver foresight into critical matters that affect national security and the economy.

Black Sky's data enables governments and businesses to see, understand and anticipate change as it happens, giving them the ultimate strategic advantage so they can act quickly. Our global team works with cutting-edge technology to make a difference around the world and prides itself on being people-first, customer-focused and fun.

The Staff Specialist within the Portfolio Management Office is the primary steward for Black Sky’s enterprise applications portfolio. This role is responsible for application life cycle management, vendor selection and management, and cost budgeting and management for the enterprise application portfolio. The Staff Specialist works in tight collaboration with IT and Security, the PMO Director, and various functional managers across Black Sky.

This role will develop a comprehensive application management system to ensure timely and planful vendor contract development and renewals, new application implementations, application integrations, application consolidations and/or deprecations, application release updates, customizations, and related ongoing operational activities to ensure reliable application adoption and feature exploitation all with an eye toward ensuring that Black Sky is attaining maximum business value and needed scalability from its portfolio of enterprise applications.

This is a hybrid role based out of our Herndon, VA corporate headquarters and reports to the Director, PMO.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as primary steward for the enterprise application portfolio.
• Develop and operate a comprehensive system for full life cycle management of the enterprise applications portfolio.
• Lead vendor management and contract development, including coordination for implementations, migrations, consolidations, customizations, upgrades, and release processes.
• Manage ongoing configuration, support, user training, feature exploitation, and timely stakeholder request fulfillment.
• Track and manage cost budgets for the enterprise application portfolio, ensuring cost efficiency and alignment with business needs.
• In conjunction with IT, Security and other internal stakeholders:
  Plan and manage system integrations and other one-time system improvements, implementations, migrations or consolidations;
  Ensure systems remain secure, reliable, and fully leveraged to support company operations and scaling.
• Other job-related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in information systems, business, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in full life cycle enterprise application management, vendor management, contract management, and project management.
• Hands‑on experience with ERP, finance, contract management, CRM or similar enterprise systems (implementations, upgrades, migrations, consolidations, configurations).
• Full SDLC understanding and deep requirements management capabilities including experience with Rational DOORS, Jama, or similar requirements management tool.
• Proficient with MS Office, SharePoint, and Application Lifecycle Management capabilities via Manage Engine, Service Now, or equivalent.
• Strong problem‑solving and stakeholder communication skills.
• Exceptionally organized with meticulous attention to detail.
• High altruism with a strong customer service orientation. Consulting and professional services experience strongly preferred.
• Relentless self‑learner.

Preferred Qualifications:

• SOX compliance and controls familiarity.
• Familiarity with vendor negotiation and contract life cycle management.
• Knowledge of system integration and change…