Bridge Team Program Manager

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 Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is seeking a collaborative and proactive, mission- driven Program Manager to support the Commercial Engagement, Portfolio Support Team. The Portfolio Support Team plays a central role in ensuring DIU's portfolio companies are able to scale by identifying and offering tools and services that enable transitioning into DoD operations. Members of this team understand the systemic hurdles faced by new entrants to the defense industrial base and seek to contribute to their success.

The team members interface with both internal DIU stakeholders and external vendors, partners, and portfolio companies.

KEY FUNCTIONS:

* Provide strategic and execution support to the Commercial Engagement Director and work collaboratively with peer PMs in Commercial Engagement and across the technology portfolios.
• Oversight, management, and execution of programs that offer services to portfolio companies as designated by the Commercial Engagement Director which may touch on compliance, regulatory, or other barriers to scaling for companies developing prototypes.
• Provide recommendations on how to enhance program performance.
• Prepare project requirement documents, white papers, briefs, and meeting minutes.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

* Develop and manage project timelines, budgets, milestones, and deliverables to ensure DIU Services enable scaling of DIU porfolio.
• Collaborate closely with DoD stakeholders, end-users, and commercial vendors to define operational needs, translate them into technical requirements, and ensure alignment throughout the project lifecycle.
• Evaluate vendor proposals, participate in selection decisions, and oversee performance and deliverables.
• Represent DIU at interagency meetings, conferences, and stakeholder engagements to champion innovation and foster partnerships.
• Contribute to internal process improvements and knowledge-sharing within the DIU community.
• Identify barriers to DIU companies scaling and recommend thoughtful services that the Government can offer to enable transitioning.
• Work across the enterprise to achieve objectives. This includes driving alignment across finance, contracts, legal, strategic communications, and other DIU PMs.
• Develop program requirements documents to support program ideas and enable roadmap for execution.
• Define program scope, goals, deliverables, and success metrics.
• Proactively identify program risks and mitigation strategies and effectively communicate status and issues to leadership.
• Manage and report on the performance and progress to delivery of acquired services.
• Identify and track metrics/KPI's to measure project effectiveness.
• Develop and present recommended program improvements or modifications informed by environmental conditions, stakeholder feedback, experience, and execution results.
• Maintain awareness and deep understanding of capabilities offered by commercial partners and other services offered by other DOD offices to help ensure deconfliction and that DIU is providing the most relevant services to its companies.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

* U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance (current clearance preferred)
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Engineering, Computer Science, Business, National Security); advanced degree preferred.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in project or program management, preferably in defense, national security, or emerging technology sectors.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in operations related to scaling prototype projects.
• Strong understanding of challenges to scaling that new entrants to DoD experience.
• Strong understanding of DoD acquisition frameworks and experience with rapid prototyping or Other Transaction Authority (OTA) processes.
• Proven ability to manage complex, cross-functional teams and stakeholder relationships.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and organizational skills.
• Familiarity…