Project Manager - Public Health

The Project Manager, you will be responsible for day-to-day onsite management of a Defense Centers for Public Health IDIQ task order contract at Silver Spring, MD. You will oversee projects from initiation through completion. Day-to-day onsite management includes purchasing; staffing availability and customer notifications; timely deliverables; work, project, and contract statuses; staffing, work, contract, and TO issue resolution; and participation in planning and making suggestions and recommendations.

The PM is expected to maintain a daily cadence with the COR, TO Technical Directors, and Team technical leads (technical, administrative, business, and compliance). The PM is expected to lead the contract team and stay aware of what is happening on the Team, in conjunction with or ahead of the customer. The contractor Team reports to the PM.

A government contract requires that this position be restricted to U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents. You must provide documentation that you are a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident to qualify.

Estimated Starting Salary Range for Project Manager:

Pay commensurate with experience.

Full-time benefits include Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), and other benefits as provided. Benefits are subject to change with or without notice.

The Project Manager leads the execution of complex federal task orders that support Defense Centers for Public Health operations. This role integrates federal contract management, an understanding of the defense public health mission, staff leadership, customer engagement, and performance accountability to ensure timely, compliant, and high-quality execution under a Firm-Fixed-Price contract. The Project Manager's responsibilities include:

• Support Firm-Fixed-Price task-order execution by managing scope, priorities, performance expectations, and cost-conscious delivery.
• Serve as the onsite contractor lead for the DCPH task order based in Silver Spring, MD.
• Manage Cherokee/CNIH personnel and subcontractor/partner personnel to ensure integrated performance across the task order.
• Monitor staffing levels, vacancies, onboarding, backfill actions, availability, and workforce risks.
• Ensure timely completion, review, and submission of contract deliverables, reports, and customer-directed products.
• Lead recurring meetings, status reviews, action-item tracking, customer updates, and internal coordination routines.
• Identify and resolve performance, staffing, customer, contract, administrative, and compliance issues.
• Ensure contract activities comply with applicable company policies, government requirements, security expectations, and quality standards.

• Bachelor's degree.
• Minimum of 8 years of project, program, task-order, or contract-management experience in a federal, military, public-health, scientific, technical, or related environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams, manage competing priorities, and deliver under tight deadlines.
• Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and ability to maintain accurate status, risk, and issue tracking.
• Ability to work fully onsite at Silver Spring, MD.
• Active Secret clearance or ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance.
• Must pass pre-employment requirements of Cherokee Federal.

• Master's degree in public health, Public Health Management, Health Administration, Business Administration, Program Management, or a related field preferred.
• PMP or similar project/program management certification preferred.
• At least 3 years of experience in defense public health, military medical, public health surveillance, occupational/environmental health, scientific, or similar mission environment strongly preferred.
• Experience managing subcontractor or partner personnel preferred.
• Experience successfully transitioning task orders preferred.

Cherokee Federal is a military friendly employer. Veterans and active military transitioning to civilian status are encouraged to apply.

Cherokee Federal is an equal opportunity employer. Please visit  for information regarding our affirmative action and equal opportunity employer statement, and accommodation request.