Program Manager

About Aquia Aquia is a Veteran-founded digital services firm that helps the government modernize and secure its systems and processes. Named the “#1 Best Remote Startup to Work For in 2025” by Built In and a certified “Great Place to Work” for five years in a row, we prioritize outcomes over outputs- supporting work that benefits millions of Americans. The systems we modernize help Veterans access their earned benefits in days instead of weeks, enable investigators to double their health care fraud investigations, and help civil servants achieve system authorizations in roughly a quarter of the time. Our contributions earned us recognition as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year in 2024. We hire people who take ownership, raise the bar, and lift up those around them while they do it. Role Overview The Program Manager is Aquia's primary owner of contract performance on a single large federal engagement. You are accountable for the full lifecycle of program delivery- from client relationships and staffing to budget, risk, and organic growth. You operate as the final escalation point internally and the strategic face of Aquia externally, building the long-term partnership with government stakeholders while ensuring the day-to-day program runs with discipline and excellence. As Program Manager, you work with significant autonomy. You don’t want a playbook handed to you- you want to write it, execute against it, and adapt it when the environment changes. Key Responsibilities Contract Performance & Delivery Oversight 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 Client Relationships & Stakeholder Management 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 Reporting & Communication 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 Staffing & Team Leadership 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 Business Development & Organic Growth 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 Required Qualifications You  must  be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident, currently residing in the US, and able to obtain Public Trust clearance. Experience 8+ years of program or project management experience in federal IT contractingPMP, PgMP, CSM, or equivalent program management certification Direct experience supporting CMS programs required 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 Domain Knowledge 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) Skills & Competencies 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 Preferred Qualifications Familiarity with Medicare parts A/B/C/DExperience with agile delivery in a federal context (SAFe, Scrum, or hybrid) Familiarity with Aquia's core practice areas: security, compliance, eng