Program Manager

Job Title: Program Manager PMP
Location: Richmond, VA (On-site 3 days/week )

Type: Contract -W2

About the Role:

[CLIENT] is seeking an experienced and highly motivated IT Program Manager to join its Project & Product Delivery team in Richmond, Virginia. The ideal candidate is a senior-level leader with demonstrated success in managing large-scale, enterprise-wide programs using a mix of Agile, SAFe, Waterfall, and Kanban methodologies.

This position requires on-site work 3 days per week from Day 1. No exceptions.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead and oversee multiple initiatives across the program portfolio.

Collaborate with business leaders, stakeholders, vendors, and cross-functional teams to ensure successful delivery.

Manage and guide Release Train Engineers (RTEs), Scrum Masters, and Project Managers.

Assign resources and monitor initiative schedules, budgets, and scope.

Monitor and escalate project risks, deviations from critical path, and delivery issues.

Define control points, KPIs, and ensure adherence to CLIENT and VITA compliance standards.

Provide coaching and strategic guidance across delivery frameworks: Agile, SAFe, Kanban, and Waterfall.

Utilize and manage tools such as Microsoft Project Online, SharePoint, Azure DevOps, Power BI, and others.

Ensure organizational change management practices are integrated into delivery.

Champion governance practices, stakeholder reporting, and process improvements.

Minimum Qualifications:

PMP Certification is required.

At least 15 years experience in project/program management.

Minimum 10 years experience managing direct reports and leading cross-functional teams.

Proven experience in:

Delivering complex, multi-workstream programs.

Agile product management and SAFe practices.

Budgeting, financial tracking, and resource planning.

Organizational change and risk management.

Defining and tracking KPIs and delivery metrics.

Expert user of Microsoft Project, Project Server, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, Azure DevOps, Microsoft Planner, and Power BI.

Strong understanding of governance frameworks, compliance policies, and project lifecycle standards.

Excellent verbal and written communication, facilitation, and leadership skills.

Self-starter with the ability to influence, collaborate, and drive new initiatives independently.

Preferred Skills:

Experience working in a government or public-sector environment.

Familiarity with VITA (Virginia Information Technologies Agency) policies and standards.

Advanced knowledge of portfolio management practices and tools.

Experience with strategic planning and defining program direction in evolving environments.