Director of Program Management

Ditto • Washington, DC

1d • Remote

About The Position

When networks go dark at the tactical edge, warfighters lose their data exactly when they need it most. Ditto fixes that. Our Edge Sync Platform builds resilient peer-to-peer mesh networks that keep data moving in DDIL environments — no servers, no cloud dependency, no single points of failure.
We’re a Series B startup ($82M raised, ARR growth, customer base doubled) with a dual-use platform trusted by Delta, Chick-fil-A, Lufthansa, Japan Airlines, and the U.S. Air Force.
This role is for a builder. You’ll own the Public Sector program management function end-to-end. You will not be at a traditional defense contractor managing hundreds of billable FTEs, but at a product company driving adoption of commercial software into the most demanding operational environments in the Department of War. You’ll work alongside FDEs, Solutions Architects, and Sales to deliver mission impact at startup speed.

Requirements

• Active TS/SCI clearance.
• 10+ years of program management supporting DoD customers, with full-lifecycle experience from requirements through sustainment.
• Deep contracting knowledge: you’ve managed programs under SBIR Phase III, OTA (10 U.S.C. §4022), FAR/DFAR, or IDIQ vehicles and can talk CLINs, mods, PoP extensions, and option exercises with contracting officers in your sleep.
• Enough DFAR and CMMC fluency to spot compliance obligations in contract clauses (DFARS 7012, NIST 800-171, CMMC 2.0 levels) and direct the right internal teams to address them. You’re the program leader who ensures nothing falls through the cracks — not the compliance officer who builds the system.
• Experience delivering software products (not services) to USG. You know the difference between managing headcount and driving product adoption.
• Baseline fluency in tactical networking and edge-to-cloud architectures — enough to hold your own in conversations about DDIL environments and integration requirements.
• Comfort with startup ambiguity. You build processes from scratch, not inherit them.
• Executive presence. You can brief a GO/FO and then jump into sprint planning the same afternoon.

Nice To Haves

• SBIR Phase III transition experience: sole-source justifications, production-level negotiations, shepherding tech from prototype to production contract.
• Familiarity with DoD innovation orgs and their mechanisms: DIU (CSO), AFWERX, CDAO, NavalX, SOCOM-AT&L, Army Applications Lab.
• Deeper DFAR accounting chops (FAR Part 31, CAS, DCAA readiness) or hands-on CMMC assessment experience (SSP, POA&M, C3PAO coordination).
• Technical PM background in software, systems engineering, or tactical network engineering.
• Integration experience with ATAK/TAK, C4ISR platforms, or tactical radio/MANET systems.
• Military experience.
• POM cycle navigation and color-of-money fluency (RDT&E, O&M, Procurement).
• PMP or equivalent. Useful, not required.

Responsibilities

• Own scope, schedule, cost, quality, and P&L across the program portfolio. This is a financially accountable role.
• Translate customer mission requirements into internal priorities with Product and Engineering. Deliver on timelines that match operational urgency, not traditional acquisition cycles.
• Stand up lightweight, rigorous program controls that let Ditto move fast while meeting government expectations. Identify risks early and fix them before they escalate.
• Be the program-level voice on DFAR compliance and CMMC readiness. You won’t own security infrastructure, but you’ll direct and advise Security, IT, and Finance when contract clauses create compliance obligations. Think air traffic controller, not the pilot.
• Manage execution across SBIR Phase III contracts, OTAs, and FAR/DFAR-based vehicles while identifying the right contracting pathways for follow-on work.
• Partner with BD and Capture on strategic opportunities: SBIR Phase III transitions, sole-source justifications, OTA prototyping and production through DIU, AFWERX, CDAO, NavalX, and SOCOM-AT&L, and positioning on GSA Schedules and IDIQ vehicles.
• Navigate POM cycles, color-of-money constraints, and funding landscapes. Build the business case that moves customers from prototype to program of record.
• Be the trusted partner for DoW program managers, contracting officers, and end users. Manage CDRLs and ensure Ditto integrates into the broader ecosystem: ATAK, TAK Server, Cloud Deployments, MANET radios, and C4ISR systems.
• Travel to customer sites and strategic field demos (~10%). The best PMs understand the operating environment firsthand.
• Improve Ditto’s Public Sector Operations function. Set the standards, tools, and processes that define how we deliver to the government. Mentor PMs and cross-functional teammates.

Benefits

• We offer competitive salaries and meaningful equity. We believe everyone on the team should have a stake in what we’re building.
• Benefits vary by region to make sure you're covered in the ways that matter most. In the US, that includes health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, plus a 401(k) and flexible spending accounts.
• Regardless of where you live, everyone at Ditto can utilize flexible time off. And while we work remotely, our Atlanta and San Francisco offices are open if you ever want a place to work or meet up with teammates.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees