ISSO Program Manager

Nava PBC

37d•$157,500 - $177,300•Remote

About The Position

Nava is seeking a Senior Program Manager (ISSO) to lead system security, risk management, and infrastructure oversight in support of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). In this role, you'll lead Risk Management Framework (RMF) activities, maintain the system's Authorization to Operate (ATO), oversee security controls and risk assessments, support continuous monitoring and incident response, and serve as a trusted advisor to CMS stakeholders on the program's overall security and privacy posture. The ideal candidate will have a bachelor's degree and at least seven years of relevant experience, with a strong background in the Risk Management Framework (RMF), Authorization to Operate (ATO) management, cybersecurity, and federal compliance. Experience leading security assessments, managing POA&Ms, and implementing federal security controls in an operational environment is essential. While Nava and CMS provide onboarding through the ISSO Handbook and ISSO Boot Camp, candidates should bring established experience managing RMF activities and supporting federal information security programs. Although no specific certification is required under the contract, credentials such as CISSP, CISM, or CompTIA Security+ are highly desirable. This is an opportunity to take on a highly visible leadership role supporting one of CMS's mission-critical systems. You'll work closely with engineering teams, program leadership, and federal stakeholders to strengthen the program's security posture while helping deliver secure, reliable digital services that support millions of Americans.

Requirements

7+ years cybersecurity experience with a focus on federal contracts
Must have experience with Custom Software or Cloud infrastructure programs/projects
Federal security officer experience required
Experience working with or for government agencies, with solid understanding of government contracting, compliance, and importance of audit trails
Experience with leading and growing agile development teams and the challenges of managing a project at scale, whether you inherited that team or built it from scratch
Ability to demonstrate experience leading large-scale projects with significant complexity, including managing milestones, dependencies, and integrations with significant risk, uncertainty or scale
Experience using agile frameworks like scrum, kanban, or SAFe and familiarity with agile development practices such as continuous integration and continuous delivery
You are an empathetic communicator and relationship builder – you take a service-oriented approach to supporting the program team and our clients
Adaptable problem solving and ability to deal with multi-dimensional challenges involving many organizations, processes, cultures, and technologies
You are highly organized and care deeply about building and growing a sustainable, culture-conscious business
A strategic approach to delivery planning and contract management over the medium-term and long-term
An iterative approach to execution that emphasizes rapid team progress
Ability to maintain broader situational awareness beyond the immediate team
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Legal authorization to work in the United States
Ability to meet any other requirements for government contracts for which candidates are hired
Work authorization that doesn’t require visa sponsorship, now or in the future
May be subject to a government background check or security clearance, depending on the contract
This role requires you to work from the contiguous United States.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in managing Paid Family Leave Benefits Programs, either in-house or as a vendor
Experience working closely with or inside state government (or local government of major cities like NYC, LA, Chicago, or Houston)
Proven track record of building and leading high-performing, agile technology teams of 50+ staff
Experience launching new production systems with high public visibility
Experience with long term, complex, and ambiguous IT modernization efforts.
Experience with using common project management tools like Jira and Confluence
Track record of introducing and expanding agile transformation and pursuing best practices in project management with clients and stakeholders
Experience managing projects that provide production operations and support alongside ongoing product/feature development
CISSP, CISM, or CompTIA Security+ credentials

Responsibilities

Serve as an ISSO supporting the implementation and ongoing maintenance of information security controls for assigned OEDA systems.
Provide security engineering support for information systems and services operating within CMS-authorized enterprise platforms, including cloud-based and managed service environments.
Provide essential support to the Authorizing Official (AO) and Authorizing Official Designated Representative (AODR) in making risk-based authorization decisions.
Conduct continuous monitoring activities for assigned systems, including security event logging, vulnerability scanning, and configuration management to ensure ongoing compliance with security requirements and ATO conditions.
Serves as the principal advisor to the Program ISSO involving the security and privacy of an information system.
Responsible for ensuring the implementation and maintenance of security and privacy controls in accordance with existing agency Department, and federal government policies, as applicable.
Provides guidance, oversight, and expertise to the development of security documents and implementation of security and privacy controls

Benefits

Health coverage — comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans to support your overall health needs
Insurance coverage — Nava provides disability, life, and accidental death insurance at no cost
Time off — vacation, holidays (including Juneteenth), and floating holidays to rest and recharge
Company holidays — enjoy 12 paid federal holidays each year on top of your regular PTO
Annual bonus — when Nava meets its goals, eligible employees receive a performance-based annual bonus
Parental leave — paid time off for new parents, plus weekly meals delivered to your home
Wellness program — full platform offering physical, mental, & emotional health resources & support tools
Virtual care — see doctors online with no copay through a virtual visit program (depending on available providers)
Sabbatical leave — earn extended unpaid leave after continuous service for personal growth or rest
401(k) match — Nava matches 4% of your salary to support your retirement savings plan
Flexible work — remote-first environment with flexibility built around your schedule and responsibilities
Home office setup — company laptop & setup assistance provided via Staples for remote work needs
Utility support — monthly reimbursement to help offset eligible home office utility expenses
Learning opportunities — internal training programs and resources to help grow your professional skills
Development opportunities — LinkedIn Learning access & an annual allowance for courses, tuition, & certs
Referral bonus — get rewarded when you refer great people who join the Nava team
Commuter benefits — pre-tax commuter programs to support in-office travel when applicable
Supportive culture — A collaborative and remote-friendly team environment where people genuinely care