Program Manager (Data System Modernization)

Dhaka Technologies Limited Company•Washington, DC

1d•$90 - $100•Hybrid

About The Position

Dhaka Technologies Limited Company (DTLC) is hiring a Program Manager on behalf of the District of Columbia Sentencing Commission (SCDC) to support planning and execution of the GRID Next-Gen Initiative (GNI), the modernization of the Commission’s internal data system. GRID is a custom web-based platform used to store and process agency data related to arrests, cases, sentencing, and criminal history. It receives automated feeds from the D.C. Superior Court, the Metropolitan Police Department, and CSOSA, and supports data processing, storage, display, exports, sentencing-guideline compliance calculations, research, and policy analysis. Built in 2013, the system’s underlying technology is approaching obsolescence, and modernization is expected to require a full rebuild. Cloud migration may be considered contingent on funding. The Program Manager will work with SCDC staff through the project’s assessment, procurement, and rebuild phases. Initial work includes helping develop a Statement of Work for a third-party needs assessment. The Program Manager will then lead the agency’s needs-assessment phase, coordinating the assessment vendor, the existing GRID vendor, and internal staff. They will help translate assessment findings into functional and technical requirements, develop procurement documents for the GNI build, support proposal evaluation and vendor selection, and oversee implementation to ensure that the work meets agency needs and follows agreed scope, schedules, and deliverable requirements. The role includes facilitating project meetings, maintaining communication among stakeholders, tracking decisions and next steps, managing risks and vendor performance, and preparing project documentation. The Program Manager will provide guidance and feedback to the Commission’s Executive Director, Director of Research and IT, and, if needed, the full Commission. The position is hybrid and based in Washington, DC. It is part-time, beginning at approximately 20 hours per week and potentially increasing to approximately 30–35 hours per week during later rebuild and modernization phases.

Requirements

Graduate degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field, such as public administration, project management, information systems, data science, public health, or criminal justice.
At least 15 years of experience managing complex programs or projects; the detailed skills list specifies 16 years for several related experience areas.
PMP certification is required.
Experience planning, executing, and delivering projects within scope, timeline, and budget.
Experience developing Statements of Work, requirements documents, or technical specifications for IT or data-system upgrades, rebuilds, or modernization projects.
Experience overseeing and coordinating vendors, evaluating proposals, monitoring performance, managing deliverables, and handling multi-vendor environments.
Familiarity with data systems and system architecture concepts, including how systems ingest, process, validate, store, and output data for analytical use; hands-on development experience is not required.
Ability to lead cross-functional teams of internal staff, external evaluators, and technical vendors while maintaining stakeholder alignment.
Strong communication and documentation skills, including synthesizing technical information, producing clear written materials, and presenting updates to technical and non-technical audiences.
Experience managing program timelines, risks, and dependencies, particularly across multi-phase initiatives such as assessments followed by system rebuilds.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, including articulating technical needs and supporting long-term system modernization planning.
Ability to develop structured program documentation such as project plans, requirements logs, decision records, risk registers, and status reports.
Must qualify for a Master Level position.
U.S. citizenship is required.
Must be available for a part-time schedule of approximately 20 hours per week initially, potentially increasing to approximately 30–35 hours per week during rebuild and modernization phases.
Candidates must be W2 or 1099; Corp-to-Corp candidates will not be considered.

Responsibilities

Lead regular meetings with SCDC staff and vendors to communicate project status, discuss challenges, and support agency decision-making.
Help develop requirements for the needs-assessment contract, documenting system objectives, known gaps, and technical expectations.
Assist in evaluating needs-assessment bids, including vendor qualifications, proposed methodologies, and alignment with project goals.
Manage the needs-assessment phase by coordinating the selected assessment vendor and the Commission’s current GRID vendor, and clarifying roles, responsibilities, deliverables, timelines, and outcomes.
Serve as the primary communication liaison among SCDC staff, the needs-assessment vendor, and the existing vendor, supporting information flow and timely issue resolution.
Work with SCDC staff and the needs-assessment vendor to define functional and technical requirements for the modernized system based on assessment findings and internal expertise.
Assist in drafting the Statement of Work for the GNI, translating requirements into clear, actionable, and verifiable contract language.
Lead development of the request for proposals for the system build and assist with obtaining and evaluating submissions and selecting a project vendor.
Provide program-level oversight of the GRID modernization effort across assessment and rebuild phases, ensuring alignment with scope, schedule, and agency priorities.
Oversee implementation of the rebuild and monitor progress against agency needs, established timelines, and deliverable requirements.
Monitor vendor performance and deliverable quality, manage risks, and escalate issues as needed.
Develop and maintain project plans, requirements logs, decision records, risk registers, milestone tracking, and meeting summaries.
Track decisions and next steps, maintain focus on project goals, and prepare documentation for assessment and rebuild phases.
Provide guidance and feedback to the Commission’s Executive Director, Director of Research and IT, and, if necessary, the full Commission.