Program Transition and Operations Lead

Trilogy Innovations•Bridgeport, WV

1d•Remote

About The Position

The Program Transition & Operations Lead is responsible for ensuring continuity, readiness, and visibility across the contract lifecycle—from proposal submission through transition and into steady-state operations. This role sits between Growth and Delivery, with a primary focus on the transition from awarded work to executable programs. The Lead ensures that contracts, staffing, systems, and operational requirements are in place prior to contract start, and that risks and gaps are identified and addressed early. The role does not own delivery execution or contract negotiation. Instead, it enables both by establishing structure, enforcing process discipline, and ensuring that programs are operationally ready to perform on day one. The Program Transition & Operations Lead reports to the Senior Vice President of Operations and operates as a cross-functional partner to Growth, Contracts, Program Management, and Operations. The role is aligned within Operations but supports enterprise-wide execution readiness and program visibility.

Requirements

7+ years of experience in operations, program management, transition management, or a related cross-functional role, including 2+ years leading transition or operational readiness efforts
Experience with federal contracting proposal and contracting processes.
Experience with contract/subcontract lifecycle (proposal, award, transition, execution)
Experience working with program tracking tools (e.g., JIRA or similar systems)
Experience leading multi-stakeholder efforts across business and delivery teams, including influencing senior stakeholders without direct authority
Strong organizational, tracking, and documentation skills
Ability to identify gaps, risks, and dependencies in complex workflows
Sound judgment operating independently in a fast-paced, evolving environment, with the ability to make decisions and escalate appropriately

Nice To Haves

Active U.S. security clearance (Secret or above)
PMP, Agile, or equivalent program management certification
Experience with federal services contracts (cost-plus, T&M, FFP) and associated transition requirements
Prior experience standing up or scaling a transition/readiness function

Responsibilities

Design, implement, and maintain operational processes and standards that support scalable delivery
Develop and maintain operational playbooks, governance frameworks, and internal controls
Ensure consistent operational practices across programs and teams
Identify and resolve systemic operational gaps that impact delivery readiness
Own and direct pre-award and transition activities from proposal submission through contract start, setting the standard for how transitions are run across the company.
Develop, implement, and own Pre-Award and Transition Plans include to identify, document, and track proposal commitments and customer requirements.
Coordinate transition planning efforts across Business Development, Contracts, Subcontracts, Program Management, Finance and Operations ensuring transition milestones and customer directed Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are achieved
Communicate the Pre-award and/or Transition plan and status to all company and partner stakeholders.
Ensure all required artifacts (contracts, subcontracts, staffing plans, onboarding requirements, systems setup) are complete prior to execution
Identify and escalate readiness gaps that could impact successful program start
Identify, document, and track program-level risks, dependencies, and assumptions
Ensure alignment between proposal commitments, customer requirements, subcontractor commitments and operational readiness
Validate that staffing, security, and contractual elements are in place prior to program launch
Surface risks early and clearly to Operations leadership, with recommended mitigations and clear accountability for resolution
Maintain system(s) of record (e.g., JIRA or equivalent) for pre- award, transition and program readiness tracking
Track key activities, milestones, and dependencies across transition and early operations
Provide real-time visibility into program readiness status for leadership
Ensure consistent documentation of decisions, actions, and outstanding items
Facilitate coordination between Growth, Contracts, Subcontracts, Program Management, and Operations teams
Support clear and structured handoffs from Business Development, Program Management, and Operations
Align stakeholders on transition timelines, responsibilities, and expectations
Act as a central point of coordination to prevent gaps in ownership
Support program kickoff readiness and onboarding activities
Ensure contract/subcontract execution, personnel onboarding, subcontractor onboarding, and system setup are complete at contract start
Assist Program Managers and Operations during early-stage execution to resolve setup issues and stabilize operations
Conduct, capture, and document lessons learned with all stakeholders to improve future transitions
Build, refine, and scale the transition and readiness function as the company grows, establishing it as a repeatable capability
Identify recurring breakdowns in transition, staffing, or contract/subcontractor setup
Strengthen repeatable frameworks that reduce operational risk at contract start
Reinforce a culture of accountability, clarity, and execution readiness