Senior Director, Program Office – Government Operations

Viasat, Inc.

128d • $226,000 - $357,000

About The Position

Join Viasat’s Government Operations team as we deliver secure, resilient communications solutions across U.S. and international Government portfolios. As Senior Director of the Program Management Office (PMO), you will lead a high-performing team responsible for delivering consistent, high-quality execution across the full product lifecycle. Your leadership will shape the governance, process, tools, and rhythms that drive delivery excellence—from development through sustainment. This is a hands-on, transformational leadership role. You’ll build and mature a PMO function that drives alignment, accountability, and execution rigor across Government Operations programs.

Requirements

• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience, including building and leading multi-disciplinary teams in program management, operations, or systems delivery within Government environments
• Minimum 7 years leading cross-functional teams in highly technical or operationally complex industries (e.g., aerospace, defense, secure communications)
• Proven experience managing full program lifecycle including sustainment and repair program execution
• In-depth knowledge of government contracting regulations (FAR, DFARS) and compliance requirements
• Strong financial management skills including budgeting, cost allocation, and financial reconciliation for government-funded programs
• Risk management expertise including identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks associated with government contracts
• Proven experience building or transforming a PMO or execution function, including team capability, processes and tools
• Track record of successfully implementing structured development lifecycle models (e.g., stage-gate, Agile PM)
• Ability to work effectively across engineering, production, logistics, and customer-facing teams
• Strong influencing skills and ability to collaborate with internal stakeholders including BD, Contracts, Finance, and Quality

Nice To Haves

• Experience overseeing CMMI audit preparation, documentation control, and internal self-assessments
• Experience with FMS programs or international Government program delivery
• Familiarity with data visualization platforms such as PowerBI, Tempus, or Tableau
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Technical, or Business field preferred; equivalent experience considered
• Experience supporting proposal capture, BOE development, and transition to execution
• PMP, PgMP or equivalent certification

Responsibilities

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing team responsible for Government program execution, governance, analytics, and process compliance across a broad portfolio of products & programs
• Lead lifecycle program management execution across development, production, fulfillment, and sustainment activities supporting the Government Operations portfolio
• Establish scalable governance structures, operating rhythms, and delivery expectations tailored to the needs of Government programs
• Oversee program cost management and budget planning to ensure financial health and contractual alignment
• Integrate aftermarket/repair program execution to ensure service-level performance, cost control, and sustainment readiness
• Guide team readiness and execution of CMMI process maturity activities, including internal assessments, documentation, and gap closure
• Drive implementation and adoption of common program management process, tools and lifecycle frameworks (e.g. agile, waterfall, hybrid), collaborating with stakeholders across engineering, supply chain, and program teams
• Identify and lead transformation opportunities to improve program delivery efficiency, predictability, and scalability
• Operate effectively at multiple levels—from long-term planning and capability buildout to detailed issue resolution and performance recovery
• Promote a team culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and customer focus, while enabling individual growth and capability development
• Partner cross-functionally with Quality, Manufacturing, Business Development, Contracts, and Finance to support successful program delivery and customer outcomes
• Lead development and rollout of dashboards, scorecards, and insights that communicate program health and drive timely decision-making
• Apply Lean, Agile, and Six Sigma methods to strengthen PMO processes and execution consistency
• Support proposal and program startup activities, ensuring clear handoff and alignment between capture and execution teams

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, financial, and/or other benefits focused on holistic health and wellness

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees