Senior Open Innovation Program Manager

Commonwealth Fusion Systems•Devens, MA

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) is seeking a Senior Open Innovation Program Manager to own the operational lifecycle of federal award programs after technical scoping. The role bridges external partners and funding agencies with internal R&D, Legal, Finance, Procurement, Global Affairs, and Supply Chain teams. Responsibilities include preparing submissions, negotiating contracts and related agreements, establishing governance, maintaining schedules, coordinating project accounting, and ensuring program execution from contract execution through final closeout. The manager will lead negotiations for government agreements, Statements of Work, contractual plans, sub-awards, collaborator contracts, and amendments. They will oversee schedules and milestones for complex, multi-partner programs; manage scope, budget, and performance changes; translate federal and institutional compliance requirements into operational processes; and partner with Finance on burn rates, cost-share funds, invoices, and audit documentation. The role also connects technical teams with external program officers and partners, facilitates handoffs from technical scoping to contract execution, and prepares executive updates, dashboards, and reporting for CFS leadership and external sponsors. The position requires occasional travel for partner meetings, government site visits, and industry reviews, and may require nights, weekends, or on-call work. Work takes place in a facility with industrial hazards, including heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead, high voltage, high current, pressure systems, and cryogenics. The role requires extended periods of typing, standing, and sitting. This position is subject to U.S. Export Control Laws.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Public Administration, Law/Contracts, or a related field.
At least 7 years of experience leading program execution and contract negotiations for complex, multi-stakeholder technical programs valued at $10 million or more per year.
Proven experience negotiating Statements of Work, university sub-awards, or government grants/contracts, with clear ownership of contract execution.
Experience coordinating project accounting, milestone tracking, and cross-functional teams, including Legal, Finance, Engineering, and R&D.
Strong program management discipline, including tracking milestones, identifying critical-path bottlenecks, and implementing risk mitigation strategies.
Technical literacy sufficient to read complex technical Statements of Work, understand engineering deliverables, and translate them into enforceable contract milestones.
Demonstrated experience negotiating complex technical agreements, Statements of Work, sub-awards, and contract amendments with universities, national labs, government sponsors, or corporate partners.
Ability to align legal terms, business objectives, and program execution.
Ability to translate technical advancements into executive-ready updates, dashboards, presentations, and audit-ready reporting.
Ability to proactively resolve organizational friction and partner ambiguities and drive cross-functional alignment.
Strong attention to contract compliance, milestone verification, budget reconciliation, and audit readiness.
Ability to perform activities such as typing, standing, and sitting for extended periods.
Willingness to occasionally travel or work required nights, weekends, or on-call.

Nice To Haves

MBA, MS, JD, or equivalent advanced degree.
Experience in deep-tech, energy, advanced manufacturing, aerospace, or microelectronics environments.
Familiarity with federal grant compliance, including FAR/DEAR and DOE/ARPA-E post-award execution.
Proficiency with project management tools such as Jira, Confluence, and MS Project.

Responsibilities

Own contract negotiations for key government-funded programs.
Work with Legal, Procurement, and Global Affairs to draft, negotiate, and finalize Government Agreements, Statements of Work, contractual plans, sub-awards, and collaborator contracts.
Own end-to-end operational execution of complex, multi-partner programs.
Maintain master schedules, establish critical-path milestones, track progress against commitments, and resolve operational friction that could affect timelines.
Coordinate post-award scope adjustments, Statement of Work amendments, budget realignments, and performance modifications with Legal and R&D teams.
Translate federal FAR/DEAR and institutional compliance requirements into operational guidance and processes.
Work with Project Accounting to monitor program burn rates, track company cost-share or matching funds, review and approve sub-recipient invoices, and prepare audit-ready financial review documentation.
Connect R&D Technical PMs, Legal, Finance, Supply Chain, and external program officers and partners, including DOE, National Labs, and universities.
Facilitate handoffs from technical scoping to formal contract execution.
Organize executive progress updates and site visits as needed for federally funded program execution.
Produce actionable reporting dashboards for CFS leadership, external sponsors, and partners.