Technical Program Manager - DOD/IC

Kestrel Intelligence

About The Position

At Kestrel, the Technical Program Manager drives execution of government contracts, pilots, and prototype efforts from kickoff through delivery. The role coordinates engineering, product, business development, and customer stakeholders to meet technical milestones, contract deliverables, and mission commitments. The position requires enough technical fluency to identify risks, make informed tradeoffs, and credibly communicate progress, alongside strong organization and respect for the mission. The role leads DoD and Intelligence Community programs, including SBIR, OTA, and pilot efforts, and manages schedules, work plans, deliverables, budgets, customer engagement, and risks. It also supports security and compliance activities, new business pursuits, and continuous improvement of Kestrel’s program delivery processes.

Requirements

At least 6 years of experience managing technical programs or projects, including at least 3 years supporting DoD or IC customers.
Direct experience executing government contracts, such as SBIRs, OTAs, or other federal R&D or prototype agreements.
Technical background sufficient to engage credibly with software engineers on architecture, scope, and delivery tradeoffs.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to brief government stakeholders and company leadership.
Proficiency with program management and tracking tools such as Jira, Confluence, and MS Project.
Must be a US citizen.
Active TS//SCI clearance with a counterintelligence-scope polygraph (CSP) or full-scope polygraph (FSP).

Nice To Haves

PMP, PgMP, or DAWIA Program Management certification.
Prior experience in ISR, collection management, GEOINT, or space programs.
Familiarity with agile delivery for software and AI programs.
Experience transitioning prototypes or pilots into follow-on production contracts or programs of record.
Experience at a startup or venture-backed defense technology company.
Location near Colorado Springs, CO, or Washington, DC, with work at customer sites in Crystal City, VA, and Herndon, VA.

Responsibilities

Lead DoD and IC programs, including SBIR, OTA, and pilot efforts, from contract award through final delivery.
Build and maintain integrated master schedules, work breakdown structures, and delivery plans aligned with engineering work and contract milestones.
Serve as the primary day-to-day contact for government program managers, contracting officer representatives, and technical leads.
Track contract deliverables, including monthly status reports, technical reports, demos, and final reports, and ensure timely, high-quality delivery.
Partner with engineering managers and technical leads to scope work, estimate effort, and sequence development across data pipelines, APIs, agentic AI components, and user interfaces.
Identify, track, and mitigate technical, schedule, cost, and compliance risks; escalate issues to leadership with clear options.
Coordinate customer engagements, including kickoff meetings, technical interchange meetings, demos, and site visits.
Manage program budgets and burn rates with finance, and support invoicing against contract milestones.
Support security and compliance activities, including ATO preparation, RMF documentation, and facility or personnel security coordination.
Help business development and proposal teams develop realistic technical approaches, schedules, and cost estimates for new pursuits.
Capture lessons learned and improve program delivery processes, including the Pilot Playbook.