Program Manager

At Ardent, we hire people who want more than a job — they want to serve a mission that matters. Our teams support the federal government’s most critical national security and defense priorities, helping protect the nation, strengthen resilience, and advance the technologies and capabilities that keep America secure. For veterans, cleared professionals, and purpose-driven innovators, Ardent is a place to continue serving alongside a team that understands the importance of the mission and the people behind it.

We also know top talent has choices, which is why we back our mission with benefits and flexibility that stand out: competitive pay, comprehensive health coverage, flexible PTO, federal holidays off, tuition reimbursement, professional development support, wellness stipends, and a culture that values and rewards hard work, dedication, and adaptability. If you want to build something meaningful, while enjoying the kind of flexibility and support that you need to do your best work — Ardent is where your next mission begins.

Ardent is seeking a Program Manager to join our team.

This is an on-site position in Washington, DC.

Position Description:

Ardent is seeking a Program Manager to oversee the successful delivery and performance of a multi-faceted federal program, ensuring alignment with contractual requirements, stakeholder expectations, and organizational objectives. This role will serve as the Contractor’s single point of contact responsible for overall contract execution, performance, and coordination with the Government.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Serve as the Contractor’s single point of contact for overall contract execution and performance.

• Manage staffing and resource allocation to ensure full program coverage and efficiency.

• Oversee deliverables and ensure quality, accuracy, and timeliness across all program outputs.

• Ensure compliance with all contract requirements, federal regulations, and performance standards.

• Maintain and update the Program Management Plan (PMP) throughout the contract lifecycle.

• Chair internal governance meetings, including but not limited to ERB and CCB.

• Represent the Contractor in meetings with Government stakeholders and leadership.

• Serve as the primary interface with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and Contracting Officer (CO).

• Provide oversight across program activities, ensuring alignment with contractual objectives.

• Identify risks, issues, and performance gaps, and implement corrective actions as needed.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, or a related field.

• Minimum of 8 years of program or project management experience, preferably within a federal environment.

• Demonstrated experience managing contract execution, staffing, and deliverables.

• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills across cross-functional teams.

• Experience working directly with CORs and COs in a federal contracting environment.

• Ability to obtain a Tier 2 (Moderate Risk Public Trust) background investigation.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in a related field.

• PMP (Project Management Professional) certification.

• Experience leading governance forums such as ERB and CCB.

• Familiarity with federal program management frameworks and compliance standards.

Due to the nature of the work we support, all candidates in consideration for this role must be willing to undergo the government issued background investigation process. We highly encourage all Veterans and those with disabilities to apply.

Ardent is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the bases of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other basis protected by state, local, or federal law.