Program Manager – Irregular Warfare Program Portfolio

Vacancy Announcement

Program Manager – Irregular Warfare Program Portfolio

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• Type: Full time or 75% time/Permanent
• Format: Hybrid (Must reside within 50 miles of Fort Bragg, NC or Washington, DC)
• Remuneration: competitive salary + benefits
• Deadline to Apply: No later than 27 June 2025 (rolling)
• Start Date: ASAP (July 2025)
• Eligibility: U.S. citizenship required
• Clearance: Must have SECRET or higher security clearance

We're seeking to fill this role quickly. Candidates will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please apply early.

About Us:

Motive International (www.motiveinternational.com) is not like most Federal contractors. We are a social enterprise with a hybrid for-profit/not-for-profit business model focused entirely on a mission to mitigate global conflict and instability. We implement programs and deliver training for government and commercial clients and conduct pro-bono impact initiatives all around the world that help make societies more peaceful and prosperous. Our small team is comprised of passionate, world-leading experts and motivated professionals who believe deeply in our mission and values. We are a certified 8(a) and Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) based in Washington, DC with a reputation for excellence, integrity, and fearlessly pursuing our mission.

About the Position:

We are immediately seeking a highly motivated, full-time or 75% Program Manager (PM) to play a leadership role in the management of Motive International’s Irregular Warfare (IW) Portfolio. As PM for this portfolio, you will be responsible for the successful, high-quality execution of ongoing client programs and the pursuit of new opportunities that build upon our decade-long support to the IW community of practice.  Ongoing client programs include training and exercise support to Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF) and others in the Joint force; research & development (R&D) on new concepts and strategies related to Irregular Warfare; policy and planning initiatives; and SME support to global IW missions. New opportunities may include responding to new requirements or crafting expanded value proposition for established clients and partners.  

PM must be based within 50 miles of either Fort Bragg, NC or Washington, DC and have strong familiarity with the IW community and related concepts.  

PM will oversee execution across all services, ensuring they meet the operational needs of the Special Operations community. This role supports a fast-paced, high-impact program that blends training innovation, interagency collaboration, and real-world mission relevance to prepare soldiers for deployment in complex, high-stakes environments.

The PM is responsible for ensuring timely progress towards project objectives and outcomes, preparing reports for project sponsors and stakeholders, recruiting and managing personnel, planning travel and events, and knowledge management of portfolio data. In addition to these critical project management duties, a strong candidate will also be involved in technical aspects of the projects, with guidance from accomplished subject matter experts. This combination of management and technical work offers unparalleled potential for professional growth and global impact.

This role requires exceptional organizational skills, strong creative and analytical thinking, solid writing and research capabilities, and the ability to multitask on fast-paced projects, often with minimal oversight.

The work model for this position is hybrid, with a combination of remote work and regular travel to Fort Bragg, NC and Washington, DC. This model offers great flexibility and work/life balance.

Key Tasks & Responsibilities:

• Coordinate & Oversee End-to-End Execution of Technical Program Tasks: Manage the full lifecycle of each task/project within the portfolio through effective use of project/program management tools, including Monday.com, Microsoft OS365 tools, etc. Tasks/projects may include a week-long training event; a 6-month exercise design/delivery task; or a multi-year research effort. PM is responsible for developing and managing task timelines/work plans, staffing assignments, budgets, on-time submission of deliverables, and quality control for program tasks/projects.
  
  
• Manage Client and Stakeholder Relationships: Act as the main point of contact for clients, customers, and other stakeholders, including civilian or military personnel up to the SES/General Officer level. Proactively communicate with these stakeholders to cultivate relationships that advance shared goals and position Motive as a thought leader in the IW community. This task requires exceptional writing/speaking skills and understanding of how executive-level communications enable decision-making.
  
  
• Recruit, manage, and supervise personnel and contractors: Identify staffing requirements of program activities and ensure talent and manpower is optimized for portfolio success. This requires managing work plans and personnel time allocation, productivity, and quality on an agile basis by continual assessment and realignment of personnel and contractor assignments and level of effort allocations.
   
• Manage and Execute Travel & Event Logistics: Coordinate travel authorizations, itineraries, and logistical arrangements for trips or events in support of portfolio tasks/projects, which take place CONUS and OCONUS. Trips/events may include 2-day domestic training events or multi-week overseas travel to host events or conduct engagements with foreign partners. Logistics coordination tasks may involve obtaining foreign visas, coordinating with insurance providers, securing venue or catering vendors, etc.  
   
• Administer Contracts and Task Orders: Monitor the status of live and pending contracts, contract modifications, task orders (TOs), and purchase requests (PRs) and coordinate required actions for contract/TO approvals, compliance obligations, and reporting in coordination with government contracting POCs and company management personnel.
  
  
• Support Program Financial Management: Work with Motive’s accounting team to develop pricing estimates/proposals, manage budgets through project cost controlling, and provide inputs to invoicing and expense reporting. This task requires comfort using Excel and other accounting and financial management systems and tools.
  
  
• Contribute to Technical Execution: Provide direct technical inputs to tasks/projects on a targeted basis, such as through curriculum development, exercise design, field research, or technical writing. Maintain continual familiarity with new concepts, networks, and topics of relevance to portfolio, and seize opportunities to be a practitioner-manager alongside technical delivery teammates.  
  
  
• Identify and Pursue Growth Opportunities: Coordinate with the Motive business development team to shape future requirements and identify opportunities for expanded business with new and existing clients and partners. This may involve customer discovery, conceiving new service offerings, developing/delivering pitches or proposals, and support to Motive’s sales team.
  
  
• Facilitate robust Internal & External Communication: Coordinate, set agendas for, and serve as primary facilitator at internal and external meetings. Ensure CEO and relevant Motive staff are sufficiently informed of portfolio updates and are proactively engaged to provide technical or strategic input. Develop and execute strategic communications plans to market successes, disseminate lessons learned, and strengthen Motive’s position as a thought leader in the IW community of practice. Spot and propose solutions for issues or challenges.
  
  
• Manage Program Data and Knowledge: Set-up and maintain project management systems, including boards in Monday.com, project channels in MS Teams, and project-specific systems and processes to track progress against tasks and timelines.

Required Skills and Experience: 

• U.S. citizen with valid passport and an active SECRET clearance.
• Bachelor’s degree (advanced degree preferred) in a relevant discipline such as business, management, public administration, international affairs, or public policy.
• Live within 50 miles of Fort Bragg, NC or Washington, DC.
• Genuine interest in Motive's social enterprise business model and mission to mitigate global conflict and instability.  
• Willingness/availability to travel 25-35% of the time for up to 2 weeks at a time, to CONUS and OCONUS locations, sometimes on short notice.
• Mature, proactive communicator who enjoys teamwork, networking, and is solution oriented. 
• Strong familiarity with the Special Operations (Special Forces / PSYOPS / Civil Affairs) community including current challenges and trends in the IW community of practice.
• Proven strategic communication skills and strong ability to craft concise, precise communications products that support executive-level decision making
• Experience with military exercise design and/or curriculum development.
• Process-oriented systems thinker with demonstrated experience managing people, tasks, timelines, and budgets in complex projects.
• Comfort shifting contexts rapidly from detail-oriented tasks to big-picture strategy, multiple times a day.
• Exceptional writing, critical thinking, time management, and organizational skills.
• Mastery of Microsoft Teams and OS365 suite and ability to quickly learn new software, including project management tools (e.g., Monday.com) and AI/LLM tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini).

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Military experience at the O-3/E-7 or higher level, preferably in one of the following MOSs: SF, PO, CA, MI, IO, FA59.
• Experience with adult education in a classroom instruction setting.
• Familiarity with federal contracting; knowledge of FAR & DOD procurement policies & procedures
• Experience in business development.
• Formal training or credentials in project or program management (e.g., PMP, Lean Six Sigma, Agile, Scrum master, etc.).
• Experience with monday.com or similar project management software

Benefits:

• Salary range of $85,000-115,000 per annum, commensurate with experience
• Paid time off (PTO), sick leave, holidays
• Flexible schedule and hybrid work model enables great work/life balance
• Significant career advancement and professional development opportunities

To Apply: 

We are looking for a candidate who not only has the technical skills to be successful but who has a genuine interest in Motive's mission and values. We value direct communication, creative thinking, and teamwork. Our work is fast-paced and dynamic. We value colleagues who thrive when presented with the opportunity to solve a new problem for which no clear standards exist. Because we are a geographically dispersed team, we place a premium on proactive communication. If this sounds like you or someone you know, we'd love to hear from you.  

Applications will be processed on a rolling basis but must be received no later than 27 June 2025. Please apply early. We’d like to fill this position quickly. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

1. First, please spend some time on our website (www.motiveinternational.com) to get a sense of who we are and what we do.

2. Next, prepare your CV and write a custom statement of interest (1-2 pages) addressing the following:

In 1-2 pages, briefly tell us what appeals to you about this opportunity and why you're the right person for this position. Please be specific in describing your stand-out project/program management skills; topics you may be passionate about in IW; and what you’re looking for in your next career move. Please refer to specific tasks in the position description as relevant.

 Note: Your statement of interest will be reviewed for content and as a sample of your writing skills. Applicants who do not submit a tailored written statement will not be considered. 

 3. Complete the application questionnaire, upload your CV and statement of interest, and submit.   

 4. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to interview.

5. Ideal start date is 15 July 2025 (sooner if possible).