Program Manager - Government Contracts

Our client in the advanced technology industry is looking for a Program Manager focused on Government and Defense Contracts to join their team!Location: Cincinnati, OHPay: $140,000 - $150,000 base salaryHere is what you will be doing:Lead cross-functional planning and execution for government and military programs, driving alignment across internal engineering, operations, finance, supply chain, and external partners.Serve as the primary point of contact for government program offices, contracting officers, and technical points of contact, keeping customer priorities reflected in program execution.Review solicitations, contracts, statements of work, and commitments to build detailed work plans, requirements matrices, integrated Gantt schedules, and acceptance criteria.Proactively track milestones, dependencies, risks, and spending, developing timely recovery plans for any schedule or delivery concerns.Lead the writing, editing, coordination, and submission of government proposals, including SBIRs, BAAs, white papers, and related requests.Partner with Finance to develop spend forecasts, monitor actual costs and commitments, manage rate proposals, and support FAR/DFARS processes and DCAA audit preparation.Oversee government contract administration tasks, including PIEE/WAWF workflows, SPRS, SAM.gov account administration, and annual representations and certifications.Collaborate directly with Tier 1 suppliers, primes, and key external stakeholders to resolve operational roadblocks and ensure delivery commitments are met.Coordinate with IT, security, and internal support teams to maintain compliance with government cybersecurity standards and contract obligations.Here is what our ideal candidate has:Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field; an Engineering degree is strongly preferred to communicate effectively with engineering teams, though non-engineers with exceptional hands-on engineering collaboration experience will be considered.5-10+ years of experience in government program/project management, government contract execution, or proposal development.Strong understanding of Tier 1 and prime contractor contract structures and what operational terms and conditions require.Direct familiarity with project time tracking against government rules and CERT programs.Hands-on experience with government compliance, reporting, audit support (DCAA), and platforms such as WAWF, SPRS, and SAM.gov.Exceptional program management skills with proven ability to build Gantt charts, manage spend forecasts, and resolve complex programmatic issues.Clear, persuasive writing skills for high-quality proposal development and regular status reporting.Experience working in a technology environment; experience with high-voltage systems and safety protocols is a plus.PMP certification is preferred.