Special Programs Manager Jobs in Washington, DC (NOW HIRING)

Why choose between doing meaningful work and having a fulfilling life? At MITRE, you can have both. That's because MITRE people are committed to tackling our nation's toughest challenges-and we're committed to the long-term well-being of our employees. MITRE is different from most technology companies. We are a not-for-profit corporation chartered to work for the public interest, with no commercial conflicts to influence what we do. The R&D centers we operate for the government create lasting impact in fields as diverse as cybersecurity, healthcare, aviation, defense, and enterprise transformation. We're making a difference every day-working for a safer, healthier, and more secure nation and world. Our workplace reflects our values. We offer competitive benefits, exceptional professional development opportunities for career growth, and a culture of innovation that embraces adaptability, collaboration, technical excellence, and people in partnership. If this sounds like the choice you want to make, then choose MITRE - and make a difference with us. MITRE's Global Security division is committed to ensuring a secure and safe environment for MITRE's 7,000+ employees across 56 domestic and international locations, including 22 cleared facilities. Our mission is to protect our people, information, infrastructure, and the integrity of national security information. Through collaboration with our customers, we manage security risks, reduce vulnerabilities, and support MITRE's overarching mission. Within Global Security, the Industrial Security department is responsible for ensuring more than 100 accredited facilities/areas are inspection-ready, maintaining compliance with NISP standards, ICDs, and Cognizant Security Authorities' implementing guidance including tracking relevant security agreements, system and facility accreditations, and Physical Security UL certificates to prevent lapses that could significantly impact business operations. Roles & Responsibilities: The DoW Special Programs Manager provides strategic leadership for MITRE's DoW Special Programs security operations by leading a team of Contractor Special Security Officers (CSSOs) and other security professionals supporting Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), Special Access Program (SAP), and associated security programs. This position is responsible for personnel leadership, operational excellence, compliance oversight, and customer engagement across multiple Special Programs facilities and associated projects. The Manager ensures consistent execution of sponsor requirements, contractual obligations, and organizational security policies while standardizing processes, optimizing resource allocation, and maintaining inspection readiness. As the primary interface between MITRE technical organizations, government sponsors, and enterprise security partners, this leader enables secure mission execution by integrating security early into new initiatives and providing trusted guidance across the organization. The DoW Special Programs Manager will: * Lead, coach, mentor, and develop a team of Contractor Special Security Officers (CSSOs) and Special Programs security professionals by establishing performance expectations, supporting career development, and managing staffing, workload distribution, succession planning, and workforce development.
* Provide strategic oversight of Special Programs security operations across multiple facilities and programs, ensuring compliance with sponsor directives, contractual requirements, Intelligence Community (IC), Department of War (DoW), and MITRE policies.
* Direct and oversee compliance activities performed by assigned CSSOs, ensuring organizational readiness for sponsor inspections, accreditations, self-inspections, audits, and corrective action programs.
* Standardize security processes, administrative controls, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), accreditation documentation, and record systems to promote consistency, efficiency, and regulatory compliance across supported programs.
* Monitor compliance milestones, accreditation requirements, inspection readiness, and organizational risks, escalating issues requiring policy clarification, waivers, exceptions, or senior leadership decisions.
* Serve as the primary organizational point of contact for MITRE technical organizations supporting new initiatives requiring CSSO engagement, integrating security requirements early to enable mission success.
* Build and maintain trusted relationships with government sponsors, program leadership, enterprise security organizations, and internal stakeholders while representing MITRE on Special Programs security matters with sponsors, accrediting officials, auditors, and external oversight organizations.
* Foster a culture of customer service, accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and operational excellence while ensuring security operations effectively support evolving mission requirements Group Leaders (GLs) are pivotal members of the department leadership team, primarily tasked with inspiring, coaching, and rewarding employees and enabling them to engage, grow, thrive and succeed at MITRE. GLs manage a small group of employees focused on delivery needs managed by Project Leads (PLs). GLs translate MITRE's mission and strategy into operations, making it tangible and meaningful to employees. GLs help their staff understand that they contribute to growing our work by providing innovative solutions and continually seeking opportunities to shape the work program enabling MITRE to provide the most significant impact. GLs help their staff understand that they can contribute to growing our team by focusing on continuous learning, risk-taking, and experimenting to explore bold ideas. Finally, GLs help their staff understand that they can grow our organization by sharing their ideas, experiences, and lessons learned to provide MITRE's unique advantage. As direct supervisors/people leaders for most of our employees, GLs foster a respectful, safe, and collaborative work environment. They not only have technical responsibilities but also play a crucial role in inspiring and developing employees. GLs ensure that our people are constantly engaged in the right project role/labor category and learning opportunities that align with their strengths, background, career aspirations, and development plans. Key Accountabilities, Responsibilities, and Authorities Grow Our Team and Our Work * Partner with their employees and PLs to find work that is aligned with the employees' interests, strengths, skills, and career development goals. Continually seek and create opportunities for their employees to provide the most significant impact.
* Approve, reject, or adjust a PLs initial request for an employee's capacity within a project staff plan. Addressing over/under capacity challenges for the initial staff plans.
* Track employees' coverage in a staffing tool managed by PLs to identify and respond to over/under capacity challenges. Working directly with the PLs to include approving, adding and removing employees from plan, eliminating overbooking within a reasonable range set by the enterprise and managing employee availability across projects.
* Supporting and encouraging staff to update their leave in the Salesforce project staffing tool work calendar to assist in identifying project matches and nominating staff for the resource request within the tool.
* Collaborate with PLs throughout the year to discuss employee performance and identify appropriate feedback, coaching and/or actions (e.g., recognition, development, skill enhancement and performance improvement conversations).
* Solicit and provide regular feedback to employee(s) to help them grow and perform in their project role/labor category.
* Validate skill accuracy of staff and regularly plan, review and initiate training requests for their employees.
* Coach and provide professional development feedback to grow employees' skills, knowledge, and abilities to ensure successful delivery and to become a trusted advisor to MITRE sponsors at every level.
* Ensure the technical quality expectations of their team members are met. Recognize, Reward, and Execute Pay and Performance for Employees * Collaborate with employees and PLs to create and manage on a regular basis, impactful goals especially as they pertain to specific project roles/labor categories.
* Evaluate employee's individual achievement against impactful goals and behaviors aligned with expectations.
* Provide input and recommendations to the Department Manager, for evaluation of annual impactful goals and associated rewards for direct reports.
* Provide input and recommendations to the Department Manager, for use of compensation programs for direct reports including growth promotions and rewards and recognition programs in alignment with Departments strategy and budget.
* Conduct annual performance and pay conversations and deliver annual performance and pay statements to direct reports as the final step in the annual review process.
* Solicit and provide input and recommendations to project leadership for awards that recognize teams and individuals who push themselves into new territory to deliver on MITRE's promise to solve problems for a safer world. Showcase and Promote MITRE's Organizational Values * Create a team space that empowers speed, risk-taking, adaptability, grace and respect, and collaboration by modeling and encouraging these behaviors.
* Provide a safe, supportive and welcoming environment for all.
* Support an effective onboarding experience for new-to-MITRE and new-to-the group/department employees (e.g., introduce employees to colleagues, and assist with the new employee integration process).
* Connect employees with individuals and MITRE communities aligned with the employee's career aspirations and strengths. Communicate Strategy and Operations * Translate MITRE's mission and strategy into operat