Program Delivery Lead

Overview

REI Systems’ mission is to deliver reliable, innovative technology solutions that advance Federal clients' missions and exceed their expectations. Our technologists and consultants are passionate about solving complex challenges that impact millions of lives. We take a Mindful Modernization® approach in delivering our services, including application modernization, grants management, case management systems, government data analytics, and advisory services. This approach, the REI Way, ensures mission impact by aligning our clients' strategic objectives with measurable outcomes through people, processes, and technology.  We offer the same commitment to our employees by providing professional development, meaningful projects, and flexibility to spend time with family and friends. We believe employees are at their best when fulfilled in both their professional careers and their personal lives. Learn more at www.REIsystems.com.  Employees voted REI Systems a Washington Post Top Workplace in 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025! 

Responsibilities

Position Overview:

REI Systems is seeking a high-performing, client-facing Senior Program Delivery Lead to join our Health Systems portfolio and support a critical program for the Food and Drug Administration. This individual will be responsible for driving exceptional program delivery, strengthening trusted client relationships, leading high-performing teams, supporting strategic growth within the FDA account, and helping advance technology modernization initiatives that may include data, automation, artificial intelligence, and emerging technology solutions.

The ideal candidate is a proactive, solutions-oriented leader with a strong record of delivering complex technology, transformation, AI-enabled, data-driven, or business programs in fast-paced environments. This person must be a true go-getter, someone who operates with ownership, urgency, executive presence, and a 10/10 delivery mindset. They should be comfortable engaging directly with senior stakeholders, resolving challenges quickly, improving delivery performance, and identifying opportunities for continued partnership and growth.

This role requires a strategic leader who can balance program execution, client engagement, team leadership, operational excellence, AI-aware modernization, and business growth while maintaining the highest standards of delivery excellence.

 

Key Responsibilities

Program Delivery Leadership

Lead the successful delivery of a critical FDA program, ensuring alignment with client expectations, contractual commitments, delivery standards, and REI Systems’ quality and performance expectations.

Drive execution across scope, schedule, budget, risks, dependencies, staffing, deliverables, customer priorities, and technology modernization objectives, including AI-enabled or data-driven initiatives where applicable.

Ensure teams consistently deliver high-quality outcomes, meet milestones, and proactively address delivery risks before they become issues.

Establish strong governance, reporting, accountability, and performance management practices across the program.

Client Engagement and Relationship Management

Serve as a primary client-facing leader and trusted advisor to FDA stakeholders.

Build and maintain strong, credible relationships with client leaders, product owners, technical stakeholders, business stakeholders, and program decision-makers.

Understand client priorities, mission objectives, operational challenges, modernization goals, and opportunities to apply data, automation, AI, or emerging technologies responsibly to improve outcomes.

Provide strategic guidance, proactive communication, and solution-oriented leadership to ensure high customer satisfaction.

Business Development and Account Growth

Dedicate a meaningful portion of time to identifying, shaping, and supporting growth opportunities within the FDA account.

Partner with REI’s growth, capture, and Health Systems leadership teams to align account strategies with customer needs and emerging priorities.

Identify opportunities for expanded work, new initiatives, modernization support, AI-enabled solutions, data modernization, automation, and value-added services.

Support customer conversations, solution development, proposal strategy, and capture activities as needed.

Strategic and Operational Leadership

Contribute to Health Systems portfolio leadership by sharing program insights, delivery lessons learned, best practices, and growth opportunities.

Drive continuous improvement across delivery processes, Agile practices, client communication, operational maturity, and responsible use of emerging technologies.

Ensure compliance with REI Systems’ delivery standards, quality processes, federal requirements, and client-specific expectations.

Team Leadership and Mentorship

Lead, coach, and mentor cross-functional teams, including program managers, product teams, Scrum Masters, business analysts, developers, testers, technical leads, data professionals, AI/ML practitioners, and other delivery team members.

Create a culture of accountability, collaboration, transparency, continuous improvement, innovation, and high performance.

Identify team risks, staffing needs, performance gaps, and professional development opportunities.

Motivate teams to deliver with excellence while maintaining strong morale and customer focus.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience leading complex programs, including program delivery, client engagement, stakeholder management, and team leadership.
• Experience may come from federal, commercial, healthcare, technology, consulting, product, AI-enabled transformation, data modernization, or other complex delivery environments.
• Strong experience managing complex Agile, technology modernization, digital transformation, product delivery, operational improvement, enterprise change, data, automation, or AI-enabled initiatives.
• Demonstrated success leading client-facing or customer-facing delivery efforts with senior stakeholders.
• Proven ability to manage cross-functional teams, resolve complex delivery challenges, and drive measurable program outcomes.
• Strong understanding of delivery governance, performance management, risk management, stakeholder management, and customer relationship management.
• Ability to understand and communicate the business value, delivery impact, and risks of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation, analytics, or data-driven solutions.
• Experience supporting account growth, business development, solutioning, capture strategy, expansion opportunities, or client growth initiatives.
• Excellent executive communication, stakeholder management, problem-solving, and presentation skills.
• Ability to operate with urgency, ownership, professionalism, and strong business judgment.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a relevant public trust or security clearance, if required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree such as a Master’s or PhD in a relevant field.
• Prior experience supporting FDA, HHS, Federal Health, healthcare, life sciences, public health, regulatory, or mission-driven technology programs.
• Strong understanding of FDA’s mission, operations, regulatory environment, modernization priorities, or public health technology programs.
• Experience leading large Agile teams in a product line, portfolio, enterprise modernization, or complex transformation environment.
• Experience overseeing or partnering with teams delivering AI/ML, generative AI, intelligent automation, data science, analytics, cloud, DevSecOps, or digital modernization solutions.
• PMP, PgMP, PMI-ACP, SAFe, CSM, or related Agile/program management certifications.
• Demonstrated success growing accounts or supporting recompetes, capture efforts, proposal development, or new business opportunities.
• Experience with human-centered design, change management, modernization strategy, cloud adoption, DevSecOps, data modernization, digital services, responsible AI, or enterprise platforms.

 

Ideal Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will be a stellar performer with strong executive presence, exceptional client relationship skills, and a proven ability to deliver results in complex environments. This person should be highly proactive, polished, mission-driven, AI-aware, and comfortable being accountable for delivery outcomes. They must be able to lead through ambiguity, build trust quickly, influence stakeholders, understand emerging technology opportunities, and consistently raise the bar for program performance.

 

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, or a related field; Master’s degree OR PhD in a relevant field is highly preferred.

Location: Hybrid - Sterling, VA HQ (2 days On-site)

EEO Statement: REI Systems is an Equal Opportunity Employer