Project Manager, Federal Programs

Edtech.com's Summary

George Mason University is hiring a Project Manager, Federal Programs to oversee federal, defense, and national security aligned programs within the Mason Defense initiative. The role manages the planning, coordination, and delivery of federal contract-funded programs to ensure regulatory compliance and support workforce readiness and national security education.

Highlights

Leads end-to-end delivery of federal and defense-aligned programs operated through Mason Defense and CPE
Manages program schedules, milestones, and deliverables coordinating with internal and external stakeholders
Ensures compliance with FAR, DFARS, and agency-specific federal acquisition regulations
Tracks budgets, expenditures, and supports cost proposals and budget modifications
Serves as liaison between government sponsors, university leadership, and program teams
Supports staffing, onboarding, and resource allocation for program personnel
Requires knowledge of MS Project, SharePoint, Smartsheet, or Jira
Requires U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain or maintain a US security clearance
Requires a bachelor's degree and 5+ years of project management experience with federal/defense programs
Preferred qualifications include PMP or related certifications, defense entity experience, and familiarity with Earned Value Management (EVM)

Project Manager, Federal Programs Full Description

Department: Academic Affairs

Classification: Administrative Faculty

Job Category:Â Administrative or Professional Faculty

Job Type:Â Full-Time

Work Schedule:Â Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type:Â Hybrid Eligible

Sponsorship Eligibility:Â Not eligible for visa sponsorship

Salary:Â Salary commensurate with education and experience

Restricted:Â Yes

Criminal Background Check:Â Yes

Security Clearance Check:Â Yes

About the Department:

Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) at George Mason University serves as the universityâs central hub for workforce development, executive education, and applied professional learning. CPE partners with federal agencies, industry, and academic units across Mason to design and deliver highâimpact training programs that strengthen the regionâs talent pipeline.

CPE supports strategic university initiatives by offering flexible, missionâaligned programsâincluding short courses, certificate programs, customized federal training, and largeâscale workforce skilling effortsâthat advance organizational performance and address emerging national security, defense, and technology needs. As part of GMUâs research and innovation ecosystem, CPE collaborates closely with Mason Defense, academic colleges, and research centers to ensure programs are responsive, experiential, and aligned with federal workforce priorities.

CPE also supports George Mason Universityâs efforts to expand and deliver impactful defense and national security programs through applied research, federal partnerships, workforce development, and strategic initiatives. The department collaborates closely with academic units, research centers, and federal agencies to advance mission-critical national security objectives.

About the Position:

The Project Manager (Federal Contracts) supports federal, defense, and nationalâsecurityâaligned programs within George Mason Universityâs Mason Defense initiative within CPE.

This role oversees the planning, coordination, and delivery of federal contractâfunded programs, ensuring regulatory compliance, highâquality program execution, and alignment with Masonâs mission to advance workforce readiness and national security education.

Responsibilities:

Project Leadership and Execution

Leads endâtoâend delivery of federal and defenseâaligned programs operated through Mason Defense and CPE;
Develops, manages, and tracks program schedules, milestones, and deliverables; and
Coordinates with internal GMU units, faculty, partner organizations, government stakeholders, and subcontractors.Â

Contract and Compliance Management

Ensures adherence to FAR, DFARS, and agencyâspecific federal acquisition regulations;
Manages contract deliverables, reporting, documentation, audits, and compliance protocols; and
Partners with GMUâs Office of Sponsored Programs and other internal compliance teams as needed.Â

Financial and Budget Oversight

Tracks budgets, expenditures, invoices, and financial forecasts for defenseâfunded programs; and
Supports cost proposals, budget modifications, and pricing for new or expanding contract efforts.Â

Stakeholder Communication

Serves as a primary liaison between government sponsors, GMU leadership, and program teams;
Provides executiveâlevel updates, briefings, and performance summaries; and
Communicates program status across Mason Defense, CPE, and university partners.

Team and Vendor Coordination

Supports staffing, onboarding, and resource allocation for program personnel;
Oversees subcontractor work to ensure quality and compliance; and
Facilitates coordination with faculty, instructional designers, and subjectâmatter experts for trainingâbased programs.Â

Other duties as assigned from time to timeÂ

Required Qualifications:

Bachelorâs degree in Business, Project Management, Public Administration, Engineering, IT, or related field or the equivalent combination of education and experience;
Generally, 5+ years of project management experience, including typically 3+ years supporting federal or defense government programs;
Experience delivering programs under FFP, T&M, or CostâPlus contracts;
Strong knowledge of FAR/DFARS and federal procurement regulations;
Excellent organizational, communication, and documentation capabilities;
Proficiency in tools such as MS Project, SharePoint, Smartsheet, or Jira;
U.S. citizenship required; and
Active [Clearance Level] or the ability to maintain a US security clearance is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

Bachelorâs degree in related field;
PMP, CAPM, Agile/Scrum, or DoD program management certification;
Experience supporting defenseâfocused entities (DoD, DHS, IC, DoN, Army, Air Force);
Experience with federal workforce development, training programs, or universityâbased contract management; and
Familiarity with Earned Value Management (EVM).

Instructions to Applicants:Â

For full consideration, applicants must apply forÂ Project Manager, Federal Programs at https://jobs.gmu.edu/.Â Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a Cover Letter/Letter of Intent with Resume for review.

Posting Open Date:Â April 8, 2026

For Full Consideration, Apply by:Â May 15, 2026

Open Until Filled:Â Â Yes

Original Job Description