Director of Program Management
Ditto
Washington, DC, USA · Remote
Location
Remote - Washington, DC
Employment Type
Full time
Department
Public Sector
Compensation
- $234K – $281K
Pay Transparency at Ditto
Ditto uses a location-based compensation model. This means pay ranges for the same role may vary depending on where you live, based on cost of living and market data.The ranges you see on our job postings represent the full span of target compensation across all markets where we hire. Within that range, actual offers are determined by a candidate’s skills and experience. This ensures we remain competitive with local markets while also maintaining internal consistency and fairness in real spending power across locations.
About Ditto:
Ditto is redefining how data moves at the edge. Our mission is to make it seamless for developers to build resilient, real-time applications, regardless of network conditions. Whether you're in a stadium, airplane, or remote military base, Ditto's peer-to-peer sync engine ensures devices stay connected and data stays consistent, even without internet. With more than $145 million in funding and trusted by organizations like Chick-fil-A, Delta Airlines, and the U.S. military, Ditto powers mission-critical experiences across aviation, retail, travel, hospitality, defense, and more. As a globally distributed, fast-growing startup, we’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the wide range of perspectives needed to solve the world’s hardest connectivity problems.
The Opportunity
When networks go dark at the tactical edge, warfighters lose their data exactly when they need it most. Ditto fixes that. Our Edge Sync Platform builds resilient peer-to-peer mesh networks that keep data moving in DDIL environments — no servers, no cloud dependency, no single points of failure.
We’re a Series B startup ($82M raised, ARR growth, customer base doubled) with a dual-use platform trusted by Delta, Chick-fil-A, Lufthansa, Japan Airlines, and the U.S. Air Force.
This role is for a builder. You’ll own the Public Sector program management function end-to-end. You will not be at a traditional defense contractor managing hundreds of billable FTEs, but at a product company driving adoption of commercial software into the most demanding operational environments in the Department of War. You’ll work alongside FDEs, Solutions Architects, and Sales to deliver mission impact at startup speed.
What You’ll Do
Run Programs
Own scope, schedule, cost, quality, and P&L across the program portfolio. This is a financially accountable role.
Translate customer mission requirements into internal priorities with Product and Engineering. Deliver on timelines that match operational urgency, not traditional acquisition cycles.
Stand up lightweight, rigorous program controls that let Ditto move fast while meeting government expectations. Identify risks early and fix them before they escalate.
Be the program-level voice on DFAR compliance and CMMC readiness. You won’t own security infrastructure, but you’ll direct and advise Security, IT, and Finance when contract clauses create compliance obligations. Think air traffic controller, not the pilot.
Grow the Business
Manage execution across SBIR Phase III contracts, OTAs, and FAR/DFAR-based vehicles while identifying the right contracting pathways for follow-on work.
Partner with BD and Capture on strategic opportunities: SBIR Phase III transitions, sole-source justifications, OTA prototyping and production through DIU, AFWERX, CDAO, NavalX, and SOCOM-AT&L, and positioning on GSA Schedules and IDIQ vehicles.
Navigate POM cycles, color-of-money constraints, and funding landscapes. Build the business case that moves customers from prototype to program of record.
Know the Customer
Be the trusted partner for DoW program managers, contracting officers, and end users. Manage CDRLs and ensure Ditto integrates into the broader ecosystem: ATAK, TAK Server, Cloud Deployments, MANET radios, and C4ISR systems.
Travel to customer sites and strategic field demos (~10%). The best PMs understand the operating environment firsthand.
Build the Team
Improve Ditto’s Public Sector Operations function. Set the standards, tools, and processes that define how we deliver to the government. Mentor PMs and cross-functional teammates.
First Six Months
Master program financials, contract structures, technical scope, and customer relationships.
Map Ditto’s contracting landscape: where we are, where the gaps are, and a plan for expanding our footprint across SBIR Phase III, OTA, and IDIQ pathways.
Partner with Security and IT to assess DFAR compliance and CMMC readiness. Prioritize what matters for near-term pursuits.
Become the go-to leader for customers and internal teams alike. Build the credibility that makes Ditto the partner people trust with their hardest DDIL problems.
Stand up reporting cadences, risk management, and program governance that let us scale from a handful of programs to a portfolio.
What You Bring
Must-Haves
Active TS/SCI clearance.
10+ years of program management supporting DoD customers, with full-lifecycle experience from requirements through sustainment.
Deep contracting knowledge: you’ve managed programs under SBIR Phase III, OTA (10 U.S.C. §4022), FAR/DFAR, or IDIQ vehicles and can talk CLINs, mods, PoP extensions, and option exercises with contracting officers in your sleep.
Enough DFAR and CMMC fluency to spot compliance obligations in contract clauses (DFARS 7012, NIST 800-171, CMMC 2.0 levels) and direct the right internal teams to address them. You’re the program leader who ensures nothing falls through the cracks — not the compliance officer who builds the system.
Experience delivering software products (not services) to USG. You know the difference between managing headcount and driving product adoption.
Baseline fluency in tactical networking and edge-to-cloud architectures — enough to hold your own in conversations about DDIL environments and integration requirements.
Comfort with startup ambiguity. You build processes from scratch, not inherit them.
Executive presence. You can brief a GO/FO and then jump into sprint planning the same afternoon.
Nice-to-Haves
SBIR Phase III transition experience: sole-source justifications, production-level negotiations, shepherding tech from prototype to production contract.
Familiarity with DoD innovation orgs and their mechanisms: DIU (CSO), AFWERX, CDAO, NavalX, SOCOM-AT&L, Army Applications Lab.
Deeper DFAR accounting chops (FAR Part 31, CAS, DCAA readiness) or hands-on CMMC assessment experience (SSP, POA&M, C3PAO coordination).
Technical PM background in software, systems engineering, or tactical network engineering.
Integration experience with ATAK/TAK, C4ISR platforms, or tactical radio/MANET systems.
Military experience.
POM cycle navigation and color-of-money fluency (RDT&E, O&M, Procurement).
PMP or equivalent. Useful, not required.
The Benefits of Building with Us
We offer competitive salaries and meaningful equity. We believe everyone on the team should have a stake in what we’re building. Benefits vary by region to make sure you're covered in the ways that matter most. In the US, that includes health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, plus a 401(k) and flexible spending accounts.
Regardless of where you live, everyone at Ditto can utilize flexible time off. And while we work remotely, our Atlanta and San Francisco offices are open if you ever want a place to work or meet up with teammates.
Apply Anyway
At Ditto, we know game-changers don’t always come wrapped in a “perfect” resume. Years of experience? Every single bullet point checked? Meh. That’s not what drives us.
What does matter?
Grit.
Curiosity.
Adaptability.
And a genuine spark for what we’re building.
So if you’re fired up about our mission but not sure you tick every box - hit that apply button anyway. Use your application to show us how you’ll make an impact here.
We’re always on the lookout for exceptional humans who want to grow, stretch, and build something meaningful with us.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Ditto is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. Ditto is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please let us know.
Compensation Range: $234K - $281K