Project Director

Potomac Haven is committed to empowering the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Head Start (OHS) on its trajectory to modernize the technical infrastructure, systems, and applications required to successfully manage, monitor, and provide oversight of OHS grant recipient organizations and program operations. We are seeking a highly experienced and civic-minded Project Director to lead a dynamic technical team as it optimizes OHS's Aligned Monitoring System 2.0 Digital Services (IT-AMS) platform, a data management system designed to help OHS program staff to monitor performance, compliance, and effective use of federal funds for grants at the local, state, regional, and national levels.

Requirements

THIS IS A PART TIME POSITION (UP TO 20 HOURS PER WEEK)

The Project Director serves as the product and senior leader for all project work streams. In addition to ensuring overall service delivery on contract management tasks, the Project Director empowers our team of roughly 20 personnel to achieve and succeed across a broad spectrum of work which includes integrated technology maintenance, development of efficient links between oversight activities, automated measurement techniques, multimedia data collection, and effective project management.

The Project Director is a meticulously organized manager and skilled communicator/advisor who supervises and coordinates with team leads across all major task areas (e.g., integrated systems operations, maintenance, and enhancement; technology support for monitoring and review scheduling; technology support for monitoring report development and quality control; national support for review team management and deployment; technology support for data and management analytics; technology support for monitoring tool integration; technology support for the Classroom Assessment Scoring system; and innovation and special projects). Responsibilities include:

Strategic Leadership and Client Engagement

• Provide overall direction and vision for the IT-AMS Digital Services project, ensuring alignment with the Office of Head Start's monitoring and oversight objectives.
• Serve as the primary liaison with federal stakeholders, including the Contracting Officer Representative (CO) and Product Owner, fostering transparency, trust, and collaboration.
• Lead strategic planning and facilitate executive-level briefings and status updates.
• Oversee product deliverables to ensure full compliance with Section 508 accessibility standards.
• Coordinate with OHS stakeholders to ensure alignment of project work with user needs and business goals.
• Cultivate positive, trusting, and cooperative working relationships with the Government and all other vendors supporting this work.

Agile Program and Team Management:

• Oversee cross-functional teams delivering digital services using agile methodologies, including backlog management, sprint planning, and retrospectives.
• Manage task assignments, staffing, and team performance across technical, design, data, and support workstreams.
• Ensure efficient workflows, resource allocation, and consistent progress toward deliverables.
• Manage resourcing and budget effectively to maintain overall project cost controls.

System Operations, Enhancement and Integration

• Direct ongoing system operations, maintenance, and enhancement of the IT-AMS platform to ensure reliability, usability, and security.
• Oversee the integration of IT-AMS with related OHS systems to support data interoperability and a seamless user experience.
• Champion user-centered improvements and alignment with government digital service standards.

Compliance, Risk and Performance Oversight

• Ensure compliance with federal IT policies, FISMA Low security controls, and Authority to Operate (ATO) requirements.
• Identify and mitigate project risks while maintaining high levels of performance and accountability.
• Manage project documentation, reporting, and quality assurance to meet contractual obligations and client expectations.
• Perform these and other reasonable tasks as assigned by management in support of BCT's goals and objectives.
• Ensure good coordination and process compliance. Verify that activities corresponding to tasks and their subtasks are coordinated effectively and conducted according to established OHS process(es).

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Public Administration, or a related field; Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in leading complex digital or IT related projects in the federal sector.
• Experience working as a primary liaison with federal stakeholders, facilitating product discovery and decision-making
• Proven experience in managing large-scale, complex projects with multiple stakeholders and budgets of $5 million or more.
• Ability to supervise a project team, collaborate with staff to get a job done, and cultivate team spirit and synergy.
• Strong understanding of Agile methodologies and user-centered design principles. Demonstrated success delivering user-centered digital products using iterative design and agile delivery practices.
• Familiarity with the U.S. Digital Services Playbook and Human-Centered Design principles
• Knowledge of Section 508 accessibility requirements and best practices in usability and inclusive design
• Experience integrating systems with external data sources or platforms, including federal systems such as Office of Head Start Enterprise System (HSES) or IRIS Connect.
• Familiarity with FISMA Low security requirements and experience managing systems through the Authority to Operate (ATO) process
• Ability to oversee DevSecOps practices including CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure as code, and cloud deployment environments such as Cloud.gov
• Strong skills in stakeholder communication, executive briefing, risk escalation, and performance reporting
• Professional certifications such as PMP (Project Management Professional), CSM (Certified ScrumMaster), or SAFe Agile Practitioner are preferred
• Working knowledge of modern software architecture and technologies such as Java, React, Node.js, or API-first development approaches is a plus
• Proven ability to effectively communicate to various audiences when speaking and in writing.
• Proficiency with computer, Internet, Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint); experience with SharePoint and Monday.com desirable.
• Experience with video meetings/conferencing (e.g., Zoom, Adobe, MS Teams).
• Ability to adapt quickly to new applications.
• Must be able to demonstrate ability to communicate risks, obstacles or issues as early as possible.
• Must be able to demonstrate experience of coordination and collaboration with stakeholders to ensure alignment of product work with user needs and business goals of the organization.
• Experience working within the federal sector, with preference given to candidates with experience in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, OHS, and ACF.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a public trust clearance.

Work Schedule:

• 8-hour shift between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm, Monday - Friday

Work Location:

• McLean, VA

Our Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Simple IRA and corporate match
• Simple IRA matching
• Paid leave (three weeks)

More about Potomac Haven: Potomac Haven is dedicated to enhancing government efficiency and promoting economic growth at the grassroots -- one community at a time. We offer a comprehensive suite of information technology services to support various missions including national security and defense, economic stability, and innovation. We are committed to supporting agencies to align with key national priorities, delivering excellence, and supporting our nation's goals.