Program Manager

About Spear AI

Spear AI is a growing defense contracting company dedicated to delivering cutting-edge solutions that support our nation’s security. As we expand, we’re building a culture where innovation meets mission-critical work. We operate with a flat organizational structure that empowers every team member to make an impact, collaborate directly with leadership, and contribute to projects that matter. Whether you’re joining our Hardware, Software, or Services division, you’ll work alongside talented professionals who are committed to excellence and advancing the capabilities that keep our nation safe and secure.

Spear AI builds sonobuoy sensors that are deployed into the water and collect edge data. We also work with the U.S. Navy to collect and process their SONAR data. You’ll have an opportunity to work on real-world projects that directly impact warfighter capabilities and mission success.

What you’ll do

We’re a small team wearing many hats, and you’d have a wide variety of responsibilities that include:

· Run Agile/Scrum ceremonies and cadence (sprint planning, standups, reviews, and retrospectives) for a multi-vendor development team

· Own backlog management, requirements decomposition, and prioritization of capability increments in coordination with the government lead

· Proactively coordinate onboarding for contractor personnel and vendors: security processing, account requests, facility access, CAC coordination, and IT/environment access tracking

· Coordinate and track travel, including VAR preparation, agendas, on-site logistics, and engagement synchronization

· Organize and facilitate recurring team synchronization events, action tracking, and meeting outputs

· Maintain program management artifacts: Jira boards, MS Teams channels, schedules, action trackers, risk/issue logs, and status reporting

· Track submission deadlines, task status, dependencies, and coordination actions across multiple teams

· Coordinate with government stakeholders, external organizations, and supporting offices to stay ahead of emerging priorities, requirements, and suspense actions

· Support budget tracking, acquisition coordination, contract deliverable tracking, and reporting

· Assist the government lead with vendor coordination, meeting preparation, and operational engagement planning

Important Skills

· Active TS/SCI required; must be able to obtain and maintain a Counterintelligence (CI) Polygraph.

· Demonstrated experience managing software, AI/ML, or operational capability development teams using Scrum/Agile.

· Proven ability to track a hundred moving parts without dropping one across multiple teams and vendors.

· Strong backlog management, requirements decomposition, and prioritization skills.

· Experience maintaining program management artifacts and status reporting for government stakeholders.

· Comfortable operating in a classified environment with evolving priorities and low drama.

· US Citizenship required.

· Ability to support periodic travel (approximately every 30 days) to CCMDs, service components, operational units, and industry/vendor locations.

· Ability to operate in fast-paced, multi-vendor, government-led development environments with evolving priorities.

· Strong written and verbal communication skills across technical developers, operational users, senior leaders, and external vendors.

Nice to have

· Familiarity with Joint Staff, CCMD, SOCOM, CDAO, or Intelligence Community coordination environments.

· Experience supporting classified development environments.

· Experience with rapid capability delivery and iterative user-feedback cycles.

· PMP, CSM, or SAFe certification.

· Experience in classified operational environments and cross-domain data constraints.

· Familiarity with Agile development practices, rapid capability delivery, and iterative user-feedback cycles.

· Military Intelligence or Intelligence Community experience.

Why work with us

· We ship — We don’t work on 18-month projects that are irrelevant before they’re even finished.

· Our work has impact — We build products that are deployed to U.S. submarines and integrate with the sonobuoys we manufacture.

· We’re growing responsibly — We have the resources to hire a lot more people, but we don’t want to build a massive team of people who don’t share our values.

· We’re profitable — We aren’t burning through cash trying to make the business work. But we also have investors who believe in us and are committed to our success.

· We care about doing great work — You don’t need permission to sweat the details here.

· We don’t take ourselves too seriously — We’re building products that make the world safer. But we don’t let that get to our heads.

What we offer

· Unlimited PTO — Take the time you need to recharge and maintain work-life balance.

· Dedicated Sick Time — Your health and well-being come first.

· Comprehensive Health & Benefits – Medical, dental, and vision coverage to keep you and your family protected.

· 11 Paid Holidays — Enjoy time off throughout the year to celebrate and spend time with loved ones.

· Professional Development — Educational opportunities and resources to help you grow your skills and advance your career.

· Collaborative Environment — Work directly with leadership in our flat organizational structure, where your ideas and contributions matter.

· Mission-Driven Work — Contribute to projects that directly support national security and make a real-world impact.

· Growth Opportunities — Join us during an exciting expansion phase where you can help shape our future.

Additional benefit opportunities when you choose Spear AI

· 401(k) with company match.

· Onsite / Remote / Flexible work arrangements or hybrid options (position dependent).

· Relocation assistance (position dependent).

· Referral bonuses.

· Performance bonuses.

· Life insurance and disability coverage.

· Technology home office setup stipend.

· Professional certification reimbursement (position dependent).

Compensation

We offer competitive compensation tailored to your experience, location, and the impact you’ll make. We’re committed to equitable pay and will share a range aligned to your level and geography during the hiring process. In accordance with state law, candidates in jurisdictions such as CA, CO, WA, NY, and others, where applicable, will be provided a good-faith salary range upon request and throughout the hiring process. This is a full-time, exempt position under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is not eligible for overtime pay.

Compensation for this position is provided on a salaried basis and is not subject to reduction based on hours worked. At Spear AI, you’ll find more than just a job; you’ll join a mission-driven team where your work directly contributes to national security. Our flat organizational structure means your voice matters, your ideas reach leadership, and your impact is visible. As we grow, we’re committed to building robust processes and infrastructure that support both our mission and our people. We value collaboration, continuous improvement, and the expertise each team member brings to the table. If you’re looking for a place to grow professionally while working on projects that truly matter, we’d love to hear from you.

Equal Opportunity

Spear AI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.