Protect our Land, Ascend with Us!

Ascension is seeking an experienced Program Manager / Task Order Manager to lead successful execution of a federal healthcare program support effort supporting the Defense Health Agency’s (DHA) Disability Evaluation System (DES) mission. The ideal candidate will serve as the primary point of coordination for contract execution, ensuring program activities, deliverables, schedules, quality standards, and stakeholder engagements are effectively managed.

The successful candidate will bring demonstrated experience managing complex federal programs, coordinating cross-functional teams, developing management processes, monitoring performance, managing risks, and supporting executive-level reporting. This role requires an organized, proactive leader who can translate mission objectives into actionable plans while maintaining strong communication with government stakeholders.

This position is ideal for a professional who enjoys supporting mission-critical programs, improving operational processes, and enabling government organizations to achieve measurable outcomes through disciplined program management practices.

Summary of Contractor Role

The Program Manager / Task Order Manager will provide overall management oversight for Ascension’s support of the DHA Disability Evaluation System (DES) program. The position will be responsible for managing contract execution, coordinating project activities, monitoring performance against objectives, ensuring quality of deliverables, and serving as the primary interface between Ascension, government leadership, and project stakeholders.

The role will support DES program objectives through structured program management practices including:

• Integrated planning and execution
• Schedule and milestone management
• Risk and issue management
• Stakeholder coordination
• Quality assurance oversight
• Deliverable management
• Performance reporting
• Governance support

The Program Manager will support activities aligned with DHA requirements including operational monitoring, program performance reporting, administrative coordination, documentation management, and process improvement initiatives. The DHA requirement includes program management and administrative support for DES and associated programs, including strategic planning, operational monitoring, reporting, quality assurance, and coordination activities.

Position Responsibilities / Expected Activities

The Program Manager / Task Order Manager will:

• Lead overall contract execution activities to ensure successful delivery of contractual requirements, milestones, and customer objectives.
• Develop and maintain project management plans, schedules, trackers, and status reporting mechanisms.
• Manage project scope, schedule, cost, risks, issues, and dependencies.
• Coordinate activities among government stakeholders, contractor personnel, and supporting organizations.
• Facilitate recurring program meetings, working groups, and stakeholder engagements.
• Prepare executive briefings, status reports, presentations, and program documentation.
• Monitor task performance and ensure deliverables meet established quality standards.
• Establish and maintain risk registers, action item logs, decision logs, and performance trackers.
• Support development and implementation of program governance processes.
• Coordinate quality assurance activities and support continuous improvement initiatives.
• Review program performance metrics and provide recommendations for improvement.
• Support development and refinement of policies, procedures, workflows, and operational processes.
• Ensure accurate tracking of correspondence, suspense items, deliverables, and government actions.
• Collaborate with technical and functional team members supporting DES program activities.
• Support reporting requirements, including recurring and ad hoc management reports.