Ascension is seeking a senior-level Program Director / Engagement Executive to provide executive oversight, strategic alignment, and stakeholder engagement leadership in support of a federal enterprise program. This role serves as the bridge between executive leadership and program delivery, ensuring that mission objectives, program performance, and stakeholder expectations are aligned and achieved.

The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in federal program management, governance frameworks, and executive-level stakeholder engagement, with the ability to guide multiple project managers and teams toward successful delivery outcomes. This individual will play a critical role in driving program performance, aligning strategic priorities, and supporting executive decision-making across the engagement.

This role is essential to ensuring that program outcomes align with agency mission goals, regulatory expectations, and enterprise transformation objectives—consistent with Ascension’s core strengths in program management, stakeholder engagement, and performance optimization .

Position Summary

The Program Director / Engagement Executive provides enterprise-level oversight and governance across program activities, ensuring alignment between strategic objectives and operational execution. This role is responsible for engagement leadership, performance management oversight, and stakeholder coordination across multiple functional areas.

The successful candidate is a strategic thinker and execution-focused leader who thrives in complex federal environments. They are expected to operate with minimal oversight, anticipate risks, guide program direction, and ensure delivery excellence.

The candidate should demonstrate:

• Strong executive presence and communication skills
• Ability to manage competing priorities across multiple stakeholders
• Experience leading large-scale federal programs or portfolios
• Capability to translate strategy into actionable program direction
• Expertise in governance, performance management, and reporting

Day-to-Day / Core Responsibilities

• Provide executive oversight for program delivery, ensuring alignment with agency mission and strategic priorities
• Lead stakeholder engagement efforts, including executive briefings, governance boards, and performance reviews
• Guide program managers and project teams to ensure effective execution and delivery outcomes
• Establish and maintain governance frameworks, including reporting cadence, risk management, and escalation pathways
• Oversee program performance metrics, KPIs, and reporting to ensure transparency and accountability
• Support strategic planning activities, including roadmap development and alignment with agency objectives
• Facilitate executive-level meetings, decision forums, and cross-functional coordination sessions
• Identify risks and issues proactively, and implement mitigation strategies
• Ensure quality and consistency across deliverables, reports, and program outputs
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across program operations and delivery processes
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders, including government leadership and contractor teams
• Support business development and growth efforts, where applicable, by strengthening client relationships