Senior Director, Federal Programs

About the Department:

Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) at George Mason University serves as the university’s central hub for workforce development, executive education, and applied professional learning. CPE partners with federal agencies, industry, and academic units across Mason to design and deliver high-impact training programs that strengthen the region’s talent pipeline.

CPE supports strategic university initiatives by offering flexible, mission-aligned programs-including short courses, certificate programs, customized federal training, and large-scale workforce skilling efforts-that advance organizational performance and address emerging national security, defense, and technology needs. As part of GMU’s research and innovation ecosystem, CPE collaborates closely with Mason Defense, academic colleges, and research centers to ensure programs are responsive, experiential, and aligned with federal workforce priorities.

CPE also supports George Mason University’s efforts to expand and deliver impactful defense and national security programs through applied research, federal partnerships, workforce development, and strategic initiatives. The unit collaborates closely with academic units, research centers, and federal agencies to advance mission-critical national security objectives.

About the Position:

The Senior Director, Federal Programs provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and business development direction for CPE’s involvement in Mason Defense’s federal portfolio. This position is responsible for building and managing a sustainable pipeline of federal opportunities, overseeing execution of complex federal programs, and coordinating multi-disciplinary matrixed teams across the university.

The Senior Director ensures that all programs align with university policies, federal regulations, and the strategic priorities of Mason Defense and CPE.

Responsibilities:

Program Leadership and Oversight

• Leads execution and oversight of federally funded programs within CPE;
• Establishes program plans, milestones, internal controls, and performance metrics;
• Manages program risks, resources, deliverables, and reporting requirements; and
• Ensures high-quality program performance in accordance with federal and university standards.

Federal Business Development and Pipeline Growth

• Develops and executes a strategic plan to build a pipeline of new opportunities with DoD, Intelligence Community, DHS, and other federal sponsors;
• Leads capture planning, partner engagement, and proposal development;
• Maintains relationships with government sponsors, prime contractors, industry partners, and research collaborators; and
• Identifies emerging federal needs and align opportunities with university expertise.

Matrixed Team Leadership and Cross-Campus Coordination

• Coordinates multi-disciplinary teams involving faculty, researchers, administrative staff, and technical experts;
• Facilitates cross-campus collaboration to assemble competitive teams and capabilities; and
• Ensures effective communication and alignment across colleges, institutes, and centers.

Compliance, Contracts, and Sponsor Engagement

• Ensures compliance with FAR, DFARS, OMB Uniform Guidance, agency-specific regulations, and GMU policies;
• Supports audits, sponsor reviews, and contract oversight;
• Serves as primary point of contact for federal sponsors and external partners; and
• Provides briefings, reports, and strategic updates to university leadership.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, Business Administration, Engineering, Defense Studies, Project/Program Management, or related field or the equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Progressively responsible experience (typically 10+ years) in federal program management, defense initiatives, or large-scale sponsored research;
• Demonstrated experience building and managing a federal business development pipeline;
• Strong knowledge of federal acquisition processes, FAR/DFARS, and sponsored research compliance;
• Proven ability to lead and influence matrixed teams across diverse academic and technical disciplines;
• Excellent communication, organizational, and leadership skills;
• U.S. citizenship required; and
• Active Top Secret (with a preference for SCI) or the ability to maintain a US security clearance is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in related field;
• Experience working with DoD, DHS, IC agencies, or federal R&D organizations;
• Experience managing multi-million-dollar federal portfolios; and
• Demonstrated experience in leadership within higher education, federally funded research, or national security initiatives.

Instructions to Applicants:

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Senior Director, Federal Programs at https://jobs.gmu.edu/ Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a Cover Letter/Letter of Intent with Resume for review.