Portfolio Manager - Remote (WFH)

Cognitive is seeking an experienced and delivery-focused Portfolio Manager to lead the VA T4NG Consolidated Corporate Support Services (CCSS) Program supporting the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Corporate Portfolio. This individual will oversee a large, mission-critical portfolio consisting of 4 product lines and 20+ active projects, guiding a team of Program Managers and more than 100 staff across supporting VA OIT systems and applications.

The ideal candidate is a strategic leader with deep IT and VA program delivery management expertise and strong business acumen.  This candidate is capable of aligning execution with customer priorities, building trusted relationships with government stakeholders, and guiding cross-functional teams toward successful outcomes including increased customer satisfaction and retention, proactive leadership and coordination across technical, functional, and business teams resulting in accelerated and higher quality delivery, improved governance and stakeholder transparency and optimized resource allocation across the portfolio.   While not a hands-on engineer, the Portfolio Manager must possess the technical acumen necessary to engage in high-level discussions about technical strategy.  This capability enables them to ensure delivery remains aligned with the customer's overall program roadmap.

This role is outcomes-driven and responsible for ensuring that the portfolio consistently delivers measurable business value. The Portfolio Manager must have a clear understanding of key performance indicators (KPIs) such as schedule adherence, budget variance, resource utilization, benefit realization, risk exposure, stakeholder satisfaction, change management, and project health scores at both the program and portfolio levels.  The Portfolio Manager must also be proactive in defining and implementing internal performance drivers, measures, process improvements, and corrective actions where needed. This leader will implement and sustain a portfolio-wide risk management framework to ensure proactive identification and resolution of delivery and operational risks. By analyzing trends and collaborating with program teams, the Portfolio Manager will embed consistent risk practices across all programs and ensure early intervention strategies are in place to protect portfolio performance, customer trust, and mission outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Customer Partnership & Strategic Alignment

• Serve as the senior delivery leader and trusted advisor to VA stakeholders, aligning delivery activities to the VA’s strategic roadmap.
• Participate in PI planning, governance, and operational forums to represent the portfolio and influence enterprise outcomes.
• Ensure that Cognitive remains a responsive and value-aligned partner to the VA, focused on mission success.

Delivery Leadership Across Programs

• Oversee execution of 4 product lines and 30+ concurrent projects, ensuring delivery meets or exceeds expectations for quality, timeline, and customer satisfaction.
• Lead and mentor 5-10 direct staff, while providing oversight of a team of over 100 project team professionals. 

• Provide leadership and oversight to ensure portfolio management processes align with CMMI standards, driving continuous improvement, process maturity, and compliance across all program areas.
• Apply a deep understanding of SAFe Agile frameworks to guide cross-functional teams, align strategy with execution, and optimize delivery flow across the agile release train and broader enterprise portfolio.

KPI Management & Process Improvement

• Define, track, and analyze KPIs for individual programs and the broader portfolio to ensure operational health and customer value delivery.
• Use performance data to identify trends, risks, and areas for improvement.
• Implement internal measurements, process enhancements, and corrective actions to continuously improve efficiency, accountability, and customer outcomes.
• KPIs should include schedule adherence, budget variance, resource utilization rate, benefit realization, risk exposure, stakeholder satisfaction, change management, and project health scores.
• Provide clear, actionable reporting to internal leadership and government stakeholders based on KPI analysis.

Portfolio-Wide Risk Management

• Implement and sustain a portfolio-wide risk management process to proactively identify, assess, and mitigate risks, including facilitation of regular risk reviews with program managers.
• Establish and maintain standardized risk tracking and reporting practices for consistency across programs while ensuring risk mitigation strategies are actionable, measurable, and embedded into delivery plans.
• Analyze risk trends to identify systemic issues and lead process improvements to enhance delivery resilience.

Resource Management & Operational Efficiency

• Develop and manage a portfolio-wide resource plan to ensure optimal allocation of delivery staff based on project demand.
• Identify cross-program synergies and drive process efficiencies to improve team performance and portfolio value.
• Coordinate closely with internal Contracts and Finance teams to manage renewals, modifications, and budget alignment.

Growth Enablement & Strategic Collaboration

• Partner with internal business development teams to shape and pursue new opportunities within the VA portfolio.
• Contribute to capture and proposal efforts by leveraging delivery insights and customer relationships.
• Lead or support strategic initiatives that expand the footprint and value of the CCSS program.

Stakeholder, Subcontractor & Partner Management

• Build and manage effective relationships with government stakeholders, subcontractors, and vendor partners.
• Actively monitor the performance of delivery partners to ensure cost-effective, high-quality execution.

Required Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Bachelor’s Degree required, Master’s preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in program or portfolio management, with 5–7 years supporting federal programs (VA experience strongly preferred).
• 5+ years of Agile, PI planning, and governance experience.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large, cross-functional teams in delivering complex portfolios.
• Strong understanding of delivery metrics, performance reporting, and process improvement.
• Experience with federal contracts, IT program delivery, and budget management.
• Skilled in stakeholder engagement, risk management, and performance tracking.
• Ability to participate in technical and business discussions to ensure delivery alignment.

Preferred Experience

• Experience delivering IT solutions and services within the VA or other federal healthcare agencies.
• Background in consulting or delivery leadership in a contractor role.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills to engage senior leaders and drive alignment.
• Proven success in leading delivery transformation or modernization initiatives.

Certifications

• Required:
  • Project Management Professional (PMP)
  • SAFe Certification
• Preferred:
  • Program Management Professional (PgMP)
  • PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)