Operating Unit Leader

Peraton is seeking an experienced and dynamic Operating Unit Leader to join our Federal Civilian (FedCiv) Operating Unit.

Location: Arlington, VA; Flexible for occasional telework – must be local to work location and able to come on-site as needed. 

Role and Responsibilities: 

This is a senior leadership opportunity for a results-driven executive who thrives at the intersection of mission delivery, customer partnership, and aggressive business growth.

In this role, you will own the performance and growth of a portfolio of federal civilian programs, leading a team of Program Managers to deliver exceptional outcomes while simultaneously driving new business development and expanding Peraton's presence in adjacent and greyspace mission areas. You will be accountable for the full health of your operating unit — from technical execution and financial results to pipeline development and strategic market positioning.

What You'll Do

• Own end-to-end performance of a portfolio of federal civilian programs, ensuring technical, schedule, and cost objectives are met in accordance with contract requirements and Peraton standards.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Program Managers, fostering a culture of accountability, excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Drive aggressive on-contract growth and pursue follow-on and new business opportunities, personally leading or overseeing major capture and proposal efforts.
• Identify and pursue greyspace growth opportunities — expanding Peraton's footprint into adjacent mission areas, white space accounts, and emerging customer requirements not currently under contract.
• Lead and contribute to Business Development strategy for the operating unit, including pipeline development, opportunity shaping, customer engagement, and coordination with BD and capture teams to build a healthy, sustainable book of business.
• Build and sustain trusted relationships with senior federal civilian customer stakeholders, serving as a strategic partner and mission-focused advisor who understands both current and future customer needs.
• Manage the full P&L for your operating unit, including budget oversight, financial forecasting, and reporting across contracts and subcontracts.
• Serve as a key liaison with vendors, subcontractors, and internal functional partners including Pricing, Contracts, and Business Development.
• Develop and implement Quality Assurance programs to ensure consistent, high-quality delivery across all programs and services.
• Prepare and deliver program, financial, and executive-level reports to internal and external stakeholders.
• Allocate resources strategically and provide technical direction to ensure successful task execution across the portfolio.

Minimum requirements:

• Bachelor's degree required. 
• 16+ years of progressive experience in Program and Portfolio Management within the federal government contracting space.
• Demonstrated experience leading a P&L with a proven track record of year-over-year portfolio growth.
• Experience leading teams of Program Managers across multiple concurrent programs, driving both strong performance and on-contract growth.
• Proven Business Development acumen — including pipeline ownership, opportunity shaping, customer relationship development, and winning new work in the federal civilian market.
• Experience identifying and capturing greyspace and adjacent market opportunities, with the ability to translate customer mission gaps into actionable growth strategies.
• Deep understanding of federal civilian agency missions, procurement processes, and customer relationship dynamics.
• Experience managing programs in one or more of the following areas: IT Modernization, Network Operations, C5ISR, Mission Support, or Spectrum Analysis.
• Proven ability to identify, shape, and win new business opportunities in the federal civilian market.
• U.S. citizenship required.
• Active Secret clearance required.
• Must reside within commutable distance of a Peraton office to be able to come on-site as needed. 

Preferred: 

• Active Top Secret security clearance.
• Advanced degree preferred.