Umbra builds next-generation space systems that observe the Earth in unprecedented fidelity.
To stay ahead of climate change, geopolitical risk, and other major crises and issues, we need a global understanding of what is changing, where, and how fast. Umbra provides easy access to the highest quality commercial satellite data available, which is an indispensable tool for the growing number of organizations monitoring the Earth. We empower our customers to create solutions that inform, inspire, and address our planet’s most pressing needs. We’re helping to create a brand-new industry that has never meaningfully existed before.
We are seeking an experienced Portfolio Manager to join Umbra’s Mission Solutions Group. This role will be responsible for overseeing a portfolio of government contracts, program captures, and internal research and development (R&D) initiatives, ensuring alignment with profit and loss (P&L) targets as well as key program and capture performance metrics. The Mission Solutions business primarily focuses on customer-funded development with mission-critical content. The Portfolio Manager will report to the Director of Mission Solutions and work closely with Umbra’s business development, program management, engineering, and shared services teams to drive success.
About this Role
As a Portfolio Manager at Umbra, you’ll be instrumental in delivering high-quality products and solutions that delight our customers and users—on time, within budget, and in full compliance with contractual commitments. You understand how all the components of a portfolio must align for successful execution, and you translate that vision into clear roadmaps, schedules, and budgets, tracking progress across multiple initiatives—including programs, captures, and internal development projects. You will manage development scope using processes from the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) to ensure efficient, scalable delivery.
Your communication skills are key to your success: you collaborate effectively with both technical and non-technical teams, deliver concise and impactful briefings to leadership, and build strong partnerships with customers. You will deepen your understanding of Umbra’s technologies to better support your clients and manage technical progress. You’ll also address and mitigate program risks and issues as they arise.
As pipeline opportunities evolve into specific captures, you will lead proposal efforts, respond to RFIs, and drive organic growth. As your portfolio expands, you will mentor and guide program managers in planning and executing their responsibilities.
Our aim is to hire this position in to work in Umbra's Arlington, VA office. However, we are open to considering Hybrid/Remote applicants. This role requires occasional work in a secure location in either Denver, CO, or Arlington, VA.
Key Responsibilities
- Portfolio Ownership: Drive the growth of your portfolio to meet ambitious business goals, including targets for total contract value, bookings, and revenue over multiple years. Develop and execute a robust P&L plan that encompasses resource allocation, budget management, R&D, and schedule planning/tracking. Regularly communicate the strategy, progress, and performance of your portfolio to leadership. As your portfolio expands, you’ll be responsible for building and managing a team of capture and program managers.
- Program Execution: Take full accountability for the successful execution (cost, schedule, technical) of multiple active contracts. Provide monthly updates on financial actuals and forecasts, and deliver status reports to support Program Excellence Reviews.
- Processes: Contribute to the development and refinement of Umbra’s Program Excellence Framework—a set of best practices for program start-up, execution, and close-out. Leverage lessons learned from past programs, adapting them to Umbra’s approach to establish streamlined processes in areas such as financial management, risk management, contractual deliveries, and performance monitoring. Additionally, help shape and document Umbra’s Capture Center of Excellence, focusing on processes that result in winning proposals, from bid decision through to commitment review.
- Growth and Strategy: Lead the development and delivery of compelling proposals and white papers that are complete, compliant, and high-quality, with a strong likelihood of success. Define and implement growth strategies for current and follow-on contracts. Serve as the voice of the customer, providing insights to inform company roadmaps and ensure alignment with customer needs.
- Other Duties as Assigned: Perform additional responsibilities as needed to support the overall success of the portfolio and business objectives.
Required Qualifications
- 8+ years of professional experience in program management, specifically supporting U.S. government contracts or within the aerospace and defense sectors.
- Bachelors Degree in Business/STEM/Related or related experience.
- Active and current top-secret security clearance.
- Proven leadership skills, with the ability to create plans, build teams, and execute with strong ownership and minimal oversight.
- Experience collaborating with business development on U.S. government captures and supporting or leading proposal efforts.
- Strong understanding of Agile product development and the technology development lifecycle.
- A continuous learner who thrives in uncertainty, takes calculated risks, and learns from experiences.
- Proactive, consistently taking initiative and advocating for necessary actions.
- High emotional intelligence, with the ability to effectively communicate and empathize with staff, colleagues, cross-functional teams, and customers.
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
- Comfortable working in a dynamic, fast-paced development environment.
- Willing to travel domestically (CONUS) up to 25% of the time.
- Proven experience working with a diverse range of U.S. Government customers, including DoD, Intelligence Community (IC), and Civil sectors.
- Experience managing large, competitive captures.
- Familiarity with and leadership experience in SAFe, PMI, or other similarly rigorous organizational frameworks.
Desired Qualifications
- Direct experience in space industry program planning and execution.
- Demonstrated ability to manage technical development and/or R&D scope, leading technical teams to success.
- Experience with remote sensing satellite development and/or mission operations.
- Knowledge and experience with SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) and RF space payloads and their associated ground systems.
- Solid understanding of systems engineering processes and system architectures.
Umbra is an Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We take affirmative action to ensure equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics.
Employment Eligibility Verification:
In compliance with federal laws, all hired persons will be required to verify their identity and eligibility to work in the United States by completing the required Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) upon hire.
This position may include access to technology and/or data that is subject to U.S. export controls pursuant to ITAR and EAR. To comply with federal export controls, all persons hired must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee or asylee as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3), or must otherwise be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or U.S.Department of Commerce as applicable.
Pay Transparency:
This job posting may span more than one career level. To provide greater transparency to candidates, we share base ranges for all job postings regardless of state. We set standard base pay ranges for all roles based on function and level benchmarked against similar stage growth companies. Final offer amounts are determined by skills, responsibilities and relevant work experience.
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