Program Manager

Location: Remote with quarterly onsite travel to client site

Employment Type: Full-Time (AKIVA Employee)

About AKIVA

AKIVA is an AI-native engineering firm specializing in enterprise services, domain-specific solutions, and high-performance infrastructure from strategy through deployment. We build innovative systems that drive measurable results for commercial enterprises and government agencies. AKIVA is a certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).

Position Overview

AKIVA is seeking an Executive Sponsor to serve as the senior leadership point of accountability for a public-sector Temporary Staffing Services engagement. The Executive Sponsor provides strategic oversight, C-level escalation, and executive-to-executive partnership with client leadership, ensuring the contract receives the authority, resources, and corporate commitment necessary to deliver exceptional staffing services. As an AKIVA executive, this role leverages AI-powered business intelligence and reporting tools to monitor contract health and drive continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

•       Serve as the primary AKIVA executive liaison to client senior leadership, including HR directors, department heads, and the client executive office

•       Provide executive-level accountability for overall contract performance, customer satisfaction, and delivery of all contractual obligations

•       Authorize corporate resources, subject matter experts, and surge capacity to meet client demand spikes or specialized staffing requests

•       Chair quarterly business reviews with client leadership to review performance, trends, continuous improvement initiatives, and upcoming needs

•       Serve as the final escalation point for contract, service-level, or personnel matters that cannot be resolved at the Program Manager level

•       Champion AKIVA's investment in tools, technology, and talent that benefit the client program

•       Ensure alignment with AKIVA corporate policies, ethics standards, and public-sector compliance obligations

•       Support contract renewals, scope expansions, and strategic roadmap planning with the client

•       Approve exception requests, hardship accommodations, and non-standard placement arrangements as needed

•       Represent AKIVA at industry events, workforce development partnerships, and client community engagement activities

Required Qualifications

•       15 or more years of staffing, workforce solutions, or professional services leadership experience

•       Executive-level experience managing government, municipal, or large public-sector client relationships

•       Demonstrated ability to influence C-suite, elected officials, and senior agency leadership

•       Strong commercial acumen, negotiation, and portfolio management skills

•       Track record of scaling staffing operations across multiple departments, geographies, or service lines

•       Excellent written and verbal communication, facilitation, and executive presentation skills

•       Bachelor's degree required

•       Must be authorized to work in the United States

Preferred Qualifications

•       MBA or advanced degree

•       Prior P&L ownership for a staffing, managed services, or professional services portfolio of $10M or more

•       Prior experience operating under California public-sector contracting frameworks (CalPERS-adjacent, prevailing wage, labor compliance)

•       Member of ASA, NAPS, or SIA leadership communities

•       Veteran or service-connected Veteran status

Tools, Technologies & Frameworks

Analytics: Power BI, Tableau, Excel (advanced) | CRM and ATS: Bullhorn, iCIMS, Salesforce | Productivity: Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint | Methodologies: Balanced Scorecard, OKRs, ITIL Service Strategy | Compliance: FAR, state/municipal procurement, California Labor Code

What AKIVA Offers

•       Professional development and skill-building opportunities

•       Supportive management team with Veteran-owned company values

•       Opportunity to work on impactful public sector engagements

•       Long-term contract engagement with potential for extension

•       AI productivity tools and training provided at no cost to employees

Comprehensive Benefits Package

•       401(k) with generous company match

•       Medical Insurance

•       Dental Insurance

•       Vision Insurance

•       Short-Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance

•       Paid Time Off (PTO)

•       Profit Sharing

Join Our AI Innovation Network

Interested in staying connected with AKIVA's AI initiatives, research, and opportunities?

Join our AI Innovation Network here: https://www.akiva.com/ai-network

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

AKIVA is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical disability, marital status, military and Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We believe that diversity among our teammates is critical to our success as a company, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people within a qualified candidate pool.