Project Manager, Product Development

Job Description & Responsibilities

Persistent Systems is seeking a Project Manager, Product Development to join our growing team. As a Project Manager, you will be a critical member of the Persistent Program Management Office (PMO) Team. The position will be based in one of our office locations (New York City headquarters, Ft Collins, CO, Pinehurst, NC). This product development project manager will possess strong competencies in product development lifecycles, agile and traditional Project Management, and software delivery best practices with preferred experience in the US Defense and related industries working closely with Engineering teams. The expectation is for this individual to own the development process and relentlessly drive the product forward from concept to deployment. Duties will span supporting product development lifecycles from requirements gathering to test and release of Wave Relay® MANET products and enhancements.  This individual will play a pivotal role in communicating our customers’ technical challenges, aligning with strategic initiatives within the Security portfolio. This person will also be integral to engineering product development and work closely across the Persistent Systems team, including Sales, Contracts, Field Operations, Product Management, Engineering, Quality, and Programs.

Position Responsibilities   

• Lead technical project management efforts for product development initiatives, including planning, execution, tracking, and delivery across the full product lifecycle
• Drive Agile/Scrum software development processes by collaborating with cross-functional teams to define goals, manage backlogs, and facilitate daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives
• Facilitate and guide technical discussions with engineering, cybersecurity, and product teams to align architecture, technical requirements, and security design decisions that meet product and compliance objectives
• Develop, maintain, and execute technology roadmaps to align product development milestones with strategic goals, certifications, and compliance timelines
• Collaborating with engineering leads to track and manage technical risks, dependencies, and mitigations, ensuring project timelines and quality standards are met
• Partner with stakeholders to define, refine, and prioritize software and product requirements, ensuring alignment with customer needs, security standards, and business objectives
• Support security product development efforts by coordinating inputs across development, security, and compliance teams to meet government and commercial cybersecurity requirements
• Manage all project artifacts, including plans, schedules, budgets, risk registers, and status reports, ensuring transparency and traceability throughout the project lifecycle
• Work cross-functionally to ensure accurate project resourcing and budget tracking, collaborating with project specialists, finance, and operations teams
• Lead communication between internal teams and external stakeholders, including Government Program Managers, to manage deliverables, modifications, and compliance documentation (e.g., RFI, RFX, ATO packages)
• Drive and support the Authority to Operate (ATO) process by managing documentation, coordinating engineering input, and ensuring alignment with government security frameworks
• Collaborate with engineering, product, and compliance teams to support the development, deployment, and sustainment of secure networking and communications solutions

Job Qualifications & Experience

Minimum Qualifications  

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or a related technical discipline
• 5+ years of experience managing technical or software engineering projects
• Experience leading cross-functional development teams through the full software development lifecycle
• Proficiency with project management tools such as Jira, Confluence, MS Project.
• Familiarity with Agile, Scrum, Scrumban and Kanban methodologies, with a strong understanding of backlog management and sprint planning
• Experience using OKRs, KPIs, or other performance frameworks to align project outcomes with organizational goals
• Strong technical understanding of software development, systems architecture, or DevOps practices
• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple simultaneous projects and shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Project
• Available to travel up to 25% of the time
• Ability to obtain United States Secret security clearance

Preferred Qualif