Program Manager, Defense & Commercial Innovation

Austin, TX
Full Time
Mid Level

Job Description

If you're passionate about driving the success of groundbreaking innovation programs - we’d love to connect!

Who we are:

  • FedTech is a group of entrepreneurially minded people on a mission to unlock the benefits of technology.
  • We believe in the value of deep tech and its positive impact on the world, aspiring to democratize access to it for entrepreneurs and professionals around the world.
  • We are venture builders who thrive at the intersection of US entrepreneurship, breakthrough technologies, and mission-driven organizations. 
  • Since 2015, we have supported over 1,000 companies that have collectively raised more than $5B in funding, while also partnering with hundreds of corporate, government, and university clients.

What you’ll do:

You will own the planning and execution of initiatives that support technology commercialization, acceleration, and venture creation, with a primary focus on Navy innovation and the broader defense innovation ecosystem. The role is accountable for managing complex, multi-phased programs end-to-end, from planning through delivery. You will help strengthen FedTech’s presence across the Austin defense innovation community. 

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead day-to-day execution and operational coordination of defense innovation, commercialization, and venture creation programs from planning through delivery.
  • Drive program growth and ecosystem engagement by recruiting entrepreneurs, startups, advisors, and strategic partners through creative outreach, networking, workshops, and events.
  • Support business development efforts through relationship-building and active engagement with defense and startup stakeholders.
  • Build and maintain relationships within the Austin defense innovation ecosystem, including startups, military stakeholders, investors, accelerators, universities, and strategic partners.
  • Represent FedTech at ecosystem, startup, university, and defense innovation events to strengthen regional partnerships and expand organizational visibility.
  • Manage detailed project plans, ensuring organization, timeliness, accountability, and high-quality execution across multiple workstreams.
  • Track program budgets, expenses, reporting, and project-level financials to support transparency and operational effectiveness.
  • Design and prepare presentations, reports, and content using tools such as PowerPoint, Beautiful.ai, and Canva.
  • Coordinate and execute the backend logistics of workshops, webinars, ecosystem events, and client engagements using platforms such as Zoom.
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with internal teams to align program efforts, strengthen client relationships, and support organizational priorities.
  • Support evolving program and organizational needs by taking initiative on new projects and responsibilities as needed.

Successful candidates will have the following qualifications:

  • 5+ years of experience in relevant industries, including innovation programs, studio/accelerator programs, entrepreneurship, consulting, business development, defense innovation, or entrepreneurial support organizations 
    • Military experience strongly preferred 
  • Familiarity with the Austin startup and defense innovation ecosystem
  • Strong client relationship management skills, with expertise in engaging diverse stakeholders and aligning program design with client and project objectives.
  • Proven program management ability, including oversight of project-level finances, coordination of multi-phase initiatives, and organization of events in fast-paced environments.
  • P&L and budget management experience, leveraging financial oversight to optimize resources and drive organizational impact
  • Effective communicator, experienced in leading meetings and delivering presentations on complex topics.
  • Analytical and data-driven, using insights to support projects and inform decision-making.
  • Hands-on experience with productivity and collaboration tools, including Google Suite (Sheets/Excel), Airtable, Slack, Beautiful.ai, and Forecast, with a demonstrated ability to quickly learn new platforms.

Our Values:

  • Boldness: We have the fortitude to forge new paths and push beyond our comfort
  • Unity: We treat our clients, team members and partners as we would like to be treated - we are one united team
  • Introspection: We recognize introspection is the necessary ingredient in which self-improvement flourishes
  • Leadership: We embrace servant leadership - putting the interests of client, team partners and partners first
  • Decisiveness: We have a strong bias towards action

Compensation: 

  • Base salary range: $92-110k
    • The salary range listed for this position is based on market data and internal compensation structure. The final compensation package will be determined based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, relevant experience, skills and education. This range is not a guarantee of compensation and offers may fall outside this range in exceptional cases.
  • In addition to the base salary, compensation includes performance-based bonus (OTE) and ability to earn equity 
  • A competitive benefits package including 401K with employer match, health/dental/vision plans through Blue Cross Blue Shield, accrued PTO, professional development funds, employer paid disability insurance, parental leave, transportation and wellness reimbursements, amongst others.

Location: Austin, TX (Hybrid: 2 days onsite at our Austin office, 3 days remote)

Travel: 10-20% based on business needs

Share

Apply for this position

Required*
We've received your resume. Click here to update it.
Attach resume or Paste resume
Attach resume as .pdf, .doc, .docx, .odt, .txt, or .rtf (limit 5MB) or Paste resume

Paste your resume here or Attach resume file

To comply with government Equal Employment Opportunity and/or Affirmative Action reporting regulations, we are requesting (but NOT requiring) that you enter this personal data. This information will not be used in connection with any employment decisions, and will be used solely as permitted by state and federal law. Your voluntary cooperation would be appreciated. Learn more.
Invitation for Job Applicants to Self-Identify as a U.S. Veteran
  • A “disabled veteran” is one of the following:
    • a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or
    • a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.
  • A “recently separated veteran” means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.
  • An “active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran” means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.
  • An “Armed forces service medal veteran” means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.
Veteran status


Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability
Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Form CC-305
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 05/31/2026
Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Please check one of the boxes below:

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.

You must enter your name and date
Human Check*