Mission Manager

Role Description

As a Mission Manager at Defense Unicorns, you will lead the design, coordination, and execution of multiple large-scale, community-facing hackathon events throughout the year. This is not a traditional program management role. We are looking for someone who is energized by bringing people together, thinks creatively about problem-solving at scale, and wants to make a tangible impact across the Department of War innovation ecosystem.

You will serve as the primary point of contact for government mission heroes, industry partners, and vendors, while leading a small internal team and managing partner relationships. You will own the full lifecycle of each event, from planning through execution and stakeholder communication, ensuring that every hackathon reflects Defense Unicorns' values and delivers meaningful mission outcomes.

Responsibilities

Prime Contractor and Mission Hero Relationship

• Serve as Defense Unicorns' primary point of contact with government mission heroes across the DoW
• Own the prime contractor relationship, ensuring program commitments, compliance, and performance expectations are met
• Build and sustain productive working relationships across government, subcontractors, and the broader DoW innovation community
• Represent Defense Unicorns professionally and authentically in all external engagements

Program and Event Execution

• Own end-to-end planning and execution of multiple hackathon events per year
• Coordinate logistics, timelines, and deliverables across internal staff, government stakeholders, and subcontractors
• Translate mission requirements and stakeholder goals into actionable event plans and clear team direction
• Continuously improve the hackathon model based on participant feedback and program outcomes

Team Leadership

• Lead a small internal Defense Unicorns team while managing a network of subcontractors supporting event delivery
• Own subcontractor relationships, including scoping, performance management, and accountability
• Foster a collaborative, high-energy team environment aligned with Defense Unicorns' culture and values

Required Qualifications

• Experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder programs or events in a government or defense-adjacent environment
• Experience serving in a prime contractor role, including managing subcontractor relationships and contract compliance
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate across government, industry, and subcontractor partners simultaneously
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with confidence engaging senior government and industry stakeholders
• A proactive, creative mindset with a track record of building something that didn't exist before

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience planning or executing large-scale community or innovation events such as hackathons, integration events, or exercises
• Familiarity with the DoW innovation ecosystem, including programs, procurement, and mission priorities
• Background in or exposure to DevSecOps, platform engineering, or software delivery
• Experience managing subcontractors and coordinating multi-party delivery
• Comfort operating in ambiguous, fast-moving environments where no two events are the same

Travel

Travel is expected multiple times per year to support event execution and stakeholder engagement, primarily within the continental United States.