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Deputy Program Manager

Leidos · Shiloh, IL · $131,300–$237,350 a year · Full time

Posted Oct 2, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time you led a program through a serious performance problem with the government watching.

What they are checking: Whether they can recover a program while keeping customer trust in a high-visibility setting.

Tell me about a hard staffing decision you made on a program.

What they are checking: Whether they make tough people decisions fairly and with the mission in mind.

Tell me about a time you found a way to deliver faster without adding cost.

What they are checking: Whether they can drive delivery at mission pace through smarter process, not just more effort.

What would you do

How would you keep a 700-person team spread across the globe aligned on priorities?

What they are checking: Whether they can lead at scale through other leaders rather than trying to touch everything.

A subcontractor is underperforming on a key task. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they hold subcontractors accountable through the contract while protecting mission delivery.

How do you work with DISA stakeholders when their priorities shift mid-year?

What they are checking: Whether they manage scope and contract changes without hurting the relationship or the budget.

How would you split responsibilities with the program manager so you complement each other?

What they are checking: Whether they understand the deputy role and can lead without stepping on the program manager.

About the work

How do you track cost, schedule, performance and risk on a $100 million program so problems surface early?

What they are checking: Whether they have real program control habits and know which indicators show trouble before it hits.

What does good incident management look like at the program level for a 24x7 network operation?

What they are checking: Whether they understand how restoral and sustainment work so they can lead it, not just report on it.

How do you prepare for a program review with senior government leaders?

What they are checking: Whether they present honest status with clear risks and asks, not polished messages that hide problems.

What contract types have you managed, and how did that shape how you ran the program?

What they are checking: Whether they understand how contract structure affects financial risk and decisions.

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The full job description

As published by Leidos.

Are you ready to make a difference? Leidos is a Fortune 500 technology, engineering, science solution and services leader working to solve the world’s toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, civil and health industries. We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Deputy Program manager onsite at Scott AFB IL. In this role you will lead delivery execution and overall outcomes for global network operations. Our customer is the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and acts as the provider of Defense Information System Network (DISN) services to the Department of War (DoW) and national security organizations. The operations team of over 700 people is geographically dispersed, provides 24x7 support, and is responsible for incident management, system restoral, and sustainment of DISN services. You will operate as a key leader within a high-visibility DISA program helping shape delivery strategy, drive execution, and ensure mission outcomes across a complex global operating environment. What You’ll Do Lead Program Execution • Drive end-to-end execution across cost, schedule, performance, and risk for a $100 million program • Ensure delivery at mission pace • Lead integrated teams across Leidos, subcontractors, and Government stakeholders Deliver 24x7 Mission Support in a Complex Global Network • Oversee delivery of services spanning global enterprise network systems • Navigate a multi-stakeholder environment with competing priorities and evolving requirements • Contribute to product strategy, roadmap execution, and continuous delivery pipelines • Resolve cross-domain challenges spanning technology, mission, and operations Drive Accountability & Transparency • Support program controls across financials, staffing, delivery metrics, and performance outcomes • Deliver clear, actionable insights through executive reporting (Program Reviews, briefings) • Identify risks early and drive mitigation to protect mission delivery Drive innovation and automation into operations to enable mission lethality • Be a visionary for integrating innovation and automation throughout the task order • Drive AI capabilities and tools across DISN operational activities • Lead automation-first mindset to enhance operational effectiveness Proactively shape future mission delivery • Partner with capture leadership to align program delivery to capture strategy • Bring thought leadership to task order to drive innovation and creative solutions to enable future capture • Close partnership across the division to leverage the operations task order expertise to drive new business activities Basic Qualifications • 5+ years of demonstrated experience leading operations for large-scale Federal or DoW programs • Proven track record delivering network or IT systems • Experience managing fixed price and cost-reimbursable programs with full responsibility for cost, schedule, and performance • Experience leading technical teams to include assigning tasks to contractor personnel, supervising on-going technical efforts, and managing contract performance identified by the customer • Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive execution across organizational boundaries • Bachelor’s + 8 years relevant experience OR Master’s + 6 years experience • Active Top Secret clearance Preferred Qualifications • Active TS/SCI clearance • PMP / PgMP certification • Large complex network operations experience • Experience operating across NIPRNet, SIPRNet • Working knowledge of IT networks, to include network appliances (e.g., routers, load balancers, domain name servers, firewalls) If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares. Original Posting: October 2, 2026 For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above. Pay Range: Pay Range $131,300.00 - $237,350.00 The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

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