Senior Strategic Program Manager, Open Innovation

About Commonwealth Fusion Systems:    Commonwealth Fusion Systems is on a mission to deliver the urgent transition to fusion energy.   Combining decades of research, top talent, and new technologies, we’re designing and building commercially viable fusion power plants. And we're working with policymakers, suppliers, and many others to build the energy industry of the future.   We’re in the best position to make it happen. Since 2018, we’ve raised $4 billion of capital, making us the largest and leading fusion company in the world.   Now we’re looking for more thinkers, doers, builders, and makers to join us. People who’ll bring new perspectives, solve tough problems, and thrive as part of a team.    If that’s you and this role fits, we want to hear from you.
Join the power movement as Senior Strategic Program Manager, Open Innovation

A high-agency, operational leader who bridges external partners and funding agencies with internal R&D, legal, and financial teams, to drive program execution.  In this role, you will take ownership of the federal award program lifecycle after technical scoping. This includes preparing submission documents, leading contract negotiations (Statements of Work, terms and conditions, sub-award structures, and amendments), establishing operational governance, managing high-level schedules in coordination with the R&D Program Leads and Technical Program Managers, coordinating project accounting with Finance, and delivering flawless program execution from contract execution to final closeout.

What you'll do:

Lead Contract & Agreement Negotiations:

• Take direct ownership of contract negotiations for key government-funded programs
• Work with CFS’ Legal, Procurement, and Global Affairs teams to draft, negotiate, and finalize Government Agreements, Statements of Work (SOWs), required contractual plans, sub-awards, and collaborator contracts

Drive Flawless Program Execution & Schedule Discipline:

• Own the end-to-end operational execution of complex multi-partner programs
• Maintain master schedules, establish critical-path program management milestones, track progress against commitments, and resolve operational friction before it impacts timelines

Manage Contractual Change Control & Compliance:

• Coordinate with Legal and R&D teams to process post-award scope adjustments, Statement of Work (SOW) amendments, budget realignments, and performance modifications
• Translate federal (FAR/DEAR) and institutional compliance requirements into clear operational guidance and processes for execution teams

Partner with Finance on Budget & Sub-Recipient Operations:

• Collaborate closely with Project Accounting to monitor program burn rates, track company cost-share/matching funds, review and approve sub-recipient invoices, and prepare audit-ready documentation for financial reviews

Unite Cross-Functional Leads & External Partners:

• Act as the operational nexus for federally funded programs, connecting R&D Technical PMs, Legal, Finance, Supply Chain, and external program officers (e.g., DOE, National Labs, Universities)
• Facilitate seamless handoffs from technical scoping to formal contract execution

Lead Partner Communication & Executive Governance:

• Organize executive progress updates and site visits as required for successful execution of federally funded programs
• Produce clear, actionable reporting dashboards for CFS leadership and external sponsors and partners

What we're looking for:Required Education & Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Public Administration, Law/Contracts, or a related field

At least 7+ years of experience leading program execution and contract negotiations for complex, multi-stakeholder technical programs ($10M+/year)

Proven track record negotiating SOWs, university sub-awards, or government grants/contracts with clear ownership of contract execution

Demonstrated experience coordinating project accounting, milestone tracking, and cross-functional teams (Legal, Finance, Engineering, R&D

Flawless Execution Leader:

• You bring rigorous program management discipline
• You manage multi-million-dollar programs with precision, tracking milestones, identifying critical-path bottlenecks, and implementing immediate risk mitigation strategies

Technically Capable Business Operator:

• While you do not need to generate deep physics or engineering models, you possess strong technical literacy
• You can read complex technical SOWs, understand engineering deliverables, and translate them into enforceable contract milestones       

Contract & Agreement Negotiator:

•  You have proven experience negotiating complex technical agreements, Statements of Work (SOWs), sub-awards, and contract amendments with universities, national labs, government sponsors, or corporate partners
•  You know how to align legal terms, business objectives, and execution

Cross-Functional Translator & Information Architect:

• You excel at translating intricate technical advancements into polished, executive-ready updates
• Working alongside R&D leads, you synthesize deep scientific milestones into clear progress dashboards, high-impact decks, and audit-ready reporting for government sponsors and external governance bodies

Self-Starting Dynamo & Problem Solver:

• You possess relentless agency and drive
• You proactively eliminate organizational friction, resolve partner ambiguities, and drive alignment across cross-functional teams without waiting for direction

Mastery of Governance & Details:

• You are obsessive about contract compliance, milestone verification, budget reconciliation, and audit readiness
• You ensure no detail falls through the cracks

Bonus points for:

Master of Business Administration (MBA, MS, or JD) or equivalent advanced degree

Experience in deep-tech, energy, advanced manufacturing, aerospace or microelectronics environments

Familiarity with federal grant compliance (FAR/DEAR, DOE/ARPA-E post-award execution)

Proficiency in project management tools (Jira, Confluence, MS Project)

Must-have requirements:

Perform activities such as typing, standing, and sitting, for extended periods of time

Willingness to occasionally travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call - this position requires occasional travel for partner meetings, government site visits, and industry reviews

Work in a facility that contains industrial hazards including heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead (Pb), high voltage, high current, pressure systems, and cryogenics

#LI-Hybrid
At CFS, we excel in fast-paced environments, driven by our values of integrity, execution, impact, and self-critique. As we grow, we’re eager to bring on mission-driven folks who offer diverse perspectives and fresh ways to tackle challenges.   We value diversity deeply and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer by choice. We consider all qualified applicants equally, regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, protected veteran status, religion, physical or mental disability, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, or any other basis protected by law.   This role requires compliance with U.S. laws concerning the export of controlled or protected technologies or information (collectively, “Export Control Laws"). Any offer of employment will be contingent on the need for compliance with such Export Control Laws.