Technical Program Manager (TPM)

Technical Program Manager (TPM)Location: U.S. (Remote but must be based in the continental US; Mountain/Central time zone preferred)Clearance: Must be eligible and able to pass a government background checkAbout SpruceSpruce builds privacy-preserving, standards-based digital identity and credentialing solutions that give individuals control of their information while enabling governments and enterprises to deliver secure, interoperable services. We partner with private and public-sector organizations to modernize how identity is issued, verified, and used.The RoleWe are seeking a Technical Program Manager (TPM) to lead delivery of complex, high-stakes identity and credentialing software solutions and programs across government and enterprise environments.This is a high-autonomy, highly multifaceted role that blends technical delivery, customer ownership, and operational leadership. In many ways, this role functions as a Technical Success Manager / delivery lead hybrid-serving as the primary point of contact for one or more strategic customers.The TPM is expected to operate as the connective tissue between engineering teams and external stakeholders, especially CTOs, CIOs, product leaders, and program owners on the customer side.This role requires someone who can independently understand what the organization is trying to achieve, why it matters, and how to deliver it end-to-end-even when requirements are incomplete or evolving.Core Responsibilities1. Customer & Program OwnershipServe as the primary point of contact for assigned customer programsBuild deep, trusted relationships with technical and executive stakeholders (CTOs, CIOs, product leaders, procurement teams)Understand customer objectives and uncover the “problem behind the problem”Maintain clarity between what is requested vs. what is contractually agreed vs. what is technically feasibleOperate confidently in public sector and enterprise contracting environments2. Technical Program DeliveryTranslate customer and policy requirements into executable technical delivery plansPartner closely with engineering and product teams to define epics, milestones, and delivery roadmapsParticipate actively in technical conversations (cloud architecture, APIs, containers, identity systems, digital signatures, etc.)Independently field technical questions (e.g., AWS vs GCP tradeoffs, deployment models, integration patterns)Must be technically fluent enough to:Participate in architecture-level discussions without relying on engineering escalationUnderstand system design tradeoffs and communicate implications clearly to non-technical stakeholders3. Contract-Aware ExecutionRead, interpret, and execute against customer contracts and SOWsIdentify obligations, constraints, and deliverables within agreementsEnsure delivery aligns with contractual commitments and scope boundariesSupport translation of contract requirements into technical execution plans(This is a core requirement of the role, not optional.)4. Multi-Program ManagementManage multiple concurrent engagements across private and public sector customersPrioritize effectively across competing demands and delivery timelinesDetermine when to escalate, when to unblock independently, and when to engage engineering resourcesProtect engineering time by filtering, structuring, and reducing unnecessary meeting load5. Execution Excellence & Stakeholder ManagementLead recurring customer meetings, technical working sessions, and executive updatesRun structured governance cadences across internal and external stakeholdersDeliver clear communication in high-stakes environmentsMaintain strong alignment across engineering, product, and customer leadership teams6. Risk, Dependency & Delivery ManagementIdentify delivery risks early and proactively mitigate across teamsManage dependencies across engineering, product, and customer stakeholdersEnsure alignment on scope, timelines, and technical feasibilitySurface gaps between customer expectations and delivery realityWhat You Bring3-7+ years in Technical Program Management, implementation delivery, or systems-focused customer success rolesStrong technical fluency (APIs, cloud infrastructure, system architecture, identity concepts preferred)Proven ability to operate in complex, ambiguous, multi-stakeholder environmentsStrong understanding of how software systems are built and deliveredAbility to independently interpret contracts, SOWs, or technical requirementsExcellent executive communication and relationship-building skillsAbility to protect engineering time while maintaining customer satisfactionNice to HaveExperience working with enterprise or government customersExperience in identity, IAM / ICAM, zero trust, credentialing, or authentication systemsFamiliarity with FedRAMP, NIST frameworks, or federal security standardsPMP or other program management certificationsConsulting, federal contracting, or enterprise transformation backgroundPrior engineering or deeply technical systems experience (strong advantage)Why This Role MattersOwn delivery of mission-critical identity infrastructure programsWork directly with senior government and enterprise stakeholdersOperate at the intersection of policy, engineering, and real-world systems deliveryJoin a small, high-trust team where autonomy and judgment matterHelp shape how secure digital identity systems are delivered at scale

• 3-7+ years in Technical Program Management, implementation delivery, or systems-focused customer success roles
• Strong technical fluency (APIs, cloud infrastructure, system architecture, identity concepts preferred)
• Proven ability to operate in complex, ambiguous, multi-stakeholder environments
• Strong understanding of how software systems are built and delivered
• Ability to independently interpret contracts, SOWs, or technical requirements
• Excellent executive communication and relationship-building skills
• Ability to protect engineering time while maintaining customer satisfaction

Nice to Have

• Experience working with enterprise or government customers
• Experience in identity, IAM / ICAM, zero trust, credentialing, or authentication systems
• Familiarity with FedRAMP, NIST frameworks, or federal security standards
• PMP or other program management certifications
• Consulting, federal contracting, or enterprise transformation background
• Prior engineering or deeply technical systems experience (strong advantage)

• Work directly with senior government and enterprise stakeholders
• Operate at the intersection of policy, engineering, and real-world systems delivery
• Join a small, high-trust team where autonomy and judgment matter
• Help shape how secure digital identity systems are delivered at scale