Senior Director of Application Modernization

Description

Leidos’ Digital Modernization Practice Area is seeking a dynamic and visionary Senior Director of Application Modernization at our Leidos Headquarters in Reston, VA.

POSITION SUMMARY:
The Senior Director of Application Modernization will lead the creation, execution, and continuous improvement of an Application Modernization Factory (App Mod Factory) focused on software development, cloud migration, and other application modernization initiatives. This role will unify and scale existing application modernization efforts, integrating legacy transformation initiatives with forward-looking digital modernization capabilities to accelerate delivery across the enterprise, both internally to the corporation and to our government and commercial customers.  The role will be responsible for creating an organization leveraging both existing and new teams capable of delivering App Mod solutions across the Digital Modernization Sector and our many customers, and Leidos as a whole, designing and implementing a new organizational structure to drive consistent, scalable modernization outcomes. The leader will operate at the intersection of strategy, delivery, and innovation—building a modernization ecosystem that leverages cloud-native architectures, automation, low-code/no-code platforms, and AI-enabled engineering to achieve mission outcomes.

CLEARANCE REQUIREMENT:
Public Trust with the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret security clearance. (US Citizenship required)
 
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Define and execute the strategic vision for the Application Modernization Factory aligned with Practice Area objectives and Leidos’ Digital Modernization strategy.
Develop a modernization roadmap integrating cloud migration, DevSecOps, Everything-as-Code (EaC), and low-code/no-code delivery paradigms.
Partner with senior executives, solution architects, and business units to establish modernization goals, standards, and repeatable delivery patterns.

Organizational Design and Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and expand a cross-functional organization of software engineers, cloud architects, application modernization SMEs, UX experts, and delivery managers
• Evaluate current team capabilities, implement an optimized operating model, and build new teams and leadership layers as needed.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performance culture emphasizing innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Manage resource allocation, hiring, performance, and professional development to scale modernization capacity.

Solution Development and Delivery Excellence

• Oversee the design and delivery of modernization solutions leveraging cloud-native architectures (AWS, Azure, GCP), microservices, API-led integration, and containerization (Kubernetes, Docker) to internal and external customers
• Drive adoption of Agile, DevSecOps, and CI/CD methodologies to enable scalable and secure software delivery.
• Champion reusable frameworks and accelerators that form the foundation of the App Mod Factory’s repeatable offerings.
• Ensure all modernization initiatives comply with Leidos’ security, compliance, and governance standards.

Client and Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as a trusted advisor to internal and external stakeholders on modernization strategies, platform selection, and enterprise transformation.
• Collaborate with capture and growth teams to align modernization capabilities with customer mission objectives.
• Represent the App Mod Factory in executive briefings, proposal efforts, and technical demonstrations.

Innovation and Continuous Improvement

• Integrate AI/ML, automation, and platform engineering practices to continuously improve delivery speed and quality.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and modernization frameworks to ensure the organization remains at the cutting edge.
• Direct internal R&D and innovation initiatives to prototype and adopt next-generation modernization tools and processes.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 12+ years of progressive experience in software engineering, cloud modernization, or digital transformation, with 5+ years in technical or delivery leadership roles overseeing large-scale modernization initiatives.
• Proven experience managing large, multi-disciplinary engineering teams (30+ personnel) across concurrent projects for government customers
• Demonstrated success designing and implementing modernization frameworks, factory models, or platform-based delivery environments.
• Deep expertise with cloud technologies, microservices, DevSecOps pipelines, IaC, and automation frameworks.
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with a track record of influencing at the executive level.
• Proficient experience or knowledge with the following technologies:

    -Angular, JavaScript, Typescript, CSS & HTML, Material UI, JAVA
   - Microsoft SQL Server/Postgres, microservices, REST, GraphQL
   - Proficiency with Agile methodologies such as Scrum, Kanban, SAFe
    -Experience with issue management systems such as Jira, Digital AI, Redmine

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree in a technical or management discipline.
• Certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Azure Solutions Architect, PMP, CSM, or SAFe Practitioner.
• Experience standing up or leading modernization centers of excellence or transformation factories for commercial customers
• Experience in proposal development, technical writing, and client engagement.
• Knowledge of low-code/no-code platforms (Appian, ServiceNow, Salesforce) and AI-enhanced development tools.
   

At Leidos, we don’t want someone who "fits the mold"—we want someone who melts it down and builds something better. This is a role for the restless, the over-caffeinated, the ones who ask, “what’s next?” before the dust settles on “what’s now.”

If you’re already scheming step 20 while everyone else is still debating step 2… good. You’ll fit right in.

Original Posting:

Pay Range:

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.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Securing Your Data

Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos’ name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system – never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legitimacy, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at LeidosCareersFraud@leidos.com.

If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Commitment to Non-Descrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.