Application Configuration Lead — ServiceNow Vendor Performance Platform (Department of State)
The Position:
We are looking for eager, driven candidates with experience in people management, communication, facilitation, problem-solving, and analysis to guide our teams in developing impactful solutions to modernize IT products and solutions for our Federal clients at the Department of State. In this role you will lead the product evolution of an internal ServiceNow-based application that tracks IT vendors’ performance across services, cloud, and product contracts at the U.S. Department of State (DoS). You’ll translate client vision into a clear roadmap and backlog, oversee a small cross‑functional team, and drive adoption and satisfaction across customer offices. This role is expected to report onsite in Washington D.C. and will require Secret or Moderate Risk Public Trust determination. Responsiblities for the role will include:
- Own the product backlog & roadmap: Convert client vision and policy goals into epics, user stories, and measurable outcomes; prioritize via value, risk, and dependencies; keep a transparent release plan.
- Run Agile delivery: Lead ceremonies, manage scope, and clear blockers for a team of ~2 ServiceNow developers, ~2 Business Analysts, and 1 Data Visualization specialist; ensure sprint goals are met and Definition of Done/quality bars are upheld.
- Advance the metrics library: Expand standardized SLA/KPI definitions and dashboards (e.g., availability, responsiveness, incident resolution, defect leakage, vendor compliance) to cover diverse contract types; ensure traceability to bureau/office objectives.
- Drive customer engagement & adoption: Build and execute a DoS‑appropriate engagement strategy—stakeholder roadshows, onboarding playbooks, training, feedback loops—to increase the number of customer offices using the product and maximize user satisfaction.
- Steward platform and data health: Partner with platform owners on configuration governance, integrations (e.g., data sources feeding performance analytics), and change management; uphold security, privacy, and records requirements consistent with DoS standards.
- Measure impact: Define and report product OKRs (adoption, satisfaction/CSAT, cycle time, release reliability, metric coverage); use insights to iterate the product.
- Deliver value-focused enhancements across sprints with on-time, high‑quality releases and clear release notes.
- Grow active customer offices using the product.
- Increase standardized SLA/KPI coverage to new service categories with published definitions and dashboards.
The Ideal Candidate:
At Censeo, we are looking for unique candidates whose passion and enthusiasm will help shape Censeo’s client insights and workplace culture. Our staff have a wide range of backgrounds, areas of expertise, personality types, and favorite breakfast foods. Our client and cultural successes are rooted in our team’s innovation, creative problem solving, and collaboration. The unique perspective that you bring and the way you tackle problems are much more important to us than what’s printed on your diploma. Some of the core qualifications for the role include:
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelors Degree from accredited college/university.
- 7+ years of relevant experience in product management (or adjacent roles such as product owner/engagement lead) delivering enterprise platforms or analytics products.
- Prior Department of State experience (as fed or contractor).
- Active Secret clearance (DoS badge‑eligible).
- Comfortable working on‑site 5 days/week in DC/Northern VA.
- Agile credentials: CSM or CSPO (or equivalent).
- Demonstrated success leading small, mixed-discipline teams and coaching junior staff.
- Strong stakeholder management, requirements discovery, and roadmap/story mapping skills.
- Excellent written/verbal communication tailored to executive, technical, and end‑user audiences.
- Dashboard development experience in Tableau, PowerBI, or equivalent
- Foundational understanding of JavaScript
- Agile credentials: CSM or CSPO (or equivalent).
- Contractor/consulting background with federal clients (preferred).
- ServiceNow certifications (e.g., CSA, CIS-ITSM) and/or ITIL Foundation.
- Experience designing SLA/KPI frameworks and vendor performance dashboards in public-sector environments.
- Exposure to data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI/Tableau)
- Familiarity with federal security, change control, and release management practices.
The Company:
Censeo Consulting Group is a top Washington D.C. based management consulting firm dedicated to helping public sector and non-profit clients build operational excellence, deliver better outcomes, and lower cost. We take a personalized approach to strategic consulting to solve our clients’ most complex problems and build operational excellence that transforms their organizations, allowing them to better deliver on their public and social missions.
At Censeo, our award-winning culture means you’ll join a tight-knit community of 95 brilliant and passionate colleagues. We are advocates for a better functioning public sector, and we’re also good friends who know the names of each other’s dogs. Our philosophy is horizontal, not hierarchical, and our open-door policy encourages a culture of entrepreneurship at all levels. We share successes, make decisions together, and foster an environment for those with passion and initiative to lead. Our colleagues bring their own unique personalities to work every day and use them to help shape our growing firm in ways that reach far beyond client projects.
The Location:
Censeo Consulting Group is based in Washington D.C., a fantastic city for working professionals. We work in a hybrid setting with flexibility to work from home and work in our office conveniently located in the heart of downtown, just a few blocks away from the White House. And with many of our clients also based in D.C., we have the luxury of leaving for a meeting and being back in the office in time for post-work happy hours, team dinners, and game nights.
The Fine Print:
- The salary range for this role is $90,000 - $140,000 depending on experience
- Expected travel 0-10%; may increase based on business needs
- This is an exempt, full-time position
- This role is subject to an in-person work schedule in Washington, D.C. with the possibility for hybrid work
- Essential Physical Functions
- Sitting: Particularly for sustained periods of time
- Light Carrying: Physically transporting items weighing less than 15 pounds from one location to another
Censeo is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal opportunity to all applicants and employees in full compliance with all applicable state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, gender, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other class protected by applicable state or federal law.
Join Our Award-Winning Culture!
Our passion wins awards. But don’t just take it from us…
- 2024 Vault #41 Consulting 50 North America
- 2024 Vault #7 Best Consulting Firm for Hours in the Office
- 2023 Vault #9 Best Consulting Firm for Work/Life Balance
- 2023 Vault #23 Best Consulting Firm for Overall Diversity
- 2023 Management Consulted #3 Best Boutique Firms in Washington DC
- 2022 Vault #41 Best Overall Consulting Firm to Work For
- 2020 Vault #21 Best Boutique Consulting Firm
- 2019 Ivy Exec #7 Best Boutique Consulting Firm
- 2018 Consulting Magazine Best Small Firms to Work For
- 2017 Vault #12 Best Boutique Consulting Firm
- 2016 Forbes Best Management Consulting Firms in America
- 2015 Washington Business Journal’s Philanthropy List
Skills Required
- Bachelor's Degree from accredited college/university
- 7+ years of relevant experience in product management
- Prior Department of State experience
- Active Secret clearance
- Agile credentials: CSM or CSPO
- Strong stakeholder management and roadmap/story mapping skills
What We Do
Running an organization and executing plans is hard work. Our proven approach to operational excellence and delivering results combines a focus on outcomes, data-driven insights, and ongoing collaboration. Censeo is recognized for its focus on its people and unique business model by the world’s leading business newspapers and the most respected industry magazines: • 2020 Fortune America's Best Consulting Firms • 2019 Top Consulting Firm by Ivy Exec • 2015 Top Workplaces by Washington Post • 2015 Top 5 Best Consulting Firms to Work For by IvyExec • 2010-2015 Top 25 Consulting Firms by Vault (No. 2 in work/life balance!) • 2014 "Best Small Firms to Work For" by Consulting Magazine • 2014 "Excellence in Social & Community Investment" by Consulting Magazine • 2012 “Supply & Demand Chain Executive 100” • 2009 “Top Small Workplaces” by The Wall Street Journal • 2009 “Best Small Firms to Work For” by Consulting magazine • 2008 “Small Jewel” by Consulting Magazine
