Job ID: JOB_ID_5312
About the Role
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) is seeking a Senior Project Manager to lead cross-program implementation efforts from early planning through launch and stabilization. This role is intentionally oriented toward program implementation and stakeholder management, not an IT systems project manager position. The successful candidate will develop a deep working knowledge of initiative policy and operational requirements, serve as a central connector across partners, and ensure timely delivery of milestones, decisions, and readiness activities. Practical project management tools such as workplans, RACI, RAID logs, and decision/action tracking will be used to drive clarity and accountability.
This is a hybrid position, requiring the selected candidate to report to the Harrisburg office up to ‘2’ days per month. The role involves leading initiatives such as HR1 (aka President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill)-related changes, implementation of a Medicaid Section 1115 demonstration/waiver, and cross-program operational modernization initiatives. The Project Manager will be responsible for translating policy and program intent into operational reality.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and facilitate initiative workstreams, workgroups, and governance forums; prepare agendas, materials, and decision prompts.
- Develop and maintain integrated project plans (scope, milestones, dependencies, owners, deliverables, and timelines).
- Build initiative-specific SME knowledge (policy intent, operational workflows, compliance requirements) and translate requirements into actionable tasks.
- Establish and maintain project artifacts: RACI matrices, RAID logs (risks/assumptions/issues/decisions), action trackers, and status reports.
- Identify risks and issues early; drive mitigation plans, escalation paths, and rapid problem-solving with accountable owners.
- Coordinate across DHS program offices, the Secretary’s Office, county partners, providers, MCOs, and other Commonwealth agencies as needed.
- Support external-facing coordination where applicable (e.g., CMS touchpoints for Medicaid initiatives) by organizing materials, tracking commitments, and ensuring follow-through.
- Support change management: communications planning, stakeholder mapping, training readiness, and launch/stabilization checklists.
- Ensure documentation is complete and decisions are recorded, including rationale, approvers, and downstream implications.
- Coach junior PMs, strengthen governance, and independently drive complex initiatives with minimal oversight.
Required Qualifications
- 7+ years of experience leading large, multi-workstream initiatives with external partners and executive visibility.
- Demonstrated ability to drive cross-functional coordination, facilitate productive meetings, and move decisions to closure.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including concise status reporting and stakeholder-ready documentation.
- Experience using project controls and tools (workplans, RAID logs, RACI, change control, decision/action tracking).
- Ability to learn complex program content quickly and build practical SME-level understanding over time.
- Ability to work independently, manage ambiguity, and maintain momentum across competing priorities.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in Medicaid, CMS-facing initiatives, managed care environments, or health and human services programs.
- Experience with Section 1115 demonstrations/waivers or similar federal-state program implementation.
- Familiarity with government operations, procurement/vendor coordination, or compliance/regulatory implementation.
- PMP or similar project management certification.
Special Requirements
Hybrid role, requiring reporting to the Harrisburg office up to 2 days per month. Local profile only.
Compensation & Location
Salary: $110,000 – $150,000 per year (Estimated)
Location: Harrisburg, PA
Recruiter / Company – Contact Information
Email: te2ravikar@gmail.com
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