Program Manager

Organizing programs and activities in accordance with the mission and goals of the organization. Developing new programs to support the strategic direction of the organization. Creating and managing long-term goals. Developing a budget and operating plan for the program.

The Department of Information Resources (DIR) requires the services of a senior program manager hereafter referred to as Worker, who meets the general qualification of Program Manager 3, Emerging Technologies and the specifications outlined in this document for Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Information Technology.

All work products resulting from the project shall be considered works made for hire and are the property of the HHSC. HHSC may include pre-selection requirements that potential Vendors (and their Workers) submit to and satisfy criminal background checks as authorized by the Texas law. HHSC will pay no fees for interviews or discussions, which occur during the process of selecting a Worker(s).

HHSC IT is continuing to develop an HHS data integration hub under the Performance Management & Analytics System (PMAS).

This development effort will utilize an agile methodology based upon the approach currently in use at HHSC for the Performance Management & Analytics System (PMAS).

As a lead and member of the agile development team, the worker responsibilities may include:

Overview

The Worker will serve as a senior program manager and a critical liaison between IT leadership and project sponsors at the Deputy Executive Commissioner (DEC) level, managing communications across technical and non-technical staff who are stewarding complex data curations across the Health and Human Services (HHS) departments and agencies. This role empowers HHS staff to effectively develop a data analytics program, up to and including the use of AI to synthesize and report accurate data for official, agency reporting and strategic decision-making. The ideal candidate has strong leadership and management skills, having a broad and deep understanding of HHS programs and data domains, with a strong history of BI/DW development projects, and exceptional communication abilities to bridge the gap between leaders and technologists across HHS, in the emerging context of AI.

Responsibilities

" Strategic Liaison and Translation

o Work with program areas and project sponsor to plan and execute multiple analytics projects asynchronously.

o Lead as technical program manager creating hybrid Agile sprint cycles, epics and stories, as well as Waterfall project plans and all project artifacts

o Manage the scrum of scrum ceremonies to sync across Agile sprint teams and applying principles from the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)

o Act as a primary point of contact for program staff with data needs for federal, state, and internal reporting.

o Explain project findings and data limitations in simple, non-technical language to agency leadership and program staff.

" AI Prompting and Data Synthesis

o Develop and refine effective AI prompts and query strategies to retrieve and synthesize program strategies for complex data domains.

o Develop a library of standardized prompts and query templates for common reporting needs.

" Data Reporting and Visualization

o Ensure project teams properly extract, integrate, and analyze data from multiple complex internal and external sources to support HHS program needs.

o Collaborate with end-users and performance analysts or IT leaders to create and validate visualizations for program monitoring and official reporting.

o Provide subject matter expertise on validating output from AI, particularly with respect to identifying and mitigating hallucinations.

o Ensure all data outputs adhere to agency reporting standards, data governance, and compliance regulations.

" Data Literacy and Training

o Champion data literacy across the organization by planning and staffing AI training teams.

o Promote a data-driven culture by enabling and empowering all staff to effectively utilize data and AI.

" Collaboration and Problem-Solving

o Work closely with data engineering, IT, and Program teams to troubleshoot data-related issues and address inconsistencies and mitigation strategies.

o Provide expert guidance to program staff on interpreting data trends and answering complex data questions.

o Stay up to date on new AI and data analytics tools and techniques to continuously improve program competencies.

II. CANDIDATE SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Requirements: Candidates that do not meet or exceed the minimum stated requirements (skills/experience) will be displayed to customers but may not be chosen for this opportunity.
Years	Required/Preferred	Experience
8	Required	Experience translating complex analytics project intakes and business requirements into clear, actionable plans for prioritization and implementation.
8	Required	Experience explaining complex data initiatives in simple, non-technical language to end-users and leaders of all levels.
8	Required	Experience in complex data programs as a senior project manager and/or data liaison role.
8	Required	Experience collaborating with end-users, performance analysts and agency leaders to validate project/program reports, presentations for monitoring and official reporting.
8	Required	Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
8	Required	Experience with presentation and design tools such as PowerPoint and Visio.
5	Preferred	Experience leading as a senior project manager creating hybrid Agile sprint cycles, epics and stories, as well as Waterfall project plans and all project artifacts
5	Preferred	Experience with Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse
5	Preferred	Experience acting as the primary point of contact for program staff with data needs for federal, state, and internal reporting.
5	Preferred	Experience working in a health and human services or similarly regulated environment, with a strong understanding of program data and reporting requirements.
5	Preferred	Experience with data governance and data quality principles
5	Preferred	Experience managing scrum of scrum ceremonies to sync across Agile sprint teams and applying principles from the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)
5	Preferred	Experience ensuring project teams properly extract, integrate, and analyze data from multiple complex internal and external sources to support HHS program needs.
5	Preferred	Experience collaborating with end-users and performance analysts or IT leaders to create and validate visualizations for program monitoring and official reporting.
3	Preferred	Experience leading a performance management and analytics initiative at a State of Texas agency
2	Preferred	Experience championing data literacy across the organization by developing and conducting training sessions for non-technical staff.
2	Preferred	Experience training and mentoring staff with varying levels of data literacy.
2	Preferred	Experience with State and Federal monitoring and reporting compliance for a Major Information Resources Project (MIRP)
2	Preferred	Experience developing Advanced Planning Documents (APD) and Business Case Workbooks for a Major Information Resources Project (MIRP) with blended State GR and Federal Financial Participation (FFP) - All Funds
1	Preferred	Experience applying responsible AI practices and compliance with agency standards.

Lumen and / or its clients will not provide equipment (Laptop, monitor, etc.) to the selected contractor. The contractor must have their own equipment. Access to a virtual desktop set up (software) will be provided by Lumen s client, allowing the user access to the required systems and technology.