Program Manager - IT Modernization

The Program Manager will lead technical and operational readiness activities for a major government IT modernization initiative. This role will coordinate across multiple workstreams, vendors, business stakeholders, and executive leadership to ensure successful implementation, testing, data migration, operational readiness, and program governance. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience managing large-scale public sector system modernization programs and complex multi-vendor delivery environments. Key Responsibilities

• Lead planning, execution, and monitoring of enterprise-scale IT modernization programs.
• Coordinate activities across development, testing, data migration, implementation, and production readiness teams.
• Manage project schedules, milestones, dependencies, risks, and issue resolution.
• Drive implementation readiness activities, including operational readiness, user acceptance testing, system testing, and deployment planning.
• Oversee vendor performance and ensure alignment with contractual obligations and program objectives.
• Facilitate collaboration among agency leadership, technology teams, vendors, and external stakeholders.
• Prepare executive-level status reports, governance updates, and strategic communications.
• Support program governance, compliance requirements, and decision-making processes.
• Lead risk mitigation planning and maintain program momentum through proactive issue management.
• Ensure alignment with Agile, hybrid, or iterative software delivery methodologies.

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Public Administration, Business Administration, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience managing large-scale IT modernization or enterprise system implementation programs.
• Proven experience leading government IT modernization initiatives, preferably within unemployment insurance, workforce systems, or human services environments.
• 10+ years of experience working within multi-vendor delivery environments and state technology governance frameworks.
• 10+ years of experience coordinating development, testing, data migration, implementation, and operational readiness activities.

• Strong expertise in:

• Large-scale IT modernization program management
• Vendor management and delivery oversight
• Stakeholder engagement and executive communications
• Risk and issue management
• Implementation planning and operational readiness
• Cross-functional team leadership
• Agile, Hybrid, and Iterative delivery methodologies

Required Certifications

• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) or equivalent Agile certification
• Program Management Professional (PgMP) preferred, * Experience supporting state unemployment insurance modernization programs.
• Familiarity with federal certification and readiness requirements for UI systems.
• Experience managing cloud-based or enterprise platform implementations.
• Experience working within public sector governance, oversight, and executive reporting structures.