Program Manager I Jobs in Lanham, MD (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $78,929.00 - $126,097.00 Annually
Location : 1301 Piccard Dr Rockville MD 20850 USA
Job Type: Permanent
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 2026-00355
Department: Department of Health and Human Services
Division: HHS 60 Services to End and Prevent Homelessness Division
Opening Date: 07/31/2026
Closing Date: 8/7/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
FLSA: Exempt
About the Position
"Please note: The salary range above represents this position's earning potential. The anticipated hiring range for this position will be $76,742 to $113,583, based on the candidate's qualifications and experience."
Coordinated Entry System (CES) Coordinator (Program Manager I)
Services to End and Prevent Homelessness Office
WHO WE ARE
Montgomery County is located adjacent to Washington, D.C., and with over one million residents, is the most populous County in the State of Maryland. The County is also the most diverse County in the State and ranks among the top ten most diverse Counties in the nation. Montgomery County contains many major U.S. government offices, scientific research and learning centers, and business campuses.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for the delivery of the County's public health and human services that meet the needs of our community's most vulnerable children, adults, and seniors. The Department provides services through more than 120 programs at more than 20 locations. With over 2,000 employees, the Department of Health and Human Services is the largest County Department.
As a department, we believe the health and wellness of the county can only be achieved by ensuring that every resident has fair opportunities to reach their fullest potential. This means access to quality housing, transportation, education, employment, health care, human services, safe neighborhoods, and healthy food. HHS provides critical services for residents who face a variety of obstacles in achieving their full potential. HHS plays an essential role in building a healthy and strong community.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
The Department of Health and Human Services, Services to End and Prevent Homelessness Office is recruiting an enthusiastic and compassionate Coordinated Entry System (CES) Coordinator (Program Manager I) who is committed to advancing our community's efforts to end homelessness. We are seeking a dynamic individual who brings objectivity, collaborates effectively, and is skilled at building strong partnerships across multiple agencies. The ideal candidate is passionate about supporting people experiencing homelessness and on the path to housing, bringing partners together, leading cross-sector collaboration, coordinating large meetings and identifying opportunities to strengthen our CES processes. Experience with the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and Continuum of Care are essential. The CES Coordinator is an essential role in aligning daily operations with our shared goal of ending homelessness through collaborative solutions.
What You'll Be Doing
The CES Coordinator leads the implementation and continuous improvement of the COC's coordinated entry system, which is comprised of four essential components: access, assessment, referral, and evaluation. This role ensures that households experiencing homelessness can access timely, person-centered assistance through standardized assessment, prioritization, and referral practices.
The incumbent will work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment that requires frequent adaptation to urgent, emerging client needs. The role requires a high level of sensitivity, sound judgment, timely responsiveness, and a commitment to promoting a positive work environment.
The incumbent is responsible for guiding staff in the appropriate application of policies, ensuring adherence without creating a punitive enforcement atmosphere. Additionally, the incumbent must demonstrate an understanding of how excessive bureaucratic processes can impede service delivery. The role requires continuous attention to streamlining requirements and removing barriers that hinder clients' access to housing and related support.

• Convene and facilitate CES meetings, provider workgroups, case conferencing, and housing match meetings

set agenda, track action items, and ensure inclusive participation

• Build strong partnerships with homeless service providers and stakeholders
• Provide technical assistance and guidance on CES processes to providers, clients, and colleagues as needed
• Lead cross-sector collaboration to streamline access points, referrals, and coordination of services
• Maintain and update CES policies and procedure manuals
• Coordinate and facilitate the various case conferencing and by-name lists meetings to match households to the most appropriate, available housing resource. This is done in coordination with SEPH and partners
• Apply equity, person-centered, trauma-informed, and low-barrier approaches to CES processes to ensure alignment with Continuum of Care standards and Local, State, and Federal requirements
• Maintain Clear, accessible client-facing information about how to access CES eligibility and grievance procedures.
• Work closely with the HMIS data team to ensure data quality and compliance with privacy regulations
• Work closely with the HMIS data team to produce the CES list
• Maintain and manage the CES list. Follow the CES procedures to ensure pre and post-lists are updated, sent on time, and have the most current information prior to the CES match meetings
• Coordinate referrals with referring providers and housing providers. Track housing progress matches to the lease-up process and update the list as needed (see chat)
• Track denials and approvals of housing matches, and report housing vacancies.
• Use data to identify bottlenecks related to housing placements and opportunities for improvement.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications
Experience: Considerable (3 years) professional experience in managing homeless services, housing programs, or Continuum of Care Homeless system-level coordination.
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's Degree.
Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences
Preferred Criteria:
The applications of those individuals meeting the minimum qualifications will be reviewed to determine the extent, relevance of training, and experience in the following areas:

• Bachelor's degree in social work, public administration, public health, or related field
• Experience working in homeless services, housing programs, or system-level coordination
• Proficiency in HMIS and familiarity with Continuum of Care operations and HUD standards
• Experience with homelessness or housing instability

Interview Criteria:
Interview preference criteria will be used pertaining to:

1. Experience leading coordinated entry or by-name list process
2. Demonstrated ability to analyze workflows, identify bottlenecks, and lead process improvements
3. Knowledge of HUD's Coordinated Entry System and continuum of care
4. Experience collaborating with a wide range of partners, including nonprofit providers, government agencies, behavioral health systems, healthcare providers, and people with lived experience
5. Strong ability to build trust and maintain positive relationships across diverse teams and organizations
6. Strong professional accountability, including the ability to follow instructions, meet deadlines, document work, and receive feedback
7. Strong project management, communication, and relationship-building skills
8. Demonstrated experience facilitating multi-stakeholder collaborations and large meetings
9. A commitment to equity, person-centered practices, and the mission to end homelessness

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.
Montgomery County Government(MCG) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at Hiring@montgomerycountymd.gov. Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.
MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference.
All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on the Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview.
This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies.
If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.
Montgomery County Ethics Law: Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code. Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.
Leave Benefits
Our generous leave package starts with non-MLS permanent and term employees earning 15 days of sick leave and 15 days of annual leave in their first year, as well as up to three additional personal days each calendar year. Positions in MLS earn 35 days of paid time off each year. In addition, we offer all employees 10 paid holidays. Our leave policies adhere to the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, and we provide six weeks of paid parental leave for new parents.
Retirement Benefits
All permanent and term positions are eligible for robust retirement plans. Public safety positions are eligible for a defined benefit pension plan in which they are vested after only five years. Employees in non-public safety positions can participate in retirement plans that contribute up to 12 percent of their annual salary. All employees can also participate in a supplemental retirement plan, the 457 Deferred Compensation Plan, to contribute even more to their retirement goals.
Tuition Assistance & Student Loan Forgiveness
Montgomery County employees are eligible to participate in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Participants who meet all requirements may qualify for forgiveness on the remaining balance on their Direct Loans after making 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time in a qualifying public service position. To learn more about PSLF, please visit the Student Loan Repayment Benefits page. Our tuition assistance program allows you to receive up to $2,130 annually in tuition assistance to help you achieve a degree that supports your career path.
Free Mass Transit Benefit
County employees are entitled to use the RideOn Bus service for free with a valid County-employee ID. This benefit can be used any time of the day or evening, including weekends. We also offer a pre-tax flexible spending account to reduce the cost of other mass-transit options such as MARC trains and Metro.
Reduced Child and Health Care Costs
Working for Montgomery County also entitles permanent and term employees to participate in healthcare and childcare Flexible Spending Accounts. These plans allow eligible employees to save on a pretax basis for healthcare and dependent care costs incurred during the plan year.
Employee Wellbeing
We deeply care about your holistic wellness. Our award-winning wellness program, LiveWell, will support you in improving and maintaining your physical, mental, financial, social, and intellectual well-being.
Learn more about our wonderful benefits available to you once you join our team. Montgomery County Benefits
01
What is your highest level of completed education?

• N/A
• High School/GED
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• Juris Doctor
• Doctorate

02
How many years of considerable professional experience in managing homeless services, housing programs, or Continuum of Care Homeless system-level coordination do you have?

• No Experience or less than 1