Programs Manager Jobs in West Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Reports To: Secretary of Health, State of West Virginia, with direct accountability to the Office of the Governor

Location: Charleston, West Virginia

Position Overview:

The HealthTech Appalachia initiative under the West Virginia Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), is focused on driving economic growth and healthcare innovation in the region. This program is an incubator for "leapfrog" technologies designed to revolutionize healthcare delivery in rural West Virginia. The goal of the initiative is to foster a sustainable innovation ecosystem by providing vital seed funding, acceleration support, and strategic partnerships to breakthrough health technology companies. The HealthTech Appalachia Program Manager will be responsible for establishing and managing innovation funds and a statewide accelerator program, focusing on identifying and scaling technologies that address the specific health challenges of rural communities (e.g., chronic disease, SUD, maternal health).

Core Responsibilities:

• Innovation Fund Management: Establish and manage innovation funds to provide seed and scale funding for breakthrough health technologies.
• Accelerator Program Operation: Design, launch, and operate a statewide accelerator program, offering funding and intensive support for innovations in AI-enabled tools, digital health, and consumer health technologies.
• Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem Building: Cultivate and maintain a robust network of partners, including universities, venture capital firms, healthcare payors, and providers, to build a sustainable rural innovation ecosystem.
• Innovation Focus Areas: Drive initiatives that specifically target health outcomes relevant to rural West Virginia, such as chronic disease management, substance use disorder (SUD) solutions, and maternal health improvements.
• Mentorship & Portfolio Support: Provide strategic guidance, mentorship, and resources to portfolio companies within the accelerator to help them scale and achieve market success.
• Performance Tracking & Evaluation: Utilize data and key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the success of funded technologies, accelerator cohorts, and overall economic and health impacts of the initiative.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, Entrepreneurship, or Information Technology.
• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in venture capital, startup acceleration, health tech industry, or innovation program management.
• Strong understanding of healthcare delivery systems, payor dynamics, and specific rural health challenges (e.g., chronic disease, SUD) to ensure technologies are relevant and scalable within the market.
• Strong understanding of seed and scale funding mechanisms, investment cycles, and grant administration processes required to manage innovation funds effectively.
• In-depth knowledge of current and emerging digital health technologies, AI in healthcare, and consumer health tools, with the ability to assess their viability and impact.

Core Competencies: The core competencies required for the HealthTech Appalachia Program Manager position are a blend of entrepreneurial acumen, financial expertise, technological literacy, and strategic partnership development within the healthcare and startup sectors.

• Communication: Strong communication skills to articulate the value proposition of the program and portfolio companies to investors, partners, and the public.
• Change Management: Ability to navigate and drive change across different sectors (healthcare, government, private employers) with different motivations and regulatory environments.
• Collaboration & Persuasion: Exceptional skills in cultivating and maintaining robust networks with diverse stakeholders, including venture capitalists, academics, providers, and payors and the ability to negotiate partnerships, structure funding deals, and influence organizations to collaborate in the innovation ecosystem.
• Entrepreneurial Drive & Innovation Mindset: A proactive approach to identifying breakthrough technologies, supporting high-growth startups, and navigating the risks inherent in early-stage investments and innovation cycles.
• Project Leadership & Management: Expertise in designing, launching, and managing complex accelerator programs and funding mechanisms within established timelines and budgets.
• Portfolio Management & Mentorship: The capacity to select promising companies, provide effective strategic guidance and mentorship, and help them scale toward market success.
• Strategic Vision & Ecosystem Building: The ability to not just manage programs but to build and nurture a sustainable regional innovation ecosystem by leveraging diverse partners (universities, VCs, providers, payors).
• Data Analysis & Performance Tracking: Proficiency in defining and tracking relevant KPIs and outcomes to measure the success of technology investments, accelerator cohorts, and broader health-economic impacts.
• Commitment to the Governor’s mission of “Stronger Lives, Healthier Choices, and a Better West Virginia.”

Appointment and Compensation:

• This is an exempt (at-will) position under the Department of Health. Compensation will be commensurate with executive-level public service, experience, and qualifications. This position includes full state benefits and travel reimbursement for statewide engagement.
• This position is a full-time, term-limited appointment for a period of up to five (5) years and is contingent upon the award and continued availability of federal funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program. Continued employment beyond the project period is not guaranteed.

Applicants interested in learning more about the program and the State’s proposed approach may review the application materials here: https://governor.wv.gov/rht