State Program Manager Jobs in Austin, TX (NOW HIRING)

Allied Consultants, Inc is a proudly Austin based firm with over 34 years of experience delivering top-tier technical and business professionals within Texas State Agencies. We are currently seeking an experience Program Manager to play a key role within a high-impact technical services team.

At Allied Consultants, we value our consultants and are committed to providing an exceptional experience including:

• Highly competitive pay rates
• Local support staff for responsive, personal service
• Comprehensive benefits package, including:
  • Medical insurance (with employer cost sharing)
  • Life insurance
  • A 401(K) plan with company match
  • Flexible spending through a cafeteria plan

Candidates selected for interviews will be subject to a criminal background check and may be required to pass a drug screening, in compliance with federal and state regulations. All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of these checks.

Allied Consultants is a proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Client's IT is continuing to develop an client 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 client for the Performance Management & Analytics System (PMAS).  

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.

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 client's departments and agencies. This role empowers client's 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 client's 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 client, in the emerging context of AI.

Responsibilities

Strategic Liaison and Translation

• Work with program areas and project sponsor to plan and execute multiple analytics projects asynchronously. 
• Lead as technical program manager creating hybrid Agile sprint cycles, epics and stories, as well as Waterfall project plans and all project artifacts
• Manage the scrum of scrum ceremonies to sync across Agile sprint teams and applying principles from the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)
• Act as a primary point of contact for program staff with data needs for federal, state, and internal reporting.
• Explain project findings and data limitations in simple, non-technical language to agency leadership and program staff.

AI Prompting and Data Synthesis

• Develop and refine effective AI prompts and query strategies to retrieve and synthesize program strategies for complex data domains.
• Develop a library of standardized prompts and query templates for common reporting needs.

Data Reporting and Visualization

• Ensure project teams properly extract, integrate, and analyze data from multiple complex internal and external sources to support client's program needs.
• Collaborate with end-users and performance analysts or IT leaders to create and validate visualizations for program monitoring and official reporting.
• Provide subject matter expertise on validating output from AI, particularly with respect to identifying and mitigating hallucinations.
• Ensure all data outputs adhere to agency reporting standards, data governance, and compliance regulations.

Data Literacy and Training

• Champion data literacy across the organization by planning and staffing AI training teams.
• Promote a data-driven culture by enabling and empowering all staff to effectively utilize data and AI.

Collaboration and Problem-Solving

• Work closely with data engineering, IT, and Program teams to troubleshoot data-related issues and address inconsistencies and mitigation strategies.
• Provide expert guidance to program staff on interpreting data trends and answering complex data questions.
• Stay up to date on new AI and data analytics tools and techniques to continuously improve program competencies.

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 client's 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.