Program Manager

Senior Program Manager – Government IT Modernization (Unemployment Insurance Transformation)

Seneca Resources is seeking an experienced Senior Program Manager to lead a high-profile government modernization initiative focused on transforming critical Unemployment Insurance (UI) systems supporting Benefits, Tax, and Appeals operations.

This role is ideal for a strategic leader with extensive experience delivering large-scale public sector technology programs, coordinating complex stakeholder environments, and driving enterprise implementations from planning through post-production stabilization.

The selected candidate will oversee day-to-day execution of a multi-workstream modernization effort designed to improve citizen services, enhance operational efficiency, strengthen system security, and enable scalable cloud-based digital experiences.

This position requires close collaboration with executive leadership, technology partners, implementation vendors, and business stakeholders to ensure successful delivery, federal readiness compliance, and go-live execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, execution, monitoring, and successful delivery of a large-scale enterprise modernization program.
• Coordinate activities across multiple functional workstreams and vendor teams.
• Develop and maintain integrated program schedules, milestone plans, and delivery roadmaps.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate program risks, issues, and dependencies.
• Monitor project budgets and provide ongoing financial reporting.
• Drive problem-solving and decision-making to maintain program momentum and achieve strategic objectives.

Vendor & Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary coordination point among executive leadership, technology partners, and implementation vendors.
• Monitor vendor performance against contractual milestones and deliverables.
• Facilitate issue resolution and escalation management.
• Support innovative delivery approaches, including AI-assisted development and testing initiatives.
• Foster collaboration across cross-functional teams and external partners.

Federal Readiness & Compliance

• Coordinate activities supporting federal readiness and certification requirements.
• Ensure completion of critical readiness artifacts, including:
• End-to-end business scenario validation
• Data reconciliation and validation
• External interface certifications
• Load and performance testing
• Operational readiness documentation
• Staff training validation
• Support preparation of certification documentation required prior to production deployment.

Governance & Executive Reporting

• Prepare and present status updates to executive leadership and governance committees.
• Facilitate steering committee meetings and executive briefings.
• Track decisions, action items, scope changes, and release priorities.
• Provide transparent reporting on program health, risks, mitigation strategies, and delivery progress.

Implementation & Go-Live Readiness

• Coordinate deployment readiness activities, including:
• Data migration verification
• User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
• Security, accessibility, and performance testing
• Production environment preparation
• Go-live rehearsals and rollback planning
• Support Go/No-Go decision-making processes.
• Lead post-go-live stabilization planning and transition activities.

Organizational Change & Operational Readiness

• Partner with business leaders to prepare operational teams for transition.
• Coordinate train-the-trainer and end-user training initiatives.
• Align business workflows and operational processes with new system capabilities.
• Promote adoption of new technologies and modernized business processes.

Required Skills/Education

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience leading large-scale IT modernization or enterprise system implementation programs.
• Demonstrated success managing complex government technology initiatives.
• Experience supporting public sector modernization efforts within unemployment insurance, workforce systems, human services, or similarly regulated environments.
• Proven experience managing multi-vendor delivery environments.
• Strong understanding of state technology governance frameworks.
• Experience with Agile, Hybrid Agile, iterative, or traditional project delivery methodologies.
• Hands-on experience coordinating:
• System development initiatives
• System Integration Testing (SIT)
• User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
• Data migration activities
• Implementation readiness efforts
• Experience supporting cloud-based or enterprise platform implementations.
• Familiarity with executive governance structures and reporting requirements.
• Knowledge of federal certification and readiness processes related to Unemployment Insurance modernization initiatives.

Required Certifications

Certifications must be active.

• Project Management Professional (PMP), PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP), or equivalent project management certification.
• Program Management Professional (PgMP) certification.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience supporting Unemployment Insurance (UI) modernization initiatives.
• Experience working within state government environments.
• Background leading complex digital transformation programs with multiple stakeholder groups.
• Exposure to AI-enabled software delivery practices.

Core Competencies

• Enterprise Program Management
• IT Modernization Leadership
• Government Technology Programs
• Program Governance
• Vendor Management
• Risk and Issue Management
• Executive Communication
• Budget Oversight
• Cross-Functional Leadership
• Change Management
• Implementation Planning
• Operational Readiness
• Federal Compliance Coordination
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Cloud Transformation Delivery
• Strategic Planning

SEO Keywords

Program Manager, Senior Program Manager, IT Program Manager, Government Program Manager, Public Sector Program Manager, Enterprise Program Management, IT Modernization, Digital Transformation, Unemployment Insurance Systems, UI Modernization, PMP, PgMP, Agile Program Management, Vendor Management, Executive Stakeholder Management, Cloud Implementation, Federal Compliance, UAT, Data Migration, Change Management, Go-Live Readiness, PMO Leadership.

About Seneca Resources

At Seneca Resources, we are more than just a staffing and consulting firm—we are a trusted career partner. With offices across the U.S. and clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to government organizations, we provide opportunities that help professionals grow their careers while making an impact.

When you work with Seneca, you're choosing a company that invests in your success, celebrates your achievements, and connects you with meaningful work with leading organizations nationwide. We take the time to understand your goals and match you with roles that align with your skills and career path.

Our consultants and contractors enjoy competitive pay, comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k) retirement plans, and the support of a dedicated team who will advocate for you every step of the way.

Seneca Resources is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where all qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.