Program Manager - Advisor for Strategic Initiatives

VPD Government Solutions is a rapidly growing, employee-centric professional services company providing Program Management, Agile IT Project Management, Business Analysis, Federal Acquisition Support Services and Facilities Investment Planning & Management Services to our Federal Clients. Our employees proudly serve as trusted advisors and innovative problem solvers for our clients. We are seeking a Program Manager – Advisor for Strategic Initiatives to join our diverse and talented team. 

The Program Manager – Advisor for Strategic Initiatives supports the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF). OPRE oversees contracts and grants to study ACF’s social services programs and the low-income and at-risk children and families they serve. Areas of focus include Head Start, child care, welfare, employment and self-sufficiency, child abuse and neglect, responsible fatherhood and healthy marriage, home visiting, and youth services. OPRE includes approximately one hundred federal and contracted staff, primarily research and evaluation specialists. OPRE oversees a portfolio of approximately $200 million in grants and contracts. 

Information on ACF is available at https://acf.hhs.gov Information on OPRE is available at: https://acf.hhs.gov/opre 

Position Overview: 

The Program Manager – Advisor for Strategic Initiatives acts as a senior advisor for OPRE and regularly consults with leadership and federal staff to strategize, analyze, evaluate, recommend, and help implement new and improved business, management, and people practices. This position interacts with federal leadership, federal staff, federal contractors and/or grantees, subcontractors, VPD staff and subcontractors, as well as VPD leadership and their associates. The Program Manager is also responsible for leading and managing a team and serving as Company liaison and point of contact for company leadership/operations, client leadership, prime contractor leadership, and federal staff.

Advisor for Strategic Initiatives responsibilities include:

Build and maintain relationships with federal leadership and staff in order to quickly and accurately gauge performance, identify and mitigate program risks, and provide continual program improvement in line with client priorities. Act as a Senior Advisor for senior federal leadership, serve as point person for organizational operating procedures, and respond to ad hoc information requests. Recommend, plan, execute, and evaluate office- and agency-wide strategic activities and initiatives in collaboration with OPRE leadership, to: 

Fulfill the mission and goals of OPRE Improve the efficiency, quality, and effectiveness of OPRE business processes and procedures. 

Develop project plans, identify, and engage relevant staff, identify risks and mitigate when possible, and ensure timely completion of high- quality deliverables. Produce and contribute to a variety of written products, including memos, briefs, assessments, analyses, etc. Perform other related duties needed to achieve OPRE mission success. 

Program Manager responsibilities include: 

Oversee the successful completion, quality, and delivery of all contract activities, requirements, and deliverables. Maintain effective communications between employees, VPD leadership, and federal clients through team and one-on-one meetings, presentations, email, and other forms of interpersonal communication. Responsible for the overall performance management of all team members, including Deputy PM, Team Leads, and all direct reports. For direct reports, this includes providing onboarding support, on-going feedback, coaching, training, goal setting, delivering formal performance reviews and teambuilding. For Deputy PM and Team Leads, this includes ensuring that managers are well-supported and can fulfill their role in the performance management of their direct reports. Oversee the activities of all subcontractor personnel used in the performance of this contract to ensure the accomplishment of timely and effective services that are performed in accordance with standard governmental procedures and any directions provided by OPRE. Work with Deputy PM, Team Leads, and Human Resources to hire for any team openings: approve position descriptions, conduct interviews, and complete all evaluations. Make or approve hiring recommendations. Regularly check in with Deputy PM and Team Leads to receive any team status updates and/or resolve any risks or issues. Review and approve any contractually mandated or requested reports, including progress reports, budgetary reports, financial forecasting, performance reporting, management reports, etc. Monitor timekeeping of direct reports and finalize staff timesheets. Identify, develop, and apply industry best practices and standards to the execution and delivery of work products. Identify current and future improvements to services provided to the client division. Uphold and promote VPD’s core values of integrity, excellence, teamwork, and respect in all internal and external interactions. Perform other related duties needed to achieve VPD and/or customer mission success. 

Qualifications: 

Master’s degree is required in Public Administration, Public Policy, Public Health, Sociology, Social Work, Organizational Behavior, Business Administration, or a related social or behavioral science field A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience in program management, social services, and/or public administration, with at least 2 years of supervisory experience Ability to quickly get up-to-speed, understand and translate complex academic and technical writing, and effectively communicate complex concepts to various audiences Excellent program management skills, with a demonstrated ability to manage multiple cross-cutting projects, project teams, and deadlines simultaneously Excellent organizational abilities, with a keen eye for developing efficient systems Outstanding problem-solving skills with an emphasis on the ability to assess situation, identify root causes, understand context, and address diverse issues and challenges quickly Ability to be detail-oriented and self-motivated and to prioritize and balance a diverse workload Ability to form and maintain constructive relationships across various groups including: government and business leadership, administrative staff, analyst and program staff, and technical staff 

Outstanding interpersonal relationship building skills, with an emphasis on employee coaching and development skills, as well as client-relationship building skills Discretion and judgment related to confidentiality of sensitive matters Stong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to write clearly and succinctlyProficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, OneNote, PowerPoint, Publisher), SharePoint, Adobe Acrobat Pro, and Zoom Ability to obtain and maintain a public trust clearance U.S. Citizenship required 

Desired  

Professional or personal experience working with HHS, ACF, and/or other Federal human service programs, preferred. Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, preferred

Why work for VPD? 

VPD is proud to be a certified Great Place to Work in 2022! See more about what our employees think! Working at VPD Government Solutions | Great Place to Work® Robust employee benefits package beginning on 1st of the month following hire date including health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance 401(k) with 5% employer matching- immediate vesting! Flexible time off program including 3 weeks of paid time off Tuition reimbursement program Opportunities for professional development Employee-centric work culture including company sponsored events, happy hours, and team-building opportunities, frequent communications/information sharing from Leadership, supportive and positive teamwork environment, “open door” policy, etc.

Work Location: Remote – HHS/ACF client based in Washington, DC 

VPD is Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

VPD Uses E-Verify - Right to Work Poster VPD Uses E-Verify - Participation Notice

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws: 

EEO is the Law EEO is the Law - Federal Contractors/Subcontractors Employee Polygraph Protection Act Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision 

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