AI Implementation Project Manager

FlagshipKansas.Tech; Topeka (KS); On-site; USD 70,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Public Consulting Group in Topeka, Kansas, seeks a Senior AI Implementation Project Manager to lead planning, delivery, and client management of AI-enabled solutions for state and local government health and human services. You will own end-to-end delivery, drive timelines, manage risk, and align cross-functional teams to achieve client outcomes.

The ideal candidate has a track record of complex government technology programs, strong delivery discipline, and the ability to manage senior client

Qualifications

• 6+ years of project management experience in technology implementations, with client-facing delivery.
• Public sector or government consulting experience – state/local/federal HHS preferred.
• PMP certification active; Agile certifications (SAFe, CSM) a plus.
• Working knowledge of AI systems in production contexts and governance.

Responsibilities

• Own delivery planning, scheduling, and risk management across AI implementation workstreams.
• Drive sprint and release planning in collaboration with engineering leads and architects.
• Maintain delivery accountability across multiple parallel tracks including requirements, build, integration, UAT.
• Identify and escalate delivery blockers; manage scope, timeline, and resources.
• Produce and maintain project artifacts: charters, schedules, status reports, and decision logs.
• Serve as primary client-facing lead; manage senior stakeholder relationships at agency director level and above.
• Facilitate executive briefings, steering committee updates, and milestone reviews.

Skills

Project management

Public sector experience

AI/ML familiarity

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Jira

ADO

Smartsheet

Education

PMP certification (active)

Tools

Jira

ADO

Smartsheet

Job description

at Public Consulting Group in Topeka, Kansas, United States

Job Description

Public Consulting Group LLC ( PCG ) is a leading public sector solutions implementation and operations improvement firm that partners with health, education, and human services agencies to improve lives. Founded in 1986, PCG employs approximately 2,000 professionals throughout the U.S.-all committed to delivering solutions that change lives for the better. The firm is a member of a family of companies with experience in all 50 states, and clients in three Canadian provinces and Europe. PCG offers clients a multidisciplinary approach to meet challenges, pursue opportunities, and serve constituents across the public sector. To learn more, visit www.publicconsultinggroup.com .

PCG is seeking a senior AI Implementation Project Manager to lead the planning, delivery, and client management of AI-enabled solutions within state and local government health and human services environments. This role owns end-to-end project delivery for AI initiatives, driving timelines, managing risk, aligning cross-functional teams, and serving as the primary point of accountability for client outcomes.

AI Implementation Project Manager

The ideal candidate is a proven technology PM with a track record of delivering complex implementations in public sector or government consulting contexts. They bring structured delivery discipline, comfort working alongside engineering and data science teams, and the credibility to manage senior client relationships. AI fluency is expected, not as an end in itself, but as a foundation for leading delivery teams building real AI systems in production environments.

What This Role Is Not

• Not a program manager focused primarily on reporting, coordination, or PMO governance overhead
• Not a software engineer or data scientist role, technical depth is a plus, not the primary value
• Not an entry-level project coordinator, this role requires autonomous leadership of client-facing delivery

Key Responsibilities

Project Delivery Leadership

• Own delivery planning, scheduling, and risk management across AI implementation workstreams
• Drive sprint and release planning in collaboration with engineering leads and architects
• Maintain delivery accountability across multiple parallel tracks including requirements, build, integration, UAT
• Identify and escalate delivery blockers; proactively manage scope, timeline, and resource constraints
• Produce and maintain project artifacts: charters, schedules, status reports, and decision logs

Client Management

• Serve as primary client-facing lead; manage senior stakeholder relationships at state agency director level and above
• Facilitate executive-level status briefings, steering committee updates, and milestone reviews
• Translate client program and policy context into delivery priorities and acceptance criteria
• Navigate client organizational dynamics typical of state government IT modernization engagements

AI Program Oversight

• Lead implementation of AI-enabled workflows, agentic pipelines, and decision-support systems in HHS contexts
• Coordinate across engineering, solution architects, and QA teams to ensure delivery against technical and functional requirements
• Manage implementation of AI evaluation, validation, and human-in-the-loop processes as defined by program requirements
• Maintain awareness of AI governance, compliance, and explainability requirements relevant to government deployments (FedRAMP, CMS , state data use agreements)

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Partner with business analysts to ensure requirements are scoped, traceable, and acceptance-ready
• Coordinate with subcontractors, vendors, and state agency IT counterparts
• Support proposal and business development activities including staffing plans, delivery approach narratives, and past performance documentation

Required Qualifications

• 6+ years of project management experience in technology implementation, with at least 3 years in a client-facing, billable consulting context
• Demonstrated delivery of complex, multi-workstream technology programs from inception through go-live
• Public sector or government consulting experience – state, local, or federal HHS preferred
• PMP certification required (active); Agile certifications (SAFe, CSM ) a plus
• Working knowledge of AI systems in production contexts: model behavior, agentic workflows, integration patterns, evaluation
• Strong written and verbal communication; ability to translate technical progress into executive-level narratives
• Experience managing delivery across matrixed teams including engineers, architects, QA, and subject matter experts
• Proficiency with project management tooling (Jira, ADO , Smartsheet, or equivalent)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience delivering AI, ML, or data platform programs in government ( SNAP , Medicaid, MMIS , or IES modernization a strong plus)
• Familiarity with federal compliance environments: FedRAMP, CMS ARC - AMPE , or equivalent
• Background in HHS program policy, eligibility systems, or public benefits administration
• Experience with cloud delivery on AWS GovCloud or Azure Government
• Track record in RFP / RFI pursuit support: delivery approach sections, staffing models, work plans
• Comfort managing client environments with significant political, regulatory, or oversight sensitivity

What Strong Candidates Demonstrate

• A portfolio of multi-year government technology implementations they personally led to successful outcomes
• Ability to articulate delivery risk and mitigation in concrete, client-ready terms – not generically
• Enough AI and engineering literacy to challenge timelines, surface hidden dependencies, and evaluate feasibility claims
• History of winning and retaining public sector clients through delivery credibility, not just relationship management

Compensation:

Compensation for roles at Public Consulting Group varies depending on a wide array of factors including, but not limited to, the specific office location, role, skill set, and level of experience. As required by applicable law, PCG provides a reasonable range of compensation for this role. In addition, PCG provides a range of benefits for this role, including medical and dental care benefits, 401k, PTO , parental leave, bereavement leave.

Compensation for roles at Public Consulting Group varies depending on a wide array of factors including, but not limited to, role, skill set, and level of experience.?As required by applicable law, PCG provides the following reasonable range of compensation for this role: $69,700-$125,000. In addition, PCG provides a range of benefits for this role.

PCG does not sponsor newly hired foreign national workers for work authorization, including H-1B sponsorship.

EEO Statement:

Public Consulting Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to celebrating diversity and intentionally creating a culture of inclusion. We believe that we work best when our employees feel empowered and accepted, and that starts by honoring each of our unique life experiences. At PCG , all aspects of employment regarding recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, compensation, benefits, transfers, layoffs, return from layoff, company-sponsored training, education, and social and recreational programs are based on merit, business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or belief, national, social, or ethnic origin, sex, gender identity and/or expression, age, physical, mental, or sensory disability, sexual orientation, marital, civil union, or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, citizenship status, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law. PC