Engagement Manager

CAI; Trenton (NJ); Hybrid; USD 124,000 - 138,000; Full time

Job summary

CAI is seeking an Engagement Manager in Trenton, NJ, to lead staffing, delivery, and performance for a public-sector HR modernization initiative. The role combines client liaison duties with hands-on management of a staff augmentation team within a hybrid, full-time contract arrangement.

The ideal candidate will bring 10+ years in engagement/resource management, strong stakeholder relationships, and proven ability to manage budgets, contracts, and vendor coordination across IT and business units.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
• 10+ years of experience in engagement management, resource management, or client-facing leadership roles.
• 5+ years of experience hiring and managing staff augmentation or consulting teams for technology initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience recruiting technical talent, including cloud developers, data engineers, business analysts, and QA professionals.
• Experience managing consultant performance and staffing changes; demonstrated experience managing executive-level stakeholder relationships.
• Experience with contract, budget, and invoice management.
• Proficiency with project management and collaboration tools such as Jira, Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, or similar platforms.
• Exceptional written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong conflict resolution, negotiation, and problem-solving abilities.
• PMP Certification (preferred).
• Experience supporting State of New Jersey agencies (preferred).
• Experience within Human Services, Child Welfare, Public Health, or Social Services programs (preferred).
• Experience staffing AWS or other cloud modernization programs (preferred).
• Experience implementing HR or human capital management modernization (preferred).
• Familiarity with state procurement, governance, and compliance processes (preferred).

Responsibilities

• Source, screen, interview, and hire candidates for each staff augmentation role in line with client role definitions, required skills, and approved rates.
• Coordinate onboarding, including background checks, system access, equipment, and agency orientation.
• Keep a pipeline of qualified candidates ready for backfills and planned ramp-ups.
• Plan staffing ramp-up and ramp-down to match program phases and the project plan.
• Direct day-to-day coordination of augmented staff across business analysis, development, data, and testing roles.
• Align staff assignments with the Project Manager's plan and pod structure.
• Manage time reporting, approvals, and capacity across the team.
• Oversee and evaluate consultant work quality, productivity, and deliverables against contractual obligations.
• Request reassignment or replacement of staff when skill alignment or performance issues arise.
• Ensure consulting resources are used effectively to meet changing project needs.
• Serve as the primary intermediary between the consulting firm and internal DCF stakeholders.
• Act as a trusted advisor to client leadership, building relationships across units and vendor organizations.
• Keep communication clear and ensure priorities are understood by all parties.
• Track hours and spend against budget and contract ceilings, and reconcile invoices.
• Ensure compliance with statement of work terms and procurement rules.
• Report staffing status, spend, and performance to agency leadership.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Project management

Communication skills

Negotiation

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree

PMP Certification

Tools

Jira

Microsoft Project

Smartsheet

Job description

Engagement Manager

Req number:

R8702

Employment type:

Full time

Worksite flexibility:

Hybrid

Who we are

CAI is a global services firm with over 9,000 associates worldwide and a yearly revenue of $1.3 billion+. We have over 40 years of excellence in uniting talent and technology to power the possible for our clients, colleagues, and communities. As a privately held company, we have the freedom and focus to do what is right - whatever it takes. Our tailor-made solutions create lasting results across the public and commercial sectors, and we are trailblazers in bringing neurodiversity to the enterprise.

Job Summary

As an Engagement Manager, you will be the lead an HR Modernization initiative with responsibilities for the team's staffing, performance, and delivery.

Job Description

We are looking for an Engagement Manage r to hire, manage, and coordinate the staff augmentation team supporting key initiatives for a public sector client, including the agency's HR Modernization initiative. You will be the primary liaison between the agency and the consulting firm, accountable for the team's staffing, performance, and delivery against the contract. This position will be full-time contract and hybrid in Trenton, NJ.

Only candidates not requiring sponsorship now or in the future will be considered. Candidates must be within a 1-hour commute of Trenton, NJ.

What You'll Do

• Source, screen, interview, and hire candidates for each staff augmentation role in line with client role definitions, required skills, and approved rates
• Coordinate onboarding, including background checks, system access, equipment, and agency orientation
• Keep a pipeline of qualified candidates ready for backfills and planned ramp-ups
• Plan staffing ramp-up and ramp-down to match program phases and the project plan
• Direct day-to-day coordination of augmented staff across business analysis, development, data, and testing roles
• Align staff assignments with the Project Manager's plan and pod structure
• Manage time reporting, approvals, and capacity across the team
• Oversee and continuously evaluate consultant work quality, productivity, and deliverables against contractual obligations and service level expectations
• Request reassignment or replacement of consulting staff when skill alignment or performance issues arise
• Ensure consulting resources are used effectively to meet changing project needs
• Serve as the primary intermediary between the consulting firm and internal DCF stakeholders, including client IT, executive leadership, the Application Manager, client EDS, and architecture teams
• Act as a trusted advisor to client leadership, building strong relationships across business units, technology teams, and vendor organizations
• Keep communication clear and consistent so that priorities and staffing decisions are understood by all parties
• Track hours and spend against budget and contract ceilings, and reconcile invoices
• Ensure compliance with statement of work terms, state procurement rules, and agency policies
• Report staffing status, spend, and performance to agency leadership

What You'll Need

Required:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
• 10+ years of experience in engagement management, resource management, or client-facing leadership roles
• 5+ years of experience hiring and managing staff augmentation or consulting teams for technology initiatives
• Demonstrated experience recruiting technical talent, including cloud developers, data engineers, business analysts, and QA professionals
• Experience managing consultant performance and staffing changesDemonstrated experience managing executive-level stakeholder relationships
• Experience with contract, budget, and invoice management
• Proficiency with project management and collaboration tools such as Jira, Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, or similar platforms
• Exceptional written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills
• Strong conflict resolution, negotiation, and problem-solving abilities
• Preferred:
• PMP Certification
• Experience supporting State of New Jersey agencies
• Experience within Human Services, Child Welfare, Public Health, or Social Services programs
• Experience staffing AWS or other cloud modernization programs
• Experience implementing HR or human capital management modernization
• Familiarity with state procurement, governance, and compliance processes

Physical Demands

• Ability to safely and successfully perform the essential job functions consistent with the ADA and other federal, state and local standards
• Sedentary work that involves sitting or remaining stationary most of the time with occasional need to move around the office to attend meetings, etc.
• Ability to conduct repetitive tasks on a computer, utilizing a mouse, keyboard, and monitor

Reasonable accommodation statement

If you require a reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employment selection process, please direct your inquiries to [e-mail] or [phone].

EEO Statement

It is the policy of Computer Aid, Inc.(CAI) not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability or because he or she is a protected veteran. It is also the policy of CAI to take affirmative action to employ and to advance in employment, all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status, and to base all employment decisions only on valid job requirements. This policy shall apply to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, upgrading, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, recall, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation and selection for training, including apprenticeship, at all levels of employment.

Employees and applicants of CAI will not be subject to harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability or because he or she is a protected veteran. Additionally, retaliation, including intimidation, threats, or coercion, because an employee or applicant has objected to discrimination, engaged or may engage in filing a complaint, assisted in a review, investigation, or hearing or have otherwise sought to obtain their legal rights under any Federal, State, or local EEO law is prohibited.

$90-$100 per hour

The pay range for this position is listed above. Exact compensation may vary based on several factors, including location, experience, and education. Benefit packages include medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as 401k retirement account access. Employees in this role may also be entitled to paid sick leave and/or other paid time off as provided by applicable law.