Program Manager - Operations - BEVR

Charleston County Government; North Charleston (SC); On-site; USD 76,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Charleston County Government is seeking a Program Manager - Operations to lead projects, people, and processes that support effective election administration. This role reports to the Deputy Director/Chief of Staff and turns priorities into work plans while collaborating with IT, vendors, and partners to move initiatives on tight timelines.

The position includes hands-on leadership across governance, systems, and performance analytics with the authority to coordinate cross-functional teams and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Progressively responsible experience in operations, program/project management, election administration, or related fields.
• Ability to lead projects across functional areas and work with vendors and stakeholders.
• Supervisory or team-lead experience with clear direction and accountability.
• Strong organizational, analytical, written, verbal, and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate, and manage multiple operational programs and cross-functional initiatives from planning through implementation and closeout.
• Establish timelines, milestones, owners, dependencies, and performance measures; track progress and address barriers.
• Provide hands-on operational support across the department when priorities or election conditions require leadership capacity.
• Supervise the Project Officer and coordinate cross-functional project teams with vendors and external partners.
• Develop procedures, dashboards, and documentation to support consistent execution and visibility.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Vendor management

Data analytics

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration

Tools

Election technology

Dashboards

Job description

The Program Manager - Operations is a leadership role responsible for managing projects, people, and processes that support effective election administration. Reporting to the Deputy Director/Chief of Staff, the position turns organizational priorities into coordinated work plans, manages implementation across functional areas, supervises the Project Officer, improves systems and workflows, and supports vendor, technology, and operational governance. The role works across the organization as needs arise and provides hands-on leadership to keep critical initiatives moving under tight statutory and operational timelines.

HIRING SALARY:$76.315 to $99.964 (Estimated Annual Salary)

Program & Operations Management

• Plan, coordinate, and manage multiple operational programs and cross-functional initiatives from planning through implementation and closeout.
• Establish timelines, milestones, owners, dependencies, and performance measures; track progress and address barriers to successful execution.
• Provide hands-on operational support across the department when priorities, staffing, or election conditions require additional leadership capacity.

People & Project Leadership

• Supervise the Project Officer, including work assignment, priority setting, coaching, performance feedback, and accountability for deliverables.
• Lead or coordinate cross-functional project teams and facilitate collaboration among operational units, county departments, vendors, and external partners.
• Ensure project work is appropriately documented, communicated, and aligned with departmental priorities.

Systems, Technology & Process Improvement

• Evaluate workflows, systems, and technology use to identify gaps, duplication, inefficiencies, implementation needs, and opportunities for improved performance or cost savings.
• Coordinate implementation of new or revised systems, processes, and tools in collaboration with internal staff, county IT, state partners, and vendors.
• Develop or improve practical procedures, tracking tools, dashboards, and documentation that support consistent execution and organizational visibility.

Governance, Vendors & Performance Analytics

• Support governance of key vendors and platforms by tracking deliverables, open issues, performance concerns, implementation requirements, and follow-up actions.
• Capture and analyze operational data, including technical, staffing, and polling-place issues, and translate findings into actionable reports or recommendations.
• Coordinate issue reporting and resolution with vendors, the South Carolina State Election Commission, county partners, and other stakeholders as appropriate.

Leadership Support

• Support the Deputy Director/Chief of Staff and Director with strategic initiatives, operational priorities, after-action items, special projects, and organizational improvement efforts.
• Prepare concise updates, metrics, recommendations, and implementation plans for leadership review.
• Perform other related leadership and operational duties necessary to support successful elections and department operations.

• Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Operations Management, Information Technology, Political Science, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible experience.
• Progressively responsible experience in operations, program/project management, election administration, technology implementation, public-sector administration, or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, lead projects across functional areas, improve processes, and work effectively with vendors and stakeholders.
• Supervisory or team-lead experience and the ability to provide clear direction, accountability, and performance feedback.
• Strong organizational, analytical, written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to work extended or irregular hours during election cycles and other critical operational periods.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct election administration or other high-stakes public-sector operational experience.
• Experience with election technology, enterprise systems, vendor management, implementation projects, dashboards, or operational analytics.
• Experience supporting organizational change, process improvement, or large-scale temporary/seasonal operations.