Sr. Certified Project Manager IV Location: Madison, WI Need to Relocate

Prospect Infosystem Inc.; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Wisconsin Department of Children and Families seeks a seasoned Implementation Manager to lead planning, procurement, and multi-year modernization initiatives with a SaaS vendor. The role requires strategic guidance, direct execution, and coordination across policy, finance, and technology teams.

The contractor will develop roadmaps, manage vendor engagements, and ensure governance structures enable successful implementation.

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading large-scale technology modernization or digital transformation initiatives with a SaaS vendor.
• Demonstrated experience developing and managing complex technology procurements.
• Experience with vendor selection, contract negotiation, and multi-vendor environments.
• Strong knowledge of project management, organizational change management, and systems implementation methodologies.
• Experience facilitating executive-level decision-making and stakeholder engagement.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with the Strategic Consultant to develop modernization roadmap and implementation strategy.
• Assess current-state needs, technology systems, readiness, and modernization requirements.
• Identify risks and decision points requiring executive engagement.
• Recommend phased approaches for implementation, change management, and transformation.

Skills

PM Experience

Leadership

Communication

Critical Thinking

Job description

• Significant experience Leading large-scale technology modernization or digital transformation initiatives with a SaaS vendor
• Project Management (15+ years)
• Procurement Planning (10+ years)
• Written and Verbal Communication
• Critical Thinking

Job Description:

The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) seeks a highly experienced individual to serve as the Child Care Systems Modernization Implementation Manager. This individual will provide strategic guidance and direct execution during the planning, procurement, and implementation phases of a multi-year child care systems modernization initiative with a SaaS vendor.

The Implementation Manager will be responsible for ensuring IT leadership and stakeholders stay informed at all points of the transformation effort while working closely with the business area Strategic Consultant to ensure all parties involved remain aligned. The Implementation Manager will assist in defining scope, coordinating stakeholders, developing roadmaps, managing SaaS vendor engagements, and coordinating IT resources and leveraging established governance, planning, and operational structures to ensure successful implementation.

The selected contractor will operate with a high degree of independence and will leverage existing DCF subject matter experts, business leaders, and technology staff to advance the initiative.

The contractor will be expected to directly produce work products and deliverables rather than relying on dedicated project staff. Success in this role requires both strategic management and direct execution.

Project management certification or successful completion of a recognized project management curriculum is required

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Planning and Modernization Leadership

• Coordinate with the Strategic Consultant to develop and maintain an overall modernization roadmap and implementation strategy.
• Assess current-state business needs, technology systems, organizational readiness, and modernization needs.
• Identify risks, dependencies, and critical decision points requiring executive engagement.
• Recommend phased approaches for implementation, organizational change management, and business transformation.

Procurement and Vendor Management

• Collaborate in the development of procurement strategies and supporting documentation.
• Draft and coordinate Requests for Information (RFIs), Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Statements of Work (SOWs), and related procurement materials.
• Evaluate vendor proposals and support contract negotiations.
• Advise agency leadership on vendor selection, contracting approaches, and governance structures.
• Establish performance expectations and accountability measures for future vendors and implementation partners.

Partner Coordination and Governance

• Coordinate activities across business, policy, finance, procurement, and technology teams.
• Facilitate executive decision-making and ensure alignment among partners and stakeholders.
• Develop governance structures, decision frameworks, reporting processes, and escalation protocols.
• Prepare executive briefings, status reports, and strategic recommendations.

Program Development and Readiness

• Identify resource needs and recommend future staffing and contractor support models.
• Develop foundational project artifacts, including charters, workplans, risk registers, issue logs, and implementation frameworks.
• Support development of business requirements, process improvement opportunities, and future-state operating models.
• Establish structures necessary for transition from planning into implementation.

Minimal Qualifications

• Significant experience leading large-scale technology modernization or digital transformation initiatives with a SaaS vendor.
• Demonstrated experience developing and managing complex technology procurements.
• Experience with vendor selection, contract negotiation, and multi-vendor environments.
• Strong knowledge of project management, organizational change management, and systems implementation methodologies.
• Experience facilitating executive-level decision-making and stakeholder engagement.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with government program systems.
• Experience modernizing legacy systems to a SaaS platform.
• Solid understanding of cloud-based platforms, modular procurement strategies, and agile delivery approaches.
• Experience coordinating between internal teams and SaaS vendors.
• Experience establishing governance structures for large-scale modernization initiatives.

Qualification

• Project Management of Large Initiatives
• 15
• Development of Project Artifacts (plan, charter, status reports, etc.)