Systems Contracts Strategy Bureau Chief

State-of-Iow; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental, Vision

Paid time off

IPERS retirement

RIC program

Flexible spending accounts

Life insurance

Long-term disability

Employee assistance

Employee discounts

Job summary

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Medicaid, seeks a Systems Contracts Strategy Bureau Chief to shape Medicaid's modernization vision and oversee major technology investments.

You will lead enterprise IT governance, coordinate with DHS, manage vendor contracts with DOM-DoIT, and guide risk and performance oversight, while fostering internal capability and strategic alignment across teams.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership in systems strategy, modernization, or enterprise IT governance.
• Strong ability to drive strategic alignment across diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Experience with IT contracting, vendor management, regulatory compliance, and performance oversight.
• Skilled in high-level communication, executive briefing, and decision-support analysis.
• Ability to build internal capability, lead teams, and manage complex work portfolios.
• Strategic and agile mindset to navigate evolving modernization needs.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Medicaid systems strategy, setting vision, priorities, and modernization roadmaps.
• Oversee the Medicaid Technology Roadmap, annual investment planning, and modernization portfolio.
• Ensure alignment with enterprise strategies, including cloud, infrastructure, analytics modernization, and data governance.
• Represent Medicaid and HHS leadership with internal/external stakeholders on system strategy and modernization.
• Oversee governance for intake, prioritization, impact analysis, testing, and implementation of system changes.
• Supervise IT contracting staff, including RFP development, negotiations, vendor oversight, and lifecycle management in collaboration with DOM-DoIT.
• Establish systems to monitor vendor performance, reporting accuracy, compliance, and operational risk.
• Ensure alignment among operational needs, data quality processes, testing strategies, and modernization objectives.
• Support emergency/disaster response activities tied to modernization and enterprise coordination.

Job description

This is a non-merit position. Candidates must follow the instructions in the “To Apply” section. Positions in this class are exempt from the screening and referral requirements of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services – Human Resources Enterprise

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Division of Medicaid, is seeking a Systems Contracts Strategy Bureau Chief to shape the vision, direction, and execution of Medicaid’s system modernization strategy.

About the Role

This role sets the vision for system modernization, oversees major technology investments, and ensures alignment with enterprise IT, cloud, analytics, and data governance strategies.

You will drive long-term modernization, strengthen internal capability, and represent Medicaid leadership across high-level strategic forums.

Strategic & Enterprise Leadership

• Lead the Medicaid systems strategy, setting vision, priorities, and modernization roadmaps.
• Oversee the Medicaid Technology Roadmap, annual investment planning, and modernization portfolio.
• Ensure alignment with Iowa HHS enterprise strategies, including cloud, infrastructure, analytics modernization, and data governance.

Modernization Governance & Coordination

• Represent Medicaid and HHS leadership with internal/external stakeholders on system strategy and modernization.
• Oversee governance for intake, prioritization, impact analysis, testing, and implementation of system changes.

Contracting & Vendor Management

• Supervise IT contracting staff, including RFP development, negotiations, vendor oversight, and lifecycle management in collaboration with Department of Management IT (DOM-DoIT).
• Establish systems to monitor vendor performance, reporting accuracy, compliance, and operational risk.

Operational Alignment & Risk Management

• Ensure alignment among operational needs, data quality processes, testing strategies, and modernization objectives.
• Support emergency/disaster response activities tied to modernization and enterprise coordination.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven leadership in systems strategy, modernization, or enterprise IT governance.
• Strong ability to drive strategic alignment across diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Experience with IT contracting, vendor management, regulatory compliance, and performance oversight.
• Skilled in high-level communication, executive briefing, and decision-support analysis.
• Ability to build internal capability, lead teams, and manage complex work portfolios.
• Strategic and agile mindset to navigate evolving modernization needs.

Why Join Us

This role provides the opportunity to shape statewide Medicaid modernization, strengthen enterprise coordination, and lead a high-impact team driving long-term systems transformation. Your leadership will influence strategic decisions and modernization success across Iowa’s health and human services enterprise.

You will enjoy working with the Medicaid team from the beautifully remodeled Lucas Building, across from the State Capitol Building and enjoy a hybrid work schedule after completing a 6-month probationary period.

Benefits

Working for the State of Iowa comes with its perks. In addition to a competitive salary, you'll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being and professional growth:

• Health, Dental, and Vision Coverage:Health and dental insurance packages to keep you and your family healthy at a low cost with outstanding coverage!
• Paid Time Off:Take time to recharge with paid time off, including vacation (96 hours/year to begin, increasing with years of service), sick leave (144 hours/year), and paid holidays (9 days/year).
• Retirement Plans:Participate in retirement plans such as IPERS (employees contribute 6.29% and the State of Iowa contributes 9.44%) as well as our Retirement Investors Club (RIC), Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan (the State of Iowa matches dollar for dollar up to $75/month).
• Flexible Spending Accounts:Take advantage of flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care expenses.
• Insurance Coverage:Benefit from life insurance and free long-term disability insurance for added peace of mind.
• Employee Assistance Program:Access resources and support through our Employee Assistance Program for personal and professional challenges.
• Employee Discount Programs:Enjoy discounts on a variety of goods and services through our employee discount programs.

For additional information on benefits click here.

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Background Checks

Applicants will be required to complete a background check to be considered for this position.

The State of Iowa is an EEO/AA Employer

HHS values those with “lived experience” and encourages adults who were fostered as youth, foster parents, and/or parents who were in the DHS system to apply. Minorities, women, persons with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply (Hearing and Speech Impaired – Relay Iowa 1-800-735-2942 TDD).

E-Verify and Right to Work

The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov.

All work performed on behalf of Iowa Health and Human Services must occur in the State of Iowa.

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:

1) Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university and experience equal to six years of full-time management-level work in finance, human resources, engineering, law, social work, regulation, data processing, or program research or evaluation.

2) Ten years of full-time management-level work experience in finance, human resources, engineering, law, social work, regulation, data processing, or program research or evaluation.

3) All of the following (a and b):

a. Six years of full-time management-level work experience in finance, human resources, engineering, law, social work, regulation, data processing, or program research or evaluation; and

b. A combination of a total of four years of education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience. Graduation from the Iowa Certified Public Manager Program is also equivalent to one year of full-time experience or education.

4) All of the following (a, b, and c):

a. Four years of full-time management-level work experience in finance, human resources, engineering, law, social work, regulation, data processing, or program research or evaluation; and

b. A combination of a total of four years of education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience; and

c. A combination of a total of two years of graduate-level education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where twenty-four semester hours of accredited graduate college or university course work in a public-service-related area (e.g., public or business administration, social work, law, education, engineering) equals one year of full-time experience. Graduation from the Iowa Certified Public Manager Program is also equivalent to one year of full-time experience or education.

5) Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes eighteen months of full-time work as a Public Service Manager 1 or comparable specific management-level position.

For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description.