What are the responsibilities and job description for the Medicaid Program Operations Manager position at Inside Higher Ed?
Job Title
Medicaid Program Operations Manager
Requisition Number
RE53917
Department Name
7P275:Public Health Analytics and Informatics
Work Location:
Frankfort, KY
Grade Level
50
Salary Range
$81,640-138,798/year
Type Of Position
Staff
Position Time Status
Full-Time
Required Education
MA
Click here for more information about equivalencies::
https://hr.uky.edu/employment/working-uk/equivalencies
Required Related Experience
6 yrs
Required License/Registration/Certification
None
Physical Requirements
Sitting for extended periods of time, repetitive motion, some travel
Shift
Monday – Friday Between the hours of 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Additional hours as needed
Job Summary
The Medicaid Program Operations Manager serves as a senior strategic leader responsible for managing a division’s full portfolio of Medicaid programs, initiatives, and regulatory commitments. This role works closely with Department Leadership and, at times, Cabinet-level executives to ensure the division meets all program, compliance, and operational objectives. The Program Operations Manager oversees project delivery, portfolio governance, vendor performance, and regulatory deadlines while driving alignment across teams and resolving conflicts that impact program outcomes. The Program Operations Manger also leads requirements development, business analysis, and data-driven assessment to support decision-making and ensure solutions meet Medicaid policy and compliance standards. This position requires exceptional communication skills, as the Program Operations Manager owns all executive reporting for the division and serves as key liaison across internal and external stakeholders.
This is a high-visibility role suited for a strategic, analytical, and collaborative leader with deep experience in Medicaid program operations, project/portfolio management, and cross-functional coordination.
Key Responsibilities
Experience with healthcare transformation initiatives and program development (e.g., value-based purchasing, delivery system reform & development). Knowledge of federal waiver programs and/or federally funded programs. Experience with health/governmental contracting, oversight & evaluation of program success across multiple governmental/healthcare related initiatives. Background in healthcare quality measurement and improvement, as well as success/demonstrated experience with programmatic/governmental information systems and data analytics.
Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? :
No
Preferred Education/Experience
Master’s degree in healthcare administration, public health, public administration, business administration, or related field. A PhD in public health field preferred. Minimum of 4 – 6 years of progressively responsible experience in healthcare or governmental health program management, preferably in Medicaid or other government healthcare health related policy programs.
Preferred: Project Management Professional (PMP), Program Management Professional (PgMP), Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP), Certified Scrum Master (CSM) or SAFe Agilist, Lean Six Sigma Certification (Green Belt or higher)
Deadline To Apply
04/13/2026
Our University Community
We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.
The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status.
Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.
Medicaid Program Operations Manager
Requisition Number
RE53917
Department Name
7P275:Public Health Analytics and Informatics
Work Location:
Frankfort, KY
Grade Level
50
Salary Range
$81,640-138,798/year
Type Of Position
Staff
Position Time Status
Full-Time
Required Education
MA
Click here for more information about equivalencies::
https://hr.uky.edu/employment/working-uk/equivalencies
Required Related Experience
6 yrs
Required License/Registration/Certification
None
Physical Requirements
Sitting for extended periods of time, repetitive motion, some travel
Shift
Monday – Friday Between the hours of 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Additional hours as needed
Job Summary
The Medicaid Program Operations Manager serves as a senior strategic leader responsible for managing a division’s full portfolio of Medicaid programs, initiatives, and regulatory commitments. This role works closely with Department Leadership and, at times, Cabinet-level executives to ensure the division meets all program, compliance, and operational objectives. The Program Operations Manager oversees project delivery, portfolio governance, vendor performance, and regulatory deadlines while driving alignment across teams and resolving conflicts that impact program outcomes. The Program Operations Manger also leads requirements development, business analysis, and data-driven assessment to support decision-making and ensure solutions meet Medicaid policy and compliance standards. This position requires exceptional communication skills, as the Program Operations Manager owns all executive reporting for the division and serves as key liaison across internal and external stakeholders.
This is a high-visibility role suited for a strategic, analytical, and collaborative leader with deep experience in Medicaid program operations, project/portfolio management, and cross-functional coordination.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead end-to-end project planning, execution, monitoring, and closure for assigned DMS Division initiatives.
- Develop and maintain project schedules, risk logs, mitigation plans, and performance dashboards.
- Ensure all projects meet Medicaid regulatory requirements, quality standards, and delivery timelines.
- Coordinate cross-function project teams, including internal staff, vendors, and consultants.
- Facilitate project governance meetings, decision-making processes, and issue escalation
- Oversee the assigned division’s full portfolio of programs, initiatives, and operations commitments.
- Lead requirements gathering, business process analysis, and workflow documentation for assigned Division initiatives.
- Translate business needs into functional requirements for IT, vendors, and operational teams.
- Conduct impact assessments, gap analyses, and readiness evaluations.
- Serve as the primary liaison between Division leadership and Department leadership.
- Prepare and deliver executive reports, briefings, presentations, and decision memos.
- Facilitate stakeholder meetings, workshops, and cross-agency coordination sessions.
Experience with healthcare transformation initiatives and program development (e.g., value-based purchasing, delivery system reform & development). Knowledge of federal waiver programs and/or federally funded programs. Experience with health/governmental contracting, oversight & evaluation of program success across multiple governmental/healthcare related initiatives. Background in healthcare quality measurement and improvement, as well as success/demonstrated experience with programmatic/governmental information systems and data analytics.
Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? :
No
Preferred Education/Experience
Master’s degree in healthcare administration, public health, public administration, business administration, or related field. A PhD in public health field preferred. Minimum of 4 – 6 years of progressively responsible experience in healthcare or governmental health program management, preferably in Medicaid or other government healthcare health related policy programs.
Preferred: Project Management Professional (PMP), Program Management Professional (PgMP), Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP), Certified Scrum Master (CSM) or SAFe Agilist, Lean Six Sigma Certification (Green Belt or higher)
Deadline To Apply
04/13/2026
Our University Community
We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.
The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status.
Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.
Salary : $81,640 - $138,798