Program Manager in Washington, District of Columbia at West Health

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
Solely funded by philanthropists Gary and Mary West, West Health includes the nonprofit and nonpartisan Gary and Mary West Health Institute and Gary and Mary West Foundation in San Diego, and the Gary and Mary West Health Policy Center in Washington, D.C. These organizations are working together toward a shared mission dedicated to enabling seniors to successfully age in place with access to high-quality, affordable health and support services that preserve and protect their dignity, quality of life and independence. Through a combination of medical research and policy initiatives, collaborations, education, and advocacy, West Health is committed to supporting and creating healthcare delivery models that improve care and access for our fast-growing, diverse population of seniors. Data/Data Science is an important engine that powers our work. For more information, visit westhealth.org and follow @westhealth.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Program Manager, will serve as the operational backbone supporting West Health’s active and high-profile Health Care Cost and Affordability portfolio. This role is designed for a highly organized, systems-minded project management professional who excels at bringing structure to complex, multi-stakeholder environments. The Program Manager will own the planning infrastructure for a portfolio of research, policy, and communications initiatives spanning West Health’s Health Care Cost and Affordability work. The ideal candidate thrives on building systems from scratch, maximizing the use of existing tools, and keeping teams accountable to milestones without adding unnecessary bureaucracy.

This is a visible, high-impact role that requires demonstrated technical project management rigor and strong communication skills. The Program Manager will work closely with internal teams to ensure that work products move efficiently from inception to completion.
GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Portfolio and Project Management (50%)

• Own end-to-end project tracking for the portfolios, including milestones, deliverables, dashboards, dependencies, and risks – surfacing opportunities and adjacencies across the body of work.
• Design and maintain project management infrastructure from the ground up—building dashboards, timelines, status trackers, and workflow tools tailored to each portfolio’s needs.
• Audit and maximize use of existing project management tools (e.g., Smartsheet, Asana, Monday.com, SharePoint, or equivalent); identify gaps and implement improvements.
• Facilitate recurring portfolio reviews, including agenda development, pre-read preparation, meeting facilitation, and action item tracking.
• Proactively flag timeline slippage, resource constraints, and interdependencies to portfolio leads and senior leadership.
• Develop and maintain a portfolio calendar integrating key internal deadlines, external publication windows, congressional calendars, and partner timelines.
• Coordinate across research, policy, communications, and external partners to ensure smooth handoffs and aligned expectations.

Tools Development and Process Discipline (20%)

• Establish and maintain catalogue of updated project and strategy briefs; drive fidelity to established or new standard operating procedures to support consistent project execution.
• Identify and implement automation or workflow enhancements to reduce manual tracking burden on substantive staff.
• Serve as an internal resource and trainer on project management tools and best practices.
• Leverage AI tools and technology to maximize delivery and implementation around established or emerging workflows.

Stakeholder Coordination (20%)

• Prepare clear, concise status updates and portfolio summaries for internal teams and varying audiences (leadership, communications, data science, etc.).
• Coordinate with external partners and vendors to track commitments and ensure deliverable timelines are met.

Administrative Support (10%)

• Support senior leadership in preparation for external convenings.
• Manage scheduling logistics for multi-stakeholder planning meetings and working groups.
• Maintain organized shared file systems and documentation repositories for both portfolios.

General

• Commitment to West Health’s values and mission.
• This role requires a regular in-office presence from Tuesday through Thursday to support collaboration and business needs during core hours of 9 AM to 5 PM. Mondays and Fridays may be worked remotely, provided availability aligns with standard working hours. The primary focus is on fulfilling responsibilities, delivering results, and collaborating effectively with others.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (e.g., MPH, MPA, MBA) preferred.
• PMP certification is highly preferred or strong demonstrated technical project management rigor, preferably in support of healthcare and health policy efforts.
• 5–7 years of project management experience, ideally in a healthcare, policy, research, or nonprofit setting.
• Demonstrated experience building project management systems and tools from the ground up.
• Proficiency with project management platforms (e.g., Asana, Monday.com, Smartsheet, Jira) and productivity tools (Microsoft 365, SharePoint).
• Demonstrated ability to leverage AI tools (e.g., Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Co-Pilot) to accelerate work product; skilled at prompt construction, output evaluation, and iterative refinement.
• Exceptional organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams with competing deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to translate complex, technical content for diverse audiences.
• Experience with digital and web development/engineering processes and methods, preferred.
• Familiarity with healthcare policy is a plus but not required.
• High degree of discretion and sound judgment in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.
• Ability to work both independently and within a team environment.
• Effective time management skills.
• Excellent problem-solving skills.
• Experience with legal contracting a plus.
• Must believe in public health and science.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• The estimated salary range for this position is $110,000 - $125,000
  We gladly offer:
  • Up to 10% Annual Performance Bonus – rewarding your hard work and success.
  • Hybrid Work Schedule - offering flexibility to balance your work and personal life.
  • Comprehensive Benefits Package – including Medical, Dental, Vision, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Life Insurance, and a Flexible Spending Account to support your health and well-being.
    • 100% Premium Coverage for Employee Medical, Dental, Vision, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Life Insurance, plus 70% coverage for dependents for medical, dental and vision – ensuring both you and your family are well cared for.
  • Generous 5% Retirement Plan Match – helping you build a secure financial future.
  • Professional Development Reimbursements – investing in your growth and career advancement.
  • 15 Days of Paid Time Off plus 16 Paid Holidays – promoting a healthy work-life balance and time to recharge

West Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against persons on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, age, disability, or veteran's status.