Senior Project Manager - Planning Director State

• Who May Apply:
  Open to all qualified job seekers
• Date Posted: 09/16/2026
• Closing Date: 10/06/2026
• Hiring Agency/Seniority Unit:
  Human Services Dept / MAPE DHS Central Office
• Division/Unit: DHS-Central Office / MS PPIS Team
• Work Shift/
  
  Work Hours:
  
  Day Shift, 8:00am - 4:30pm
• Days of Work:
  Monday
  - Friday
• Travel Required:
  
  No
• Salary Range: $37.91 - $56.39 / hourly; $79,156 - $117,742 / annually
• Classified Status:
  Classified
• Bargaining Unit/Union: 214 - MN Assoc of Professional Empl/MAPE
• FLSA Status:
  Exempt
  - Administrative
• Designated in Connect 700 Program for Applicants with Disabilities:
  Yes

At the State of Minnesota, employees play a critical role in developing policies, providing essential services, and working to improve the well-being and quality of life for all Minnesotans. The State of Minnesota is committed to equity and inclusion, and invests in employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities.

• This position is eligible for telework for applicants who reside in Minnesota or in a bordering state, with supervisory approval and satisfactory performance. If you live in a state bordering Minnesota, you must live within 50 miles or less from the primary work location to be eligible for telework.***

As a Senior Project Manager, the incumbent will support the Department of Human Services’ (DHS) efforts in project and program implementation. This position provides implementation services for complex programs and projects involving multiple DHS administrations, other state agencies, and sensitive and challenging problems.

This position leads the most complex project management implementation activities, leads the most sensitive and challenging projects and provides coaching and mentorship to other members of the team. The position will be responsive to division and senior leadership requests and help build staff capacity enterprise-wide, ultimately helping to institutionalize a culture of Continuous Improvement (CI), Project Management (PM) and performance measurement in the department.

• Using Project Management and Continuous Improvement methodologies, provide project and/or program/portfolio planning and management on large, complex projects across the agency to develop strong, sustainable programs, processes, and policies.
• Leading business area leadership and staff across DHS in the design, development and implementation of complex business processes, performance and communication planning, implementation planning, data system development and implementation.
• Provide project management consultation and work on cross-agency efforts to promote and standardize project management best practices.
• Lead planning for the Smartsheet and Project Management Community of Practice and serve on the planning team for enterprise Smartsheet license management.
• Provide leadership expertise and strategic planning for knowledge transfer services and performance measurement at DHS.

To facilitate proper crediting, please ensure that your resume clearly describes your experience in the areas listed and indicates the beginning and ending month, day and year for each job held.

Three (3) years of experience with project management, continuous improvement projects and complex business processes.

Experience must also demonstrate:

• The successful application of project management theory and best practices on large and complex projects; including planning, assigning tasks, tracking and reporting progress, and measuring project success.
• Managing projects with strategic value to an…