Title: Program Manager (Integration and Transformation)

State Role Title: Salary Non-Specified

Hiring Range: $150,000 - $165,000

Pay Band: UG

Agency: Virginia Retirement System

Location: Virginia Retirement System

Agency Website: www.varetire.org/careers

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

The Virginia Retirement System (VRS) is one of the largest public pension systems in the United States, serving more than 800,000 members, retirees, and beneficiaries. VRS administers retirement and other benefit programs for Virginia’s public sector employees, including state workers, teachers, local government employees, and law enforcement personnel. We offer a variety of plans, including defined benefit, hybrid, and defined contribution options, and we are committed to providing secure and sustainable retirement benefits while supporting members throughout their careers and into retirement.

This newly created position, which serves as the Integration and Transformation Manager, plays a critical role in leading and delivering agency initiatives. The Program Manager will collaborate with cross-functional teams and leadership to implement complex system changes and provide strategic guidance to achieve transformation objectives.

The Program Manager uses organizational skills and attention to detail to provide comprehensive project management for agency functional system initiatives, ensuring program objectives, timelines, and budgets are met. This includes supporting the day-to-day execution of initiatives, such as developing project plans, engaging stakeholders, and identifying and resolving issues. The role requires fostering strong relationships to scope, plan, prioritize, and drive a range of system transformation initiatives.

Key responsibilities also include:
• Providing both strategic and tactical direction and presenting outcomes to leadership to gain buy-in and ensure alignment with agency goals.
• Establishing and maintaining governance structures for effective program management and accountability.
• Working with change management teams to develop and execute communication, training, and support plans for the agency end-users to drive adoption of new processes and systems.
• Developing executive-level presentations and strategic summaries to support data-driven decision-making.
• Proactively identifying, tracking, and mitigating program-level risks, issues, and dependencies. Ensuring high standards of quality are maintained across all deliverables.
• Facilitating communication between IT and business units, translating business needs into technical requirements, and ensuring technology solutions integrate well with existing systems.
• Acting as the point of contact for all program stakeholders – VRS leadership team, business owners, consultants and technical teams. Managing expectations, resolving conflicts, and providing transparent communication on program status.

Minimum Qualifications

• 8 years in application modernization consulting or project management, including at least 3 years of progressive experience managing complex, cross-functional transformation initiatives.
• Experience in product management and managing large-scale commercial software development.
• Familiarity with and implementation of custom developed enterprise systems of record utilizing state-of-the-art database and applications development technologies in cloud and/or on premise.
• Experience with Agile software development.
• Experience with data validation operations and analysis.
• Proven ability to develop systems and functional requirements.
• Program Management Professional (PgMP) and/or Project Management Professional (PMP) certifications are strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of state procurement, compliance, and governance frameworks is a plus.
• Knowledge of public pensions is preferred.

Additional Considerations

• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills.
• Ability to advise stakeholders and drive data-informed decisions at the enterprise level.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Knowledge of cloud-native technologies and platforms, modernization methodologies, microservices, and DevSecOps.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and provide clarity in complex, fast-paced environments.
• Demonstrated attention to detail while retaining a big-picture perspective.
• Strong ability to collaborate across technical and non-technical teams to drive program success.
• Adaptability in learning and integrating new technologies and proactively partnering with IT teams to ensure solutions are scalable, secure, and aligned with organizational needs.

Special Instructions

This position follows a hybrid work schedule.  The current hybrid work schedule is two days in the office (Tuesday and Wednesday) and three days remote (Monday, Thursday and Friday).  Beginning January 2026, the hybrid work schedule will change to three days in the office (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) and two days remote (Monday and Friday).  All employees are expected to be able to work onsite any day of the week as required by management and/or business needs.

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

Contact Information

Name: Human Resources

Email: careers@varetire.org

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.