Job Description

Requisition No: 863892

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: PROJECT MANAGER - 60064987

Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 60064987

Salary: $65,000-$75,000

Posting Closing Date: 11/05/2025

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

Position Numbers: PROJECT MANAGER-60064987

Agency: Department of Children and Families

Office: Office of Quality and Innovation

Working Title: Project Manager

Location: Tallahassee (DCF Headquarters Office)

Salary $65,000-$75,000

Required Certifications: Certified Project Management Professional (PMP)®

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) works to protect the vulnerable, strengthen families, and advance self-sufficiency for all Floridians. Within DCF, the Office of Quality and Innovation (OQI) leads efforts to modernize systems, improve outcomes, and embed continuous improvement practices across all program areas. The OQI’s Project Management Office (PMO) plays a critical role in aligning agency initiatives, optimizing resources, and ensuring projects deliver measurable value to children and families statewide.

What You Will Do:

The Department’s Office of Quality and Innovation seeks an energetic, collaborative professional to serve as a Project Manager within its Project Management Office (PMO). This position advances DCF’s mission by leading high-impact projects that improve service delivery, operational efficiency, and data-driven decision making.

As part of the PMO, the Project Manager will:

• Lead enterprise and cross-functional initiatives from initiation through closeout, applying standardized project management methodologies aligned with the PMO framework and Florida’s State Project Management Guidelines.
• Coordinate with DCF program areas—such as Child Welfare, Economic Self-Sufficiency, Substance Abuse and Mental Health, and Administrative Services—to integrate project planning with program needs.
• Develop and maintain project charters, work plans, risk registers, and performance dashboards to ensure transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with the Process Improvement and Data Analytics Teams within OQI to translate data insights into actionable strategies and measurable outcomes.
• Facilitate stakeholder engagement through structured communication plans, progress reporting, and regular review sessions with executive sponsors.
• Support portfolio-level monitoring to identify interdependencies, manage risks, and align multiple projects with enterprise goals.
• Promote a culture of innovation, efficiency, and evidence-based decision making throughout the project lifecycle.
• Ensure alignment of assigned projects with DCF’s Strategic Plan, Quality Framework, and statutory requirements to promote efficiency and accountability.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of PMO standards through lessons learned documentation, retrospectives, and process enhancements.

This position is ideal for a project management professional who thrives in dynamic environments, values collaboration, and seeks to contribute to the modernization and effectiveness of Florida’s human services systems.

How You Will Make an Impact

• Manage large and complex projects as part of the department-wide PMO, working directly with senior leadership to execute initiatives that advance DCF’s mission.
• Facilitate and oversee smaller, related projects to ensure consistency and integration across program offices.
• Serve as a subject matter expert and mentor, building project management capacity across the Department through training, coaching, and knowledge sharing.
• Manage the integration of project scope, schedule, cost, quality, risk, resources, communications, procurement, and stakeholder engagement in accordance with the PMBOK® and DCF PMO standards, as required by Rule 60GG-1.001 through 60GG-1.009, F.A.C.
• Monitor and report on project performance, using dashboards and data analysis to inform executive decision making.
• Collaborate on procurement and contract management related to assigned projects, ensuring compliance and timely delivery of contractual outcomes.
• Support strategic planning activities through data collection, analysis, reporting, and performance assessment.
• Represent OQI in agency-wide workgroups focused on quality improvement, innovation, and accountability.

Through these responsibilities, the Project Manager directly contributes to improving outcomes for Florida’s children, families, and communities by ensuring every project is delivered efficiently, transparently, and in alignment with the Department’s mission.

Why Join Us:

• Opportunity to lead enterprise initiatives that directly enhance Florida’s human-services systems.
• Work in a collaborative environment alongside executive leadership and multidisciplinary teams.
• Access to professional development and statewide PM communities of practice.
• Competitive salary and comprehensive State of Florida benefits package, including health insurance, retirement, and paid leave.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience leading enterprise-level or cross-functional projects that met defined objectives for scope, schedule, and budget.
• Proven experience applying PMBOK®-aligned project management principles in a government, nonprofit, or large organizational context.
• Active Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification in good standing with the Project Management Institute (PMI).
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain productive stakeholder relationships, including executive leadership, program directors, IT teams, vendors, and external partners.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with experience in executive reporting and stakeholder communication.
• Leadership experience demonstrating team coordination, conflict resolution, and consensus building.
• Proficiency in project management tools such as Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Power BI, SharePoint, and Office 365.
• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Business, Management, or a related field.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Comprehensive knowledge of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®) and related PMI standards, including integration of Agile, hybrid, and traditional approaches.
• Knowledge of organizational change management principles and strategies for effective implementation.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret project data, identify performance trends, and support data-informed decisions.
• Ability to translate strategic objectives into actionable project roadmaps.

• Proficiency in facilitation, negotiation, and problem resolution, ensuring alignment across diverse teams.
• Skill in developing and presenting complex information clearly for executive audiences.
• Knowledge of portfolio and program management principles, connecting individual projects to enterprise outcomes.
• Familiarity with Lean and Six Sigma concepts for operational efficiency.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and deliver results in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to interpret and apply state and federal regulations, departmental policies, and procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to foster collaboration and trust across divisions and partners.
• Commitment to innovation, quality, and public service excellence, reflecting the values of the Office of Quality and Innovation.

Candidate Profile (application) must be completed in its entirety.

• Include supervisor names and phone numbers for all periods of employment.
• Account for and explain any gaps in employment so that the hiring process is not delayed.
• Experience, education, training, knowledge, skills and/or abilities as well as responses to pre-qualifying questions must be verifiable to meet the minimum qualifications.
• It is unacceptable to use the statement “See Resume” in place of entering work history.
• If you experience problems applying online, please call the People First Service Center at (877) 562-7287.

Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:

• No state income tax for residents of Florida;
• Annual and Sick Leave benefits;
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal Holiday each year;
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental insurance options;
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions (For more information, please click www.myfrs.com);

• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Tuition waivers;
• And more!

For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com

Growth Opportunities:

With 12,000 employees across the state DCF promotes opportunities and training for all. Our jobs are among the most challenging, complex, and difficult in State government. They are also among the most rewarding. All employees are encouraged to take advantage of available Department opportunities for advancement and professional development.

Where you will work:

Florida is the only state that borders both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. In other words, no matter where you land in Florida, you’re never more than 60 miles from a body of saltwater. And if the beach isn’t your scene, there are 175 state parks to explore! Meanwhile, Floridians hail from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, and walks of life, making it an incredibly diverse melting pot that many residents and visitors to Florida love. The Sunshine State is a great place to live and work – Come join our team!

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE. Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply. Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements. Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code. Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.