Senior Project/Program Manager – Technical Debt – Remote – Bismarck, ND

Hello,

I hope this mail finds you well.

We are looking for a Senior Project/Program Manager – Technical Debt – Remote – Bismarck, ND

The position details are as follows. If you are interested in applying for this requirement, please do respond with your updated resume and the details requested below.     

Request you to make sure your updated Resume highlights all the below-mentioned required Skills & Experience.

Client : North Dakota Health and Human Services (NDHHS)

Position:  Senior Project/Program Manager – Technical Debt

Duration: Long Term

Location: – Bismarck, ND –Remote

Important Skills 

======  Legacy**
======  Mainframe.**
======  IBM Z-series**
======  DB2**
======  ADABAS**
======  COBOL**

About the Role

·         North Dakota Health and Human Services (NDHHS) is seeking a Technical Debt Project Manager (PM) to lead a critical initiative aimed at decommissioning twenty-seven (27) legacy applications that currently operate on unsupported technology and/or reside on the State of North Dakota’s Mainframe (IBM Z-Series) platform.

·         This role plays a pivotal part in sunsetting mainframe infrastructure, reducing long-term technical debt, and aligning IT operations with modern standards. The Technical Debt PM will be responsible for coordinating business and IT stakeholders, managing project schedules, aligning with vendors, ensuring compliance, and tracking all activities leading to the full removal of these legacy applications and related data.

Project Background:

NDHHS has received dedicated funding to:

·         Retire 27 legacy applications

·         Eliminate dependency on IBM Z-Series mainframe

·         Remove outdated technologies such as COBOL, DB2, and ADABAS

·         Transition to modern platforms and processes

·         Two major system replacements (Child Welfare and Child Support) are excluded from this project scope.

Key Responsibilities:

The HHS Technical Debt PM will:

·         Operational Execution & Daily Leadership

·         Oversee day-to-day project activities to maintain alignment with timelines, scope, and objectives.

·         Coordinate cross-functional teams, vendors, and temporary staff.

2. Subject Matter Expertise & Compliance

·         Provide in-depth knowledge of legacy systems, regulatory standards, and industry benchmarks.

·         Understand and interpret technical decisions and their long-term impact.

3. Proactive Risk & Issue Management

·         Identify, assess, and mitigate operational and technical risks before they escalate.

·         Resolve issues involving application decommissioning, data migration, and legacy process gaps.

4. Weekly Business Reporting

·         Deliver comprehensive weekly reports on:

·         Project status

·         Risks and issues

·         Key milestones

·         Deliverables and performance metrics

·         Ensure executive and business leadership visibility beyond internal IT PM oversight.

5. Resource and Budget Optimization

·         Manage personnel allocation, budget utilization, and project costs effectively.

·         Coordinate with vendors and contractors to ensure deliverables are within scope and on budget.

Deliverables:

The PM will be responsible for the following project artifacts and deliverables:

·         Project Kickoff Meeting

·         Project Charter

·         Detailed Project Schedule

·         Communication Plan

·         Quality Assurance Plan

·         Training and Support Plan

·         Implementation Plan

·         Post-Implementation Report

·         Closeout Meeting Documentation

·         Final Acceptance Form

·         Additional PM responsibilities as assigned by the NDHHS Project Sponsor

Required Experience & Qualifications:

·         Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business, or related field

·         5–10 years of project management experience in complex IT environments

·         3+ years leading mainframe modernization or decommissioning efforts

·         Proven success in managing legacy technology sunsetting (COBOL, DB2, ADABAS)

·         Experience in coordinating business and IT stakeholder engagement

·         Familiarity with public sector compliance and standards is a plus

·         PMP or equivalent certification preferred

Preferred Skills:

·         Experience working in state government or healthcare IT environments

·         Knowledge of data archiving, migration strategies, and application lifecycle management

·         Strong communication, leadership, and decision-making abilities

·         Proficiency with project management tools (MS Project, Smartsheet, Jira, etc.)

Please fill in the following details

·         Complete Name:

·         US Citizen (If not please specify your visa status):

·         Availability:

·         Current Location:

·         Willing to Relocate:

·         Phone:

·         E-Mail:

·         Pay Rate/hour on W2 with Benefits: ________________

·         Or

·         Pay Rate/hour on C2C: ________________

·         Years of experience as Senior Project/Program Manager – Technical Debt: ____________________

Can you please fill in all the information and years of experience below.

·         Years of years in Project Management – IT Projects____________

·         Years of years in Retirement of Mainframe Technologies (COBOL, DB2, ADABAS)____________

·         Years of years in Managing Technical Debt Projects____________

·         Years of years in Software Development & Systems Architecture____________

·         Years of years in IT Infrastructure & Troubleshooting____________

·         Years of years in Agile Methodology____________

·         Years of years in Scrum Framework____________

·         Years of years in Waterfall Methodology____________

·         Years of years in Cross-functional Team Leadership____________

·         Years of years in Risk Identification and Mitigation____________

·         Years of years in Vendor and Stakeholder Management____________

·         Years of years in Application Decommissioning / Legacy System Migration____________

·         Years of years in State Government Project Experience____________

·         Years of years in Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)____________

·         Years of years in GIAC Project Manager or Technical PM Certification____________

Mohammed Afzal Khan 

Sr Recruiter