Sr. Program Manager, AI Initiatives
Central Health
Austin, TX · Posted September 24, 2026
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About the job
Overview
This is a hybrid position. Individuals in this position may work both at an approved off-site location and onsite at a primary location or multiple locations based on business needs.
The Sr. Program Manager, AI Initiatives helps shape how the Central Health System responsibly governs, operationalizes, and scales AI-enabled solutions that are connected to meaningful health and care system use cases and aligned with the System’s mission, vision, and values. Working with the AI dyad leadership team, this highly visible senior individual contributor translates AI strategy into scalable program structures, disciplined portfolio management, governance routines, and measurable outcomes that support responsible innovation, operational improvement, and better service to patients, members, and communities. This role requires a senior program leader who can operate as both an architect and a program leader. The individual will help build the governance, infrastructure, tools, reporting, and operating model for an emerging AI program while also leading the projects and stakeholder relationships that move AI use cases from idea to responsible implementation. This role is well suited for someone energized by building in an evolving space, bringing creativity, ownership, and a change-agent mindset to how responsible AI is embedded across real health and care system workflows and priorities. The successful candidate will bring strong program and project management expertise, health and care system operations experience, process design discipline, Lean thinking, stakeholder engagement, vendor coordination, and change management capabilities. The role also requires practical AI literacy sufficient to coordinate, document, and communicate AI initiatives effectively, with the expectation that this expertise will deepen as the program matures. Over time, the role may help shape future team structure and provide guidance to project management resources or direct reports supporting the AI portfolio.
Responsibilities
Build and mature the AI program operating model, including governance pathways, workflows, tools, standards, documentation practices, and reporting structures that enable responsible, scalable AI adoption tied to meaningful health and care system use cases across the Central Health System.
Serve as a central connector within the AI dyad leadership model, aligning priorities, communications, decision support, escalations, and execution across leaders, project teams, and cross-functional stakeholders.
Drive disciplined AI governance and program routines by facilitating meetings, preparing decision-ready materials, documenting outcomes, tracking action items, and ensuring timely follow-through across governance, portfolio, implementation, and operational workstreams.
Manage the AI portfolio lifecycle from intake through prioritization, sequencing, implementation tracking, risk management, benefits realization, and executive reporting to ensure initiatives remain mission-aligned, valuefocused,and connected to clear health and care system impact.
Lead assigned AI initiatives from concept through adoption, applying strong program and project management practices to deliver clear scope, stakeholder alignment, implementation readiness, measurable outcomes, andsustained change across care delivery, health plan operations, clinical and administrative workflows, member experience, or system support functions.
Translate responsible AI principles into practical operating practices that support privacy, security, compliance, bias mitigation, intellectual property protection, approved tool use, architecture alignment, implementation readiness, and responsible adoption.
Develop clear, executive-ready program and governance materials, including project charters, status reports, policy briefs, vendor summaries, board materials, and decision records that support transparency, alignment, and accountability.
Engage and align stakeholders across the Central Health System, including business, clinical, operational, technical, legal, compliance, health plan, and external partner groups, to build trust, shared ownership, and effective implementation of AI-enabled solutions.
Coordinate vendor and external partner engagement by supporting demonstrations, evaluation materials, performance tracking, communications, and follow-up with delegated external partners, vendors, and peer organizations.
Champion AI adoption and change enablement by helping teams understand, prepare for, and confidently adopt emerging AI capabilities in ways that strengthen mission delivery, responsible use, meaningful health and care system application, and long-term organizational capability.
Qualifications
Education:
Bachelor's Degree (higher degree accepted) Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, Information Systems, Public Health, or related field. - Required
Master's Degree (higher degree accepted) MBA, MHA, MPH, MS in a related field. - Preferred
Experience:
6 years Seasoned program or project management experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives in matrixed health and care system, technology, or similarly regulated environments, including the ability to communicate clearly, build trusted stakeholder relationships, influence across teams, and drive followthrough. - Required
4 years Experience supporting technology, digital, AI-enabled, or transformation initiatives, including stakeholder readiness, adoption, and change management. - Required
2 years Experience working across health and care system settings, such as health systems, FQHCs/clinics, health plan operations, public healthcare, government-run health systems, or healthcare IT/digital health environments. - Required
3 years Experience building program infrastructure, such as intake processes, tracking systems, documentation standards, governance routines, reporting structures, or PMO frameworks in a greenfield or early-stage environment. - Required
Foundational AI literacy, including familiarity with AI concepts, use case categories, AI lifecycle considerations, responsible AI principles, AI governance frameworks, or regulated-environment risk domains. - Preferred
Experience with ServiceNow or comparable enterprise portfolio/project management platforms. - Preferred
Licenses/Certifications:
Project Management Professional (PMP) — issued by PMI - Required (Upon Hire)
Agile / Scrum Agile, Scrum, or SAFe certification - Preferred
AI Certification AI foundational/Project Management, AI Governance, Responsible AI from a reputable organization - Preferred (Within 1 Year)
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or above - Preferred