Director of HIF Projects

Conner Strong & Buckelew•Camden, NJ

1d•$100,000 - $130,000

About The Position

The Director of HIF Projects is a key member of the Public Entity and HIF leadership team, responsible for planning, coordinating, and delivering strategic and operational initiatives across the Health Insurance Fund (HIF) and public entity book of business. The position serves as the central point of accountability for HIF-related projects as directed by the HIF Executive Officer, Executive Director, and Senior Director of HIF Operations. It also supports the Executive Director team with Commission meeting materials, the budget and rate renewal process, and HIF Accounting, while working with internal partners to support process improvement and deliver value to member entities and their employees. The role owns the HIF project portfolio and establishes project management practices, governance, and reporting. It leads or supports initiatives involving analytics, vendor and carrier relationships, renewals, RFPs, cost containment, communications, and operational improvement. Projects must comply with applicable regulatory requirements, Fund bylaws, and public entity procurement rules. The position works in an office environment with a moderate noise level, may require flexible hours including evenings, and may require travel to Conner Strong & Buckelew and PERMA offices and client work sites. Salary ranges from $100,000 to $130,000, with possible performance-based incentives.

Requirements

Minimum 8 years of experience in employee benefits, health insurance, self-funded plans, or public entity risk pooling, including at least 5 years leading complex, cross-functional projects.
Demonstrated experience managing implementations, renewals, RFPs, and vendor or carrier relationships.
Strong working knowledge of self-funded and fully insured health plans, ASO arrangements, stop loss, pharmacy benefits, and claims reporting.
Strong analytical skills and ability to interpret claims, financial, and utilization data to inform decisions.
Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects with competing deadlines and lead teams through change.
Excellent interpersonal, written, verbal, and presentation skills, including experience presenting to boards or governing bodies.
Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and Planner or Project.
Project Management Professional (PMP), Lean Six Sigma, or similar certification.
Experience with data warehouse, business intelligence, or analytics platforms such as Power BI, and AI-enabled tools.
Authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without Company sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Health Administration, Finance, Risk Management, or a related field.
Life and Health License.
Knowledge of public entity business, including experience with New Jersey or Pennsylvania public entity health insurance funds, joint insurance funds, or municipal benefit programs.

Responsibilities

Own the HIF project portfolio, including intake, prioritization, scoping, resourcing, and status reporting for strategic and operational initiatives.
Develop and maintain project plans with timelines, milestones, dependencies, risks, and accountable owners; establish project management frameworks, templates, and governance cadence for the HIF practice.
Provide regular updates to HIF Executive Leadership, escalate risks, and recommend solutions when problems are identified.
Develop a HIF training program for new hires.
Lead projects that enhance data warehouse capabilities, reporting automation, and the use of analytics and AI tools.
Support preparation of Program Manager reports, renewal analyses, and claims experience summaries for commissioners and member entities.
Manage projects involving carrier partners, pharmacy benefit managers, third-party administrators, and benefits administration partners, including performance guarantees, service level agreements, ASO contract terms, and invoice review processes.
Lead or support RFP processes and cost-containment initiatives, including reference-based pricing, improved prescription drug contracts, and out-of-network reimbursement fee schedules.
Monitor the marketplace for emerging vendors, products, and trends.
Support initiatives to consolidate and streamline smaller Funds where strategically appropriate.
Contribute content to HIF newsletters and strategic communications.
Ensure projects comply with applicable regulatory requirements, Fund bylaws, and public entity procurement rules.
Provide support to the Executive Director team, including preparing Commission meeting materials and assisting with the budget and rate renewal process; serve as a resource for HIF Accounting.
Perform other tasks, duties, and functions as assigned.