Program Design & Development Consultant

Duration: 12+ Months
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Program Design & Development Consultant to support healthcare transformation initiatives, public health programs, and human services modernization efforts. This consultant will serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership by designing innovative healthcare programs, improving operational performance, ensuring regulatory compliance, and developing long-term strategies that improve health outcomes.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience working with state Medicaid agencies, healthcare organizations, public health entities, or consulting firms supporting government healthcare initiatives. This individual will lead cross-functional engagements involving policy development, operational assessments, program implementation, performance improvement, quality assurance, and stakeholder collaboration.

This role requires a strategic thinker who can bridge healthcare operations, regulatory requirements, clinical programs, data analytics, and organizational change while working with executive leadership and multiple stakeholders.

Position Summary

The Program Design & Development Consultant will provide expert consulting services supporting healthcare transformation initiatives through strategic planning, program design, operational assessments, quality improvement, policy interpretation, and implementation of innovative healthcare solutions.

The consultant will evaluate current business operations, identify opportunities for improvement, recommend evidence-based solutions, facilitate stakeholder engagement, and oversee the successful implementation of complex healthcare initiatives.

Primary Responsibilities

Program Design & Development

• Design healthcare and human services programs from concept through implementation.
• Develop strategic program frameworks aligned with organizational goals.
• Create implementation roadmaps, governance structures, and operational models.
• Develop business cases supporting new healthcare initiatives.
• Recommend innovative service delivery models.
• Build sustainable operating models supporting long-term program success.
• Develop measurable performance metrics and success criteria.

Strategic Planning

• Facilitate executive strategic planning sessions.
• Conduct organizational readiness assessments.
• Develop multi-year healthcare transformation roadmaps.
• Evaluate organizational capabilities and identify operational gaps.
• Recommend process and performance improvements.
• Align healthcare initiatives with federal and state priorities.
• Support executive decision-making through research and analysis.

Healthcare Program Modernization

Support initiatives involving:

• Medicaid modernization
• Managed Care programs
• Public Health initiatives
• Behavioral Health
• Maternal & Child Health
• Public Assistance Programs
• Healthcare Quality initiatives
• Human Services transformation
• Workforce Development
• Program Integrity initiatives

Regulatory & Policy Consulting

• Interpret and apply federal and state healthcare regulations.
• Analyze Medicaid policy and public benefit program requirements.
• Support healthcare compliance and program governance.
• Develop policy recommendations.
• Create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Develop governance documentation.
• Create regulatory implementation plans and compliance frameworks.

Program Assessment

Develop recommendations supported by quantitative and qualitative analysis and lead evaluations including:

• Operational assessments
• Organizational assessments
• Financial assessments
• Performance reviews
• Compliance reviews
• Process improvement analyses
• Root cause investigations
• Risk assessments

Performance Improvement

Develop initiatives focused on:

• Healthcare quality improvement
• Operational efficiency
• Program effectiveness
• Cost optimization
• Resource utilization
• Client experience
• Workforce effectiveness
• Continuous improvement methodologies

Stakeholder Engagement

Partner with:

• Executive Leadership
• Agency Directors
• Clinical Leadership
• Healthcare Providers
• Community Organizations
• Advisory Committees
• Federal Agencies
• State Agencies
• Public Health Officials

Lead:

• Executive presentations
• Strategic workshops
• Steering Committees
• Public meetings
• Advisory Boards
• Requirements gathering sessions

Training & Knowledge Transfer

Develop:

• Operational documentation
• Training materials
• Knowledge transfer plans
• Organizational change strategies
• User guides
• Executive briefings

Provide coaching and education to leadership and operational staff.

Required Technical Skills

Candidates should demonstrate experience with:

• Healthcare Program Design
• Strategic Planning
• Organizational Development
• Healthcare Operations
• Business Process Improvement
• Lean Process Improvement
• Quality Assurance
• Performance Measurement
• Program Governance
• Healthcare Analytics
• Root Cause Analysis
• Risk Management
• Business Case Development
• Executive Reporting
• Project Portfolio Management
• Change Management
• Stakeholder Management

Healthcare Domain Expertise

Strong experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Medicaid Programs
• Managed Care
• Medicare
• Public Health
• Human Services
• Behavioral Health
• Maternal & Child Health
• Healthcare Policy
• Program Integrity
• Healthcare Quality
• Population Health
• Healthcare Finance
• Public Assistance Programs
• Community Health

Mandatory Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration, Public Health, Business Administration, Public Policy, Nursing, Social Work, Health Informatics, or a related discipline.
• 10+ years of healthcare consulting or public-sector healthcare experience.
• Experience supporting state or federal healthcare agencies.
• Demonstrated success leading healthcare transformation initiatives.
• Experience designing and implementing complex healthcare programs.
• Strong understanding of healthcare regulations and policy.
• Experience facilitating executive-level meetings and presentations.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent consulting engagements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree such as MPH, MHA, MBA, or MPA.
• PMP Certification.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt.
• Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ).
• Certified Change Management Professional.
• Medicaid consulting experience.
• Healthcare strategy consulting experience.
• Experience supporting Health and Human Services organizations.

Soft Skills

The ideal consultant will possess:

• Executive presence
• Exceptional communication skills
• Strategic thinking
• Systems thinking
• Political awareness
• Relationship building
• Facilitation expertise
• Conflict resolution
• Consensus building
• Analytical problem solving
• Critical thinking
• Adaptability
• Professional writing
• Public speaking

Preferred Experience

Candidates with experience supporting the following types of organizations are highly desirable:

• State Medicaid Agencies
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
• Health and Human Services Agencies
• Public Health Departments
• Managed Care Organizations
• Healthcare Consulting Firms
• Integrated Delivery Networks
• Academic Medical Centers
• Government Healthcare Programs
• Population Health Organizations