Elections Project Manager and Consultant

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Position Overview

KēSTA I.T. is seeking an experienced Elections Project Manager and Consultant to oversee development of a statewide elections management system.

In this role you will oversee all development activities for the Statewide Elections Management System (SEMS), coordinate and manage the third-party development vendor, and monitor progress to confirm that enhancements and deliverables meet agency requirements and operational needs. You will also act as a primary liaison between the agency, county election officials, and the vendor, documenting, tracking, and escalating system issues and enhancement requests until they are resolved.

The role also includes consulting with and supporting county election officials on SEMS functionality, usage, and troubleshooting, and helping develop and deliver county training using agency-approved guidance and materials. Where questions touch on election policy, procedure, or legal interpretation, you will refer them to authorized agency personnel or other official sources and relay the guidance received.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee all development activities for the Statewide Elections Management System (SEMS)
• Coordinate and manage the third-party development vendor
• Monitor project progress and confirm that development activities, enhancements, and deliverables align with agency requirements and operational needs
• Serve as a primary liaison between the agency, county election officials, and the development vendor
• Document, communicate, track, and escalate system issues and enhancement requests submitted by the agency or counties
• Coordinate with the vendor to drive timely and effective resolution of issues and requests
• Provide consultation and assistance to county election officials on SEMS functionality, utilization, troubleshooting, and related inquiries
• Help develop, coordinate, and deliver training to counties on SEMS operations, system features, and other applicable election procedures and processes, using agency-approved guidance and materials
• Refer election policy, procedural, or legal questions to authorized agency personnel or other official sources and communicate the guidance received, without providing interpretations or advice independently
• Maintain detailed time sheets for accurate record keeping and auditing

Required Qualifications

• 10 or more years of relevant experience
• Bachelor's degree or higher
• Relevant experience in software application project management, third-party vendor coordination, and technical issue resolution
• Strong organizational, analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate software development activities and to document and track technical issues through resolution
• Ability to communicate effectively with technical and nontechnical stakeholders
• Familiarity with Mississippi election administration and Mississippi county election processes and procedures
• Familiarity with the Statewide Elections Management System (SEMS)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with election management systems, governmental information systems, or comparable enterprise applications
• Experience providing system consultation, user support, and training to government personnel or other end users
• Familiarity with application security best practices, including secure software development, vulnerability management, access controls, data protection, and identification and remediation of security risks
• Experience with software development lifecycle (SDLC) methodologies, quality assurance, user acceptance testing (UAT), database management, systems integration, and software change and release management
• Experience with SEMS or comparable election management applications
• Familiarity with county election operations and applicable election procedures
• Prior experience coordinating technology projects involving state or local government agencies
• Experience managing third-party software vendors
• Experience providing technical consultation and training to governmental personnel

Available Benefits

• Medical Benefits (Platinum level plans available)
• Work from home / Hybrid / Onsite options
• PTO
• Holiday Pay
• VTO
• 401K
• Charitable Match
• Training reimbursement

About KēSTA I.T.

Our name says it all; KēSTA I.T. (Keys-to-I.T.) AND our people are our keys to our success!

KēSTA I.T. is a premier Utah-based technical staffing and consulting services firm. We specialize in temporary and permanent placement of Software, Hardware, Network, Cloud, CRM/ERP, Data, End-User support, Web and Executive / leadership-based positions on a full time and consulting basis.

If you're interested in a role where top performance is rewarded, personal time is valued, and excellence is demanded at every level we want to talk to you today!

Where do you want to go? We've got the keys! ~ KēSTA I.T.