Senior Engagement Manager

About the job

Agency

Dept of Health and Human Services

Division

HEALTH BENEFITS

Job Classification Title

Information & Communications Spec III (NS)

Position Number

60042766

Grade

NC16 About Us

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is one of the largest, most complex agencies in the state, and has approximately 17,000 employees. It is responsible for ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of all North Carolinians, providing human service needs for special populations including individuals who are deaf, blind, developmentally disabled, and mentally ill, and helping poor North Carolinians achieve economic independence.

Description of Work

The Senior Engagement Manager serves as a key leader within the Office of Communications and Engagement for NC Medicaid, providing strategic direction and oversight for engagement initiatives that support the implementation of approved waivers and other Medicaid program components.

This position designs and manages comprehensive communication strategies aligned with organizational priorities, ensuring consistent messaging across internal teams, vendor partners, and multiple communication channels. It evaluates message effectiveness and engagement outcomes to refine outreach approaches and strengthen program communication.

The Senior Engagement Manager also facilitates internal staff briefings and external meetings with beneficiaries and stakeholders to gather insights that inform communication planning. This position plays a critical part in advancing NC Medicaid’s mission by ensuring clear, effective, and timely engagement with diverse audiences.

Key Duties Include: – Lead strategic engagement initiatives supporting the implementation of Medicaid waivers and related program components.

– Design and manage communication strategies that align with NC Medicaid priorities and guide organization‑wide messaging.

– Coordinate messaging and engagement activities across internal teams and vendor partners to ensure consistency across communication channels.

– Oversee development and dissemination of communications through webinars, call‑center scripts, websites, social media, and other outreach platforms.

– Evaluate message effectiveness and engagement outcomes, using findings to refine communication plans and improve outreach strategies.

– Facilitate internal staff briefings to support awareness, alignment, and implementation of communication efforts.

– Lead external meetings with beneficiaries and stakeholders to gather input that informs communication planning and program engagement.

– Collaborate with program and clinical operations teams to ensure communications effectively support departmental goals and Medicaid initiatives.

– Support consistent, timely, and accurate messaging by maintaining coordination across communication workflows and partner groups.

– Advance NC Medicaid’s mission by ensuring audience‑appropriate, clear, and effective engagement across all communication efforts.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities/Management Preferences

Salary Grade Range: $57,983.00 - $101,470.00

Recruitment Range: $57,983.00 - $85,000.00

*Candidates now meet the minimum qualifications of a position if they meet the minimum education and experience listed on the vacancy announcement. *

The Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)/ Management Preferences are not required. Applicants who possess the following skills are preferred:

• Documented experience developing, implementing, and evaluating communication and engagement strategies across multiple communication channels, including websites, webinars, social media, email communications, and stakeholder outreach initiatives.

• Proficiency at the intermediate level using Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, and Word, to support project coordination, presentation development, document management, communication planning, and information tracking.

• Demonstrated experience planning, facilitating, and documenting stakeholder engagement activities involving internal and external partners, including meeting coordination, agenda development, follow-up communications, and issue resolution.

• Experience in communications, community engagement, or public relations within a healthcare, public health, or human services environment, including development of outreach materials, stakeholder messaging, and public-facing communications supporting organizational initiatives.

• Prior work experience within NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) or NC Medicaid supporting program operations, communications, stakeholder engagement, policy implementation, managed care initiatives, waiver programs, or long-term services and supports (LTSS) programs serving individuals with disabilities, including application of current NC Medicaid priorities, organizational structure, and operational processes.

The Posting Will Close At 11:59 P.M. The Night Before The End Date

This Position Is Funded In Part Through Federal Funds

This Position Is Eligible For A Hybrid Work Option

EHRA: Per G.S. 126-5(c1) (37), This Position Is EXEMPT From All Provisions Of NC General Statute Chapter 126 (State Human Resources Act) With The Exception Of Articles 6 And 7

About the NC Division of Health Benefits:

The Division of Health Benefits (DHB) within NCDHHS is committed to advancing innovative solutions that improve health, promote well-being and foster independence for all North Carolinians. DHB manages and oversees North Carolina Medicaid and other programs that provide access to services and supports for parents, children, seniors, people with intellectual / developmental disabilities, and behavioral health, substance use and traumatic brain injury disorders. With a budget over $27 billion in state and federal funds per fiscal year, DHB ensures that more than 108,000 enrolled providers are reimbursed for delivering covered services to 3.1 million beneficiaries.

All positions in the Division of Health Benefits are exempt from the State Human Resources Act (G.S. 126) except for the provisions of Articles 6 and 7 per HB 372 Section 20.

Compensation and Benefits:

The State of North Carolina offers excellent comprehensive benefits. Employees can participate in health insurance options, standard and supplemental retirement plans, and the NCFlex program (numerous high-quality, low-cost benefits on a pre-tax basis). Employees also receive paid vacation, sick, and community service leave. In addition, paid parental leave is available to eligible employees.

Visit the website for State Benefits.

Supplemental Contact Information:

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is an Equal Opportunity Employer that embraces an Employment First philosophy, which consists of complying with all federal laws, state laws, and Executive Orders.  We are committed to reviewing requests for reasonable accommodation at any time during the hiring process or while on the job.  For more information about DHHS:  https://www.ncdhhs.gov/.

DHHS uses the Merit-Based Recruitment and Selection Plan to fill positions subject to the State Human Resources Act with the most qualified individuals.  Hiring salary will be based on relevant qualifications, internal equity, and budgetary considerations pertinent to the advertised position.

In accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order 303, our agency supports second-chance employment for individuals who were previously incarcerated or justice-involved.  We invite all potential applicants to apply for positions for which they may be qualified.

Application Process

Be sure to complete the application in its entirety.   Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing this application.

• Information should be provided in the appropriate areas, to include the following: Education, including high school and all degrees obtained, Work Experience, and Certificates & Licenses. It is critical to our screening and salary determination process that applications contain comprehensive candidate information.
• Answers to Supplemental Questions are not a substitute for providing all relevant information within the body of your application. To receive credit for the supplemental questions, you must provide supporting information within the "Work Experience" section of the application to support your answers.
• If multiple applications are submitted to an individual posting, only the most recent application received prior to the closing date will be accepted. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM on the closing date.
• Applicants may be subject to a criminal background check. All candidates selected for positions considered "Positions of Trust" will be subject to a criminal background check.
• Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information regarding the status of your application over the phone. To check the status of your application, please log in to your account.  Upon the closing date, applications are "Under Review" and will be screened by Human Resources for qualified applicants. The hiring process may take several weeks.
• Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.  Transcripts and degree evaluations may be uploaded with your application. The State of North Carolina/Office of State Human Resources uses the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) as a referral resource for applicants who need to have their credentials certified as equivalent.
• For a list of organizations that perform this specialized service, please visit the NACES membership website at https://www.naces.org/members.

Degree/College Credit Verification

Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions. Transcripts, degree evaluations, and cover letters may be uploaded with your application.

Veterans’ and National Guard Preference

• Applicants seeking Veteran's Preference must attach a DD-214 Member-4 Form (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to their applications.
• Applicants seeking National Guard Preference must attach an NGB 23A (RPAS), along with the state application, if they are a current member of the NC National Guard in good standing.
• Applicants who are former members of either the NC Army National Guard or the NC Air National Guard, with honorable discharge and six years of creditable service, must attach a copy of the DD 256 or NGB 22, along with the state application.

ADA Accommodations

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), DHHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, DHHS will ensure that people with disabilities, or known limitations covered by the PWFA, are provided with reasonable accommodation.  If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the person indicated below.

*CONTACT INFORMATION *

If there are any questions about this posting, please contact Talent Acquisition at talentacquisition@dhhs.nc.gov. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing this application.

Minimum Education and Experience

Some state job postings say you can qualify by an “equivalent combination of education and experience.” If that language appears below, then you may qualify through EITHER years of education OR years of directly related experience, OR a combination of both. See the Education and Experience Equivalency Guide for details.

Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, public affairs, media, journalism, English, or related field from an appropriately accredited institution and four years of experience in communications, public relations, or publicity work

OR

An equivalent combination of education and experience.

EEO Statement

The State of North Carolina is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and dedicated to providing employees with a work environment free from all forms of unlawful employment discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. The state provides reasonable accommodation to employees and applicants with disabilities; known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; and for religious beliefs, observances, and practices.

Recruiter:

Tresha Walker Contact:

DHHS Workday Support Form ****