We offer remote work opportunities (AK, AR, AZ, CO, FL, HI, IA, ID, IL, KS, LA, MD, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, NC, ND, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA/DC, WA, WI & WY only).

Our Department of Defense contract requires US citizenship and a favorably adjudicated DOD background investigation for this position.

Veterans, Reservists, Guardsmen and military family members are encouraged to apply!

Job Summary

The Manager, AI Programs & Governance serves as the primary bridge between business operations and technical engineering, leading the intake, prioritization, and ROI validation of all AI initiatives across TriWest Healthcare Alliance. Reporting to the Director of AI and Automation, this role operates with significant latitude for independent judgment and is accountable for managing the full AI initiative lifecycle - from initial intake and governance approval through post-deployment value realization. The scope spans the enterprise, requiring coordination across clinical operations, finance, legal, security, and technical engineering teams in a regulated healthcare and federal contracting environment where decisions carry material risk and compliance implications.

The complexity of this role stems from the need to simultaneously manage a dynamic portfolio of high-visibility AI initiatives, enforce governance standards aligned with NIST AI Risk Management Frameworks and HIPAA requirements, and translate probabilistic AI capabilities into defensible business cases for non-technical executive stakeholders. The Manager owns the AI Governance Committee and is responsible for ensuring that all initiatives meet TriWest's acceptable use policies, risk thresholds, and federal compliance obligations before and after deployment. This position directly manages the Sr. Process & AI Business Analyst and provides indirect leadership to consulting staff executing on current AI requests for proposals, with the expectation that the team will expand as the AI portfolio grows.

Education & Experience

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Business Administration, or related field, or equivalent work experience.
• U.S. Citizen.
• Must be able to receive a favorable interim and adjudicated final Department of Defense (DoD) background investigation.
• 8 or more years of experience in Program Management or Product Management, with at least 3 years specifically within a Data Science or AI/ML environment.
• 3 or more years of direct experience managing the AI/ML Development Lifecycle, including data preparation, model training and tuning, and deployment.
• Experience implementing AI Governance Frameworks such as NIST AI RMF or ISO 42001 within the healthcare industry.
• Proven track record managing AI risk and compliance related to HIPAA, PHI, and PII data privacy standards.
• Experience translating technical AI capabilities such as RAG or LLM architectures into actionable business value for non-technical healthcare stakeholders.
• Demonstrated success conducting process audits and establishing mitigation strategies for operational algorithms.
• Leadership experience managing cross-functional gate approval processes for complex, multi-stakeholder technology deployments.

Preferred:

• Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) or Technical Management.
• Certifications in AI Ethics, Data Privacy (CIPP), or Project Management (PMP/Agile).
• Experience working in large-scale or highly regulated environments such as healthcare, finance, or government.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the AI initiative intake pipeline, triaging requests against strategic value, technical feasibility, and organizational risk to ensure the enterprise solves the right problems with the right level of AI investment.
• Define and enforce acceptable use policies for AI and serve as lead for the AI Governance Committee, ensuring all initiatives align with NIST AI Risk Management Frameworks, HIPAA, and TriWest compliance standards.
• Partner with Finance and Operations to define baseline KPIs pre-deployment and validate actual hard and soft savings post-deployment, producing ROI validation reports for executive leadership.
• Act as product owner for the enterprise AI portfolio, translating business requirements into clear user stories and functional specifications for the technical engineering team.
• Lead human-in-the-loop training strategies and drive implementation strategy for pilot and full-scale AI deployments, ensuring operational teams are prepared to adopt new automated workflows.
• Manage the performance, development, and workload of direct and indirect reports, including the Sr. Process & AI Business Analyst and consulting staff assigned to current AI initiatives.

• Serve as primary liaison between business operations leadership and the Principal AI Solution Architect, ensuring technical solutions remain anchored to validated business needs.
• Monitor deployed AI solutions for ongoing compliance, performance drift, and value realization, escalating risks to the Director of AI and Automation as appropriate.
• Regular and reliable attendance is required.

Competencies

Communication / People Skills: Skilled at translating complex AI and data science concepts into clear, executive-ready business language. Able to engage credibly with clinical operations leaders, finance partners, legal and compliance teams, and technical engineers simultaneously, adapting communication style to each audience.

Computer Literacy: Ability to function in a multi-system Microsoft environment using Word, Outlook, TriWest Intranet, the Internet, and department software applications.

Coping / Flexibility: Operates effectively in a nascent, rapidly changing AI function where priorities, tools, and regulatory guidance shift frequently. Maintains composure and decisiveness under ambiguity, adjusting program plans without losing sight of governance obligations or delivery commitments.

Creativity / Innovation: Approaches enterprise AI governance not as a compliance exercise but as a value-creation function. Continuously evaluates emerging AI frameworks, tools, and industry practices to refine TriWest's AI intake and governance model as the field evolves.

Delegation Skills: Provides clear scope, priorities, and success criteria to direct reports and consulting staff. Establishes accountability structures that allow the team to operate with appropriate autonomy while maintaining governance oversight and program visibility.

High Intensity Environment: Performs effectively under the sustained pressure of managing high-visibility, enterprise-wide AI initiatives with significant compliance, financial, and operational consequences. Maintains accuracy and sound judgment when timelines are compressed and stakeholder expectations are high.

Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives in a matrixed organization, managing direct reports and consulting staff toward clear program outcomes. Provides direction, removes obstacles, and holds teams accountable to delivery timelines and governance standards in a high-visibility, high-stakes AI environment.

Multi-Tasking / Time Management: Prioritizes and sequences program activities across the intake pipeline, governance committee, deployment tracking, and team management responsibilities simultaneously, managing competing demands without compromising the quality of governance decisions.

Organizational Skills: Manages a dynamic portfolio of concurrent AI initiatives across multiple business units, each at different stages of the lifecycle. Maintains program documentation, governance records, and ROI tracking with the discipline required for federal audit readiness.

Problem Solving / Analysis: Ability to evaluate complex, ambiguous AI initiative requests against strategic value, technical feasibility, and organizational risk. Applies structured analytical frameworks to prioritize the portfolio, identify gaps in business cases, and recommend mitigation strategies for algorithmic risk.

Technical Skills: Strong understanding of Generative AI architectures including large language models and transformers, Retrieval-Augmented Generation, and the distinction between deterministic automation such as RPA and probabilistic AI. Sufficient technical fluency to evaluate solution proposals, assess risk, and engage credibly with engineering teams without requiring deep hands-on development experience.

Working Conditions

Working Conditions:

• Works within a standard office environment; remote work eligible per TriWest telecommuting policy with periodic office attendance as required.
• Extensive computer work with long periods of sitting.
• May work non-standard hours to support AI initiative deployments, governance committee meetings, or executive review cycles.
• Regular and reliable attendance is required.

Company Overview

Taking Care of Our Nation's Heroes.

It's Who We Are. It's What We Do.

Do you have a passion for serving those who served?

Join the TriWest Healthcare Alliance Team! We're On a Mission to Serve®!

Our job is to make sure that America's heroes get connected to health care in the community.

At TriWest Healthcare Alliance, we've proudly been on that important mission since 1996.

DoD Statement

Our Department of Defense contract requires US citizenship and a favorably adjudicated DOD background investigation for this position.

Benefits

We're more than just a health care company. We're passionate about serving others! We believe in rewarding loyal, hard-working people who are willing to learn as they grow. TriWest Healthcare Alliance values teamwork. Join our team, fulfill your responsibilities, and you may also be considered for frequent pay raises, overtime opportunities to earn even more, recognition and reward programs, and much more. Of course, we also offer a comprehensive and progressive compensation and benefits package that includes:

• Medical, Dental and Vision Coverage
• Paid time off
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan (with matching)
• Short-term and long-term disability, basic life, and accidental death and dismemberment insurance
• Tuition reimbursement
• Paid volunteer time

TriWest job postings typically include a salary range, which can vary based on the specific role and location, but generally this position ranges from around $155, 000 - $173, 000 per year.

Equal Employment Opportunity

TriWest Healthcare Alliance is an equal employment opportunity employer. We are proud to have an inclusive work environment and know that a diverse team is a strength that will drive our success. To that end, TriWest strives to create an inclusive environment that supports diversity at every organizational level, and we highly encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply. Applicants are considered for positions based on merit and without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state, or local laws.