Associate Program Director

Code for America believes government can work for the people, by the people, in the new digital age, and that government at all levels can and should work well for all people. For more than a decade, we’ve worked to show that with the mindful use of technology, we can break down barriers, meet community needs, and find real solutions.

Our employees build and transform government and community tools and services, making them so good they inspire change. We merge the best parts of technology, nonprofit, and government to help support the people who need it most.

With a focus on transparency and fairness, and deep empathy for partners in government and community organizations and the people that our partners serve, we’re building a movement of motivated change agents driven by meaningful results and lasting impact.

At Code for America, you contribute to exciting work while learning and developing in a supportive and flexible environment. Our compensation and benefits are holistic and thoughtfully curated to represent our employees and our mission. Help us drive real generational change that lasts.

Code for America is looking for a talented Associate Program Director (APD) who will serve as the primary delivery lead for individual projects within Code for America’s portfolio. APDs are accountable for ensuring projects are delivered with discipline, clarity, and impact — applying Code for America’s delivery standards while operating within a broader program and portfolio structure.

In this role, you’ll translate program strategy into execution, steward partner relationships, and ensure that cross-disciplinary teams are aligned and supported to deliver outcomes. You’ll also be expected to escalate delivery and partnership risks early — Program Directors are the first line of escalation and you’ll partner closely with Program Directors to diagnose issues, frame options, and resolve challenges, before they escalate further.

About the role:

The Associate Program Director plays a crucial role in supporting the success of Code for America's programs. The Associate Program Director will collaborate with Code for America’s cross-functional program, product, research, design, and engineering teams to execute bold strategies for Code for America’s digital service delivery that provide greater leverage for systems change. The Associate Program Director will also cultivate and grow strategically aligned relationships with external partners, government agencies, and direct service organizations. The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker who is able to manage details with a consistent bias towards action and impact, and should be comfortable independently setting ambitious goals and working towards deadlines.

The Associate Program Director should be skilled at cultivating government partnerships, managing multiple deadlines and stakeholders, and facilitating alignment with cross-functional technology teams and other stakeholders. The Associate Program Director should also have a strong understanding of federal and state-administered safety net programs, along with an understanding of the on-the-ground realities of accessing benefits such as SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, WIC, EITC, or CTC. The ideal candidate will have some technical experience with digital services and a demonstrated interest in using technology to improve people's lives.

This role will report to the Director of Programs and is expected to travel no more than 25% of the time.

Code for America is based in California and can employ those who reside full-time within the United States. This is a remote position. We are currently hiring for multiple headcount with focus areas on Medicaid, SNAP, and Safety Net. We are looking for candidates with direct experience in these areas.

In this position you will:

• Project Leadership:

• Serve as the primary project lead for assigned projects, accountable for successful delivery across scope, timeline, budget, and outcomes.
• Shape and steward project-level strategy in partnership with the Program Director and other cross-functional leads, translating program priorities into clear delivery plans and success measures.
• Own project planning from kickoff through close-out, ensuring roles, decision rights, and expectations are clear for internal teams and external partners.
• Lead cross-disciplinary teams through ambiguity by setting direction, facilitating decision-making, and maintaining momentum toward outcomes.
• Make informed delivery tradeoffs when constraints arise (e.g., scope, timeline, staffing), clearly articulating options, risks, and recommendations.
• Monitor progress against goals and adjust plans as needed in response to delivery realities, partner needs, or shifting constraints.
• Ensure project work remains aligned with Code for America’s values, user-centered principles, and impact goals throughout execution.
• Elevate insights from project delivery — including risks, opportunities, and learnings — to inform Program Director decision-making and portfolio-level understanding.

• Delivery Accountability & Standards:

• Lead the end-to-end project management lifecycle for key initiatives, driving scope definition, strategic planning, cross-functional execution, and reporting
• Translate program goals into clear scopes, milestones, and realistic workplans across disciplines
• Coordinate project timelines, dependencies, and task execution with cross-functional teams
• Support smooth cross-functional collaboration (e.g., between Programs, Product, Design, Engineering, Research)
• Proactively surface delivery risks early and work with the Program Director to resolve issues before they escalate.
• Surface project-level staffing and resource needs, including skill gaps, capacity risks, or upcoming transitions that could impact delivery
• Use tools and norms (e.g., trackers, templates, standups) that improve teamwide delivery practices
• Ensure delivery decisions are grounded in feasibility, capacity, and partner context.
• Ensure what we deliver is on time, on budget, and aligned with our values and impact goals
• Apply Code for America’s program delivery standards through a strong project management framework across projects, including:

• Facilitating clear project kickoffs and a shared understanding of goals and roles
• Ongoing risk and opportunity management
• Demonstrating consistent partner communication and accountability
• Upholding clear documentation and knowledge sharing
• Facilitating retrospectives and continuous improvement practices

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