Early Detection and Prevention Program Manager (Program Manager-I), Grade 23

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THIS IS AN INTERNAL "ONLY" JOB POSTING, AVAILABLE TO CURRENT MONTGOMERY COUNTY GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.

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This Position is ONLY Open to Montgomery County Government Employees:

1. Current Montgomery County Government employees;

2. Montgomery County employees who were affected by a reduction-in-force and currently have RIF priority rights;

3. Active Montgomery County local fire and rescue department volunteers with at least 50 points under the length of service award program (LOSAP); or

4. Active Project SEARCH Interns or former Montgomery County Government Customized Employment Public Interns, or Project SEARCH Interns within 24 months of completion of internship.

Please note: The salary range above represents this position’s earning potential. The anticipated hiring range for this position will be $78,929.00 to $118,072.00 based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience.  

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are seeking an analytical, resourceful, and mission-driven Program Manager I ,Grade 23, to manage and advance the Office of Consumer Protection’s Early Detection and Prevention Program. This position is responsible for identifying emerging consumer protection risks, developing practical prevention and compliance strategies, and helping OCP intervene before violations result in widespread consumer harm.

The ideal candidate has professional experience working in regulated programs or operational environments where laws, policies, procedures, and documentation requirements must be applied consistently. You should be able to independently analyze complex or incomplete information, recognize patterns and potential risks, evaluate possible responses, and develop well-supported recommendations for management.

We are particularly interested in candidates who have demonstrated the ability to develop a program, process, or compliance initiative when no established approach existed or when one needed improvement. This includes creating procedures, tracking methods, performance measures, reports, and other tools that convert program requirements into measurable actions and outcomes.

The successful candidate will be comfortable coordinating with government agencies, regulated businesses, community organizations, members of the public, and internal staff. You must be able to explain regulatory or program requirements clearly, prepare professional reports and presentations, and move an issue from initial research and analysis through recommendation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.

Key qualities we are seeking include:

• Program Development and Management: Experience in independently planning, implementing, coordinating, and evaluating programs, compliance initiatives, or significant operational projects.

• Regulatory and Compliance Experience: The ability to interpret and apply laws, regulations, policies, and procedural requirements in a regulated government, compliance, licensing, enforcement, public-safety, or comparable environment.

• Analytical Judgment: Experience in analyzing considerable and sometimes incomplete information, identifying trends or risk indicators, evaluating alternatives, and developing practical recommendations for management.

• Process Development and Improvement: A demonstrated ability to create or improve procedures, workflows, tracking systems, compliance controls, and performance measures to address program needs.

• Emerging-Issue Response: The ability to research unfamiliar or developing issues, determine their potential program impact, and design an organized response when existing practices do not fully address the situation.

• Data and Management Reporting: Experience collecting, organizing, and analyzing program information and presenting findings through written reports, data summaries, visualizations, briefings, or recommendations.

• Stakeholder Coordination: Skill in working cooperatively with internal staff, other government agencies, community partners, regulated entities, and members of the public to advance shared program objectives and resolve operational issues.

• Communication and Training: Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex requirements, prepare professional correspondence and reports, deliver presentations or training, and support public education activities.

• Independent Judgment and Accountability: The ability to manage assignments with limited direction, maintain accurate records, address routine issues independently, recognize matters requiring escalation, and keep management informed of program accomplishments, risks, and sensitive concerns.

• Commitment to Public Service: A demonstrated commitment to protecting the public, promoting regulatory fairness, improving government programs, and preventing harm through early identification, education, compliance, and coordinated intervention.

As the Early Detection and Prevention Program Manager (Program Manager-I, Grade 23), you will independently plan, implement, manage, and evaluate initiatives to identify emerging consumer protection risks and address potential violations before they cause widespread consumer harm. In this role, you will oversee proactive compliance efforts involving regulated businesses, licensing and registration requirements, the development of marketplace practices, and trends identified through complaints, community reports, regulatory information, and program data. Your work will guide issues from initial identification and research through program design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.

You will regularly analyze substantial, sometimes incomplete, information, assess alternative approaches, and present findings and recommended actions to management. Depending on the situation, recommendations may involve business education, compliance monitoring, corrective action, public outreach, interagency coordination, referral for investigation, or other appropriate interventions.

Key responsibilities include:

• Planning, managing, and evaluating the Early Detection and Prevention Program, including establishing objectives, priorities, procedures, timelines, performance measures, and reporting methods.

• Leading proactive compliance initiatives involving new-home builders and sellers, home-improvement contractors, cryptocurrency kiosks, immigration-service providers, and other regulated or emerging business activities.

• Reviewing registrations, licenses, permits, complaints, business records, community reports, and other information to identify potential violations, emerging risks, and patterns of consumer harm.

• Conducting and directing compliance reviews and program audits to determine whether businesses are meeting applicable legal, regulatory, registration, and documentation requirements.

• Researching emerging consumer protection concerns and determining whether new procedures, tracking systems, compliance controls, educational efforts, or investigative referrals are needed.

• Evaluating complex, conflicting, or incomplete information, determining available courses of action, and preparing recommendations for management.

• Developing and implementing processes to track identified businesses, potential violations, corrective actions, referrals, program outcomes, and other measures of program effectiveness.

• Using data-analysis and reporting tools (such as Power BI and Excel) to identify trends, measure results, and communicate program findings.

• Preparing analytical reports, data summaries, presentations, briefing materials, and recommendations for management and other decision-makers.

• Drafting compliance correspondence, notices, conditional registration terms, program guidance, procedures, and other documents necessary to implement program decisions.

• Communicating with regulated businesses to explain requirements, identify needed corrective actions, promote voluntary compliance, and document outcomes.

• Collaborating with investigators and other staff to determine when concerns require further research, compliance action, investigation, enforcement, or public education.

• Establishing and maintaining working relationships with County departments, State and federal agencies, community organizations, volunteers, regulated industries, and other partners.

• Coordinating multi-agency or stakeholder initiatives to collect information, assess compliance, address emerging risks, and develop consistent responses to consumer protection concerns.

• Supporting community forums, educational presentations, business outreach, and other public-facing activities related to identified consumer risks and regulatory requirements.

• Monitoring program performance to determine whether prevention and compliance strategies are achieving measurable results and recommending adjustments when needed.

• Advising management of program accomplishments, challenges, significant compliance concerns, sensitive matters, and issues with broader operational, policy, or community implications.

• Performing related program management duties and special projects in support of OCP’s consumer protection mission.

PLEASE NOTE: Interviews for this position will be conducted in person, and candidates selected to participate will be required to complete a whiteboard activity as part of the interview process.

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's Degree. 

Experience: Three (3) years of professional experience in a program or specialization area related to compliance, regulatory programs, consumer protection, or similar program management work involving early detection, prevention, education, or data-informed program support.

Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Individuals appointed to a position in this class will be required to serve a probationary period of six (6) months, during which time performance will be carefully evaluated. Continuation in this class will be contingent upon successful completion of the probationary period.

Medical Protocol: This position requires completion of a pre-employment Medical History Form to assess your ability to safely perform the essential duties of the role.

Financial Disclosure Statement: This position is designated as one that requires filing a Financial Disclosure Statement and you will be required to disclose information about your financial affairs.

License: Possession and maintenance at all times of a valid Class "C" (or equivalent) driver’s license from the applicant's state of residence when required for job-related duties.

All Applicants will be reviewed by the Office of Human Resources (OHR) for minimum qualifications.  Those applicants who meet minimum qualifications will be rated “Qualified,” placed on the Referred List, and may be considered for an interview.   Preference for interviews will be given to applicants with experience in the following: