Program Specialist Jobs in Alaska
Program Specialist jobs in Alaska are concentrated in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau, where state agencies, federal contractors, and tribal organizations drive steady demand across government services, healthcare administration, and natural resource management. Major employers with lasting hiring footprints include the State of Alaska Department of Health, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, and Leidos, which supports federal contracts throughout the state. The most in-demand specialties are program coordination for behavioral health initiatives, workforce development, and federal grant compliance. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Welcome to the Department of Health!
This position is open to Alaskan Residents only.
What You Will Be Doing:
Are you a detail-oriented self-starter who is ready to be part of an energetic team making an impact on the lives of Alaskans? As the Medicaid Program Specialist 2, you will serve as the program specialist for the Emergent and Non-Emergent Transportation/Accommodation program. Apply now to be a pivotal member of a dynamic team who focuses on efficiency, effectiveness, and quality improvement.
Mission and Values/Culture:
Discover a rewarding career with the Division of Health Care Services, where our mission is to ensure every eligible Alaskan has access to the full spectrum of essential Medicaid services. Join us and be part of a team that embodies efficiency, integrity, collaboration, and enthusiasm to strive for a high quality of support to all Alaskans. Here, your daily contributions will make a tangible difference, ensuring that those in need receive the vital medical care and services they deserve. Embrace this opportunity to impact lives positively and join a team where your efforts truly matter.
Benefits of Joining Our Team:
In this position, you will enjoy paid holidays, paid leave, and comprehensive health, vision, and dental insurance. Our flexible schedules, including hybrid telework, empower you to leverage your professional talents in meaningful ways to have a positive impact on the lives of Alaskans. If you thrive on quality, take pride in your work, and excel under pressure, we’d love to have you on our team!
The Working Environment You Can Expect:
The selected candidate will work in a fast-paced, busy, and challenging environment that embraces collaboration through working closely with other program staff, contractors, and the community.
This position is located at 4601 Business Park Blvd., Building K, in midtown Anchorage with easy access to public transportation, nearby walking trails, and several restaurants and stores.
Who We Are Looking For:
The ideal candidate will possess some or all of the following position-specific competencies in addition to the minimum qualifications listed below:
- Attention to Detail: Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
- Decision Making: Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
- Quality Management: Knowledge of the principles, methods, and tools of quality assurance, quality control, and reliability used to ensure that a project, system, or product fulfills requirements and standards.
To view the general description and example of duties for this job class, please go to the following link and search for Medicaid Program Specialist 2: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/Alaska/classspecs.
Minimum Qualifications
Competency Description
The competency description(s) listed below have been designed to promote a common understanding of the essential elements of the job class. They highlight the more general and customary knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), tasks, and behaviors used to describe the competency. They typically list expectations instead of specific tasks and are to be used only as parameters and guidelines. A competency’s description is not intended to exclusively define every KSA, task, and behavior needed to meet the competency successfully, but rather to provide the manager/agency with a broad reference of options as to how an applicant can meet the job expectation.
Please ensure your application (through work history, training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports/demonstrates you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.
Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in
- Analytical Thinking/Problem Solving: Uses a logical, systematic, and sequential approach to address problems or opportunities or manage a situation by drawing on one’s knowledge and experience base and calling on other references and resources, as necessary.
- Oral Communication: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
- Written Communication: Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.
“Training” and “education” in this guidance are synonyms for the process of acquiring knowledge and skills through instruction. It includes instruction through formal and informal methods (such as classroom, online, self-study, and on-the-job), from accredited and unaccredited sources, and long-duration (such as a post-secondary degree) and short-duration (such as a seminar) programs.
“Typically gained by” means the prevalent, usual method of gaining the competencies expected for entry into the job.
Additional Required Information
- A list of three (3) professional references, one of which should be your most recent supervisor, including name, job title, employer, and current phone number(s).
- A copy of your last three (3) performance evaluations, or two (2) letters of reference if evaluations are unavailable
Please read the information below carefully. This applies to your application submission.
SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS
EDUCATION
To verify education is being used to meet and/or support the required minimum qualifications/competencies, you must fill in the Education section of the application If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials used to meet or support the minimum qualifications/competencies for a position and are required with each application (Unofficial is okay; please ensure the institution/URL name is listed on the transcripts) Transcripts can be attached at the time of application or provided at the time of interview; if not, transcripts will be required before employment.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION
If education is completed in a foreign college or university, it may be used to meet the above requirements, if applicable. If utilizing this education, you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs or an accredited U.S. state university reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the state university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. The omission of the required documentation listed will result in an incomplete application, and you will not receive further consideration.
WORK EXPERIENCE
When using work experience not documented in your application, please provide the employer's name, job title, employment dates, and whether you worked full-time or part-time Applications will be reviewed to determine if the responses are supported and if minimum qualifications are met Work experience needed to meet the minimum qualifications must be documented in the application If the application does not support minimum qualifications, the applicant may not advance to the interview and selection phase of the recruitment. A resume will not be used to determine that minimum qualifications have been met for the position you are applying for.
If you have currently or previously been appointed to a flexibly staffed position, please ensure your work experience within a flexibly staffed position indicates the actual dates employed at each level Ensure your time and any subsequent flex promotion(s) are documented as a separate position This is required as minimum qualifications require experience at a particular level in which the lower level may not be considered If this information is not accurately reflected in your application, this may cause the processing of your application for consideration to be delayed.
NOTE: Attaching a resume or curriculum vitae is not an alternative to filling out the application. Noting "see resume or CV" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination that your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.
The State of Alaska does not provide VISA Employer sponsorships.
MULTIPLE VACANCIES
This recruitment may be used for more than one (1) vacancy. The applicant pool acquired during this recruitment may be used for future vacancies for up to ninety (90) days after this recruitment closes. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply to each recruitment notice to ensure consideration for all vacancies.
APPLICATION NOTICE
You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or via a hard copy application. If you accessed this recruitment bulletin through a job search portal such as AlaskaJobs or another database, you MUST use a Workplace Alaska online or hard-copy application to apply successfully. Instructions on how to apply with Workplace Alaska may be found on the Workplace Alaska "How to Apply" webpage, found here: http://doa.alaska.gov/dop/workplace/help/
NOTICE
Questions regarding the application process can be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 800-587-0430 (toll-free) or (907) 465- 4095. If you choose to be contacted by email, please ensure that your email address is correct on your application and that your spam filter will permit emails from the 'governmentjobs.com' domain. For information on allowing emails from the 'governmentjobs.com' domain, visit the Lost Password Help page at https://www.governmentjobs.com/OnlineApplication/User/ResetPassword.
EEO STATEMENT
The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities who require accommodations, auxiliary aids, or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal-opportunity employer.
WORKPLACE ALASKA APPLICATION QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCE
Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll-free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to recruitment.services@alaska.gov
For assistance with applying for a password, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/OnlineApplication/User/ResetPassword
Contact Information
The following information describes typical benefits available to employees of the State of Alaska. Actual benefits received may differ by bargaining unit or branch of government, position type, or be prorated for other than full time work.
For a quick breakdown of the insurance, health, and retirement benefits available for State Employees you can view an orientation video from Division of Retirement and Benefits. (Please note this video is specifically designed for new State Employees.)
Insurance Benefits
- Health insurance, which includes employer contributions toward medical/vision/dental
- The following employee groups are under AlaskaCare Benefits administered by the State: See https://drb.alaska.gov/help/plans.html for additional information.
- AVTEC
- Confidential
- Correctional Officers
- Marine Engineers
- Mt. Edgecumbe Teachers
- Supervisory
- Unlicensed Vessel Personnel/Inland Boatman's Union
- Exempt employees (not covered by collective bargaining)
- The following employee groups are covered by Union health trusts. Contact the appropriate Union for additional information.
- General Government
- Labor, Trades and Crafts
- Public Safety Employees Association
- Masters, Mates & Pilots
- The following employee groups are under AlaskaCare Benefits administered by the State: See https://drb.alaska.gov/help/plans.html for additional information.
- Employer paid Basic Life insurance with additional coverage available (amount depends on Bargaining Unit)
- Group-based insurance premiums for
- Term life (employee, spouse or qualified same sex partner, and dependents)
- Long-term and short-term disability
- Accidental Death and Dismemberment
- Long-term care (self and eligible family members)
- Supplemental Survivor Benefits
- Employee-funded flexible spending accounts for tax savings on eligible health care or dependent care expenses
Retirement Benefits
- Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Teachers' Retirement System (TRS)
- Matching employer contribution into a defined contribution program (new employees)
- Employer contribution into a defined benefit or defined contribution program (current employees)
- Contributions to the Alaska Supplemental Annuity Plan in lieu of contributions to Social Security
- Option to enroll in the Alaska Deferred Compensation Program
- Note: The Defined Contribution Plan, Supplemental Annuity Plan and Deferred Compensation Program offer a variety of investment options
- Personal leave with an accrual rate increase based on time served
- Twelve (12) paid holidays a year
Welcome to the Department of Health!
This position is open to Alaskan Residents only.
What You Will Be Doing:
Are you a detail-oriented self-starter who is ready to be part of an energetic team making an impact on the lives of Alaskans? As the Medicaid Program Specialist 2, you will serve as the program specialist for the Emergent and Non-Emergent Transportation/Accommodation program. Apply now to be a pivotal member of a dynamic team who focuses on efficiency, effectiveness, and quality improvement.
Mission and Values/Culture:
Discover a rewarding career with the Division of Health Care Services, where our mission is to ensure every eligible Alaskan has access to the full spectrum of essential Medicaid services. Join us and be part of a team that embodies efficiency, integrity, collaboration, and enthusiasm to strive for a high quality of support to all Alaskans. Here, your daily contributions will make a tangible difference, ensuring that those in need receive the vital medical care and services they deserve. Embrace this opportunity to impact lives positively and join a team where your efforts truly matter.
Benefits of Joining Our Team:
In this position, you will enjoy paid holidays, paid leave, and comprehensive health, vision, and dental insurance. Our flexible schedules, including hybrid telework, empower you to leverage your professional talents in meaningful ways to have a positive impact on the lives of Alaskans. If you thrive on quality, take pride in your work, and excel under pressure, we’d love to have you on our team!
The Working Environment You Can Expect:
The selected candidate will work in a fast-paced, busy, and challenging environment that embraces collaboration through working closely with other program staff, contractors, and the community.
This position is located at 4601 Business Park Blvd., Building K, in midtown Anchorage with easy access to public transportation, nearby walking trails, and several restaurants and stores.
Who We Are Looking For:
The ideal candidate will possess some or all of the following position-specific competencies in addition to the minimum qualifications listed below:
- Attention to Detail: Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
- Decision Making: Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
- Quality Management: Knowledge of the principles, methods, and tools of quality assurance, quality control, and reliability used to ensure that a project, system, or product fulfills requirements and standards.
To view the general description and example of duties for this job class, please go to the following link and search for Medicaid Program Specialist 2: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/Alaska/classspecs.
Minimum Qualifications
Competency Description
The competency description(s) listed below have been designed to promote a common understanding of the essential elements of the job class. They highlight the more general and customary knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), tasks, and behaviors used to describe the competency. They typically list expectations instead of specific tasks and are to be used only as parameters and guidelines. A competency’s description is not intended to exclusively define every KSA, task, and behavior needed to meet the competency successfully, but rather to provide the manager/agency with a broad reference of options as to how an applicant can meet the job expectation.
Please ensure your application (through work history, training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports/demonstrates you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.
Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in
- Analytical Thinking/Problem Solving: Uses a logical, systematic, and sequential approach to address problems or opportunities or manage a situation by drawing on one’s knowledge and experience base and calling on other references and resources, as necessary.
- Oral Communication: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
- Written Communication: Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.
“Training” and “education” in this guidance are synonyms for the process of acquiring knowledge and skills through instruction. It includes instruction through formal and informal methods (such as classroom, online, self-study, and on-the-job), from accredited and unaccredited sources, and long-duration (such as a post-secondary degree) and short-duration (such as a seminar) programs.
“Typically gained by” means the prevalent, usual method of gaining the competencies expected for entry into the job.
Additional Required Information
- A list of three (3) professional references, one of which should be your most recent supervisor, including name, job title, employer, and current phone number(s).
- A copy of your last three (3) performance evaluations, or two (2) letters of reference if evaluations are unavailable
Please read the information below carefully. This applies to your application submission.
SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS
EDUCATION
To verify education is being used to meet and/or support the required minimum qualifications/competencies, you must fill in the Education section of the application If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials used to meet or support the minimum qualifications/competencies for a position and are required with each application (Unofficial is okay; please ensure the institution/URL name is listed on the transcripts) Transcripts can be attached at the time of application or provided at the time of interview; if not, transcripts will be required before employment.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION
If education is completed in a foreign college or university, it may be used to meet the above requirements, if applicable. If utilizing this education, you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs or an accredited U.S. state university reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the state university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. The omission of the required documentation listed will result in an incomplete application, and you will not receive further consideration.
WORK EXPERIENCE
When using work experience not documented in your application, please provide the employer's name, job title, employment dates, and whether you worked full-time or part-time Applications will be reviewed to determine if the responses are supported and if minimum qualifications are met Work experience needed to meet the minimum qualifications must be documented in the application If the application does not support minimum qualifications, the applicant may not advance to the interview and selection phase of the recruitment. A resume will not be used to determine that minimum qualifications have been met for the position you are applying for.
If you have currently or previously been appointed to a flexibly staffed position, please ensure your work experience within a flexibly staffed position indicates the actual dates employed at each level Ensure your time and any subsequent flex promotion(s) are documented as a separate position This is required as minimum qualifications require experience at a particular level in which the lower level may not be considered If this information is not accurately reflected in your application, this may cause the processing of your application for consideration to be delayed.
NOTE: Attaching a resume or curriculum vitae is not an alternative to filling out the application. Noting "see resume or CV" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination that your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.
The State of Alaska does not provide VISA Employer sponsorships.
MULTIPLE VACANCIES
This recruitment may be used for more than one (1) vacancy. The applicant pool acquired during this recruitment may be used for future vacancies for up to ninety (90) days after this recruitment closes. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply to each recruitment notice to ensure consideration for all vacancies.
APPLICATION NOTICE
You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or via a hard copy application. If you accessed this recruitment bulletin through a job search portal such as AlaskaJobs or another database, you MUST use a Workplace Alaska online or hard-copy application to apply successfully. Instructions on how to apply with Workplace Alaska may be found on the Workplace Alaska "How to Apply" webpage, found here: http://doa.alaska.gov/dop/workplace/help/
NOTICE
Questions regarding the application process can be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 800-587-0430 (toll-free) or (907) 465- 4095. If you choose to be contacted by email, please ensure that your email address is correct on your application and that your spam filter will permit emails from the 'governmentjobs.com' domain. For information on allowing emails from the 'governmentjobs.com' domain, visit the Lost Password Help page at https://www.governmentjobs.com/OnlineApplication/User/ResetPassword.
EEO STATEMENT
The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities who require accommodations, auxiliary aids, or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal-opportunity employer.
WORKPLACE ALASKA APPLICATION QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCE
Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll-free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to recruitment.services@alaska.gov
For assistance with applying for a password, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/OnlineApplication/User/ResetPassword
Contact Information
The following information describes typical benefits available to employees of the State of Alaska. Actual benefits received may differ by bargaining unit or branch of government, position type, or be prorated for other than full time work.
For a quick breakdown of the insurance, health, and retirement benefits available for State Employees you can view an orientation video from Division of Retirement and Benefits. (Please note this video is specifically designed for new State Employees.)
Insurance Benefits
- Health insurance, which includes employer contributions toward medical/vision/dental
- The following employee groups are under AlaskaCare Benefits administered by the State: See https://drb.alaska.gov/help/plans.html for additional information.
- AVTEC
- Confidential
- Correctional Officers
- Marine Engineers
- Mt. Edgecumbe Teachers
- Supervisory
- Unlicensed Vessel Personnel/Inland Boatman's Union
- Exempt employees (not covered by collective bargaining)
- The following employee groups are covered by Union health trusts. Contact the appropriate Union for additional information.
- General Government
- Labor, Trades and Crafts
- Public Safety Employees Association
- Masters, Mates & Pilots
- The following employee groups are under AlaskaCare Benefits administered by the State: See https://drb.alaska.gov/help/plans.html for additional information.
- Employer paid Basic Life insurance with additional coverage available (amount depends on Bargaining Unit)
- Group-based insurance premiums for
- Term life (employee, spouse or qualified same sex partner, and dependents)
- Long-term and short-term disability
- Accidental Death and Dismemberment
- Long-term care (self and eligible family members)
- Supplemental Survivor Benefits
- Employee-funded flexible spending accounts for tax savings on eligible health care or dependent care expenses
Retirement Benefits
- Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Teachers' Retirement System (TRS)
- Matching employer contribution into a defined contribution program (new employees)
- Employer contribution into a defined benefit or defined contribution program (current employees)
- Contributions to the Alaska Supplemental Annuity Plan in lieu of contributions to Social Security
- Option to enroll in the Alaska Deferred Compensation Program
- Note: The Defined Contribution Plan, Supplemental Annuity Plan and Deferred Compensation Program offer a variety of investment options
- Personal leave with an accrual rate increase based on time served
- Twelve (12) paid holidays a year
See All 9 Program Specialist Jobs in Alaska
Find roles in Alaska that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Program Specialist JobsProgram Specialist Jobs by City in Alaska
Where Alaska roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Program Specialist Job Market in Alaska
A snapshot from current Alaska openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
What Alaska Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in program specialist jobs across Alaska.
- Bachelor's degree in public administration, social services, or a related field required
- Experience managing federally or state-funded programs in Alaska preferred
- Familiarity with Alaska state agency reporting and compliance processes required
- Strong written communication skills for grant reporting and stakeholder correspondence
- Proficiency in data tracking and program evaluation methods expected
- Ability to coordinate with Alaska tribal organizations and rural community partners valued
Program Specialist Jobs in Alaska: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a program specialist in Alaska?
Most program specialist roles in Alaska require a bachelor's degree in public administration, social work, health services, or a related field, with no single state license required for the general title. However, specialists working in behavioral health programs may need registration with the Alaska Commission for Behavioral Health Certification. Positions with the State of Alaska are filled through the Alaska Department of Administration's job classification system, where applicants must meet scored qualification criteria tied to each specific program area.
Which companies hire program specialists in Alaska?
Employers hiring program specialists in Alaska right now include State of Alaska, ALASKA HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, and Ritchie Bros., based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. Alaska's strong presence of tribal health compacts, state social service agencies, and federal defense contractors means hiring is more distributed across sectors than in most states.
Which Alaska cities have the most program specialist jobs?
Anchorage, Wasilla, and Kenai have the most program specialist openings in Alaska. Anchorage dominates because it houses the headquarters of the State of Alaska's largest departments, major tribal health organizations, and federal agency field offices, while Fairbanks and Juneau follow due to University of Alaska campuses, regional state offices, and established federal contracting operations in those communities.
Are there remote program specialist jobs in Alaska?
Yes, and more than many roles because program coordination, grant writing, and compliance work is largely desk-based. About 75% of program specialist openings tied to Alaska are remote or hybrid as of July 2026, reflecting both Alaska's geographic reality and employer comfort with distributed teams. Grant management and federal reporting roles are the most consistently remote, while positions requiring direct community outreach in rural regions typically remain on-site.
How can I get hired as a program specialist in Alaska with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying for program coordinator or program assistant roles at the State of Alaska or at Alaska tribal health organizations such as the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, which regularly bring on candidates with relevant degrees but limited field experience. Lateral moves from case management, grant administration, or AmeriCorps service positions are common routes in. Earning a certificate from the University of Alaska system in nonprofit management or public health strengthens a resume noticeably for Alaska-specific program work.
Where can I find and apply to program specialist jobs in Alaska?
You can find and apply to program specialist jobs in Alaska on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers actively hiring in the state. Search the listings for roles that match your background and apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 9 Program Specialist Jobs in Alaska
Find roles in Alaska that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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