To succeed in the Availity interview process, you need to approach your preparation strategically. Interviewers will look for a blend of deep healthcare domain knowledge, technical fluency, and exceptional stakeholder management.

Focus your preparation on the following key evaluation criteria:

Healthcare Technology Acumen – Availity operates in a highly specialized domain. Interviewers will evaluate your hands-on experience with healthcare interoperability standards, specifically FHIR and X12, as well as your understanding of prior authorization workflows. You can demonstrate strength here by speaking fluently about the end-to-end lifecycle of healthcare transactions.

Implementation Execution – This role requires managing multiple concurrent, complex implementations. You will be assessed on your ability to drive a project from contract signature to technical delivery. Show your strength by detailing how you build operational project plans, manage capacity constraints, and keep cross-functional teams aligned on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Executive Communication and Diplomacy – You will be a client-facing representative handling sensitive situations. Interviewers will look for "political awareness" and your ability to diplomatically manage expectations. Demonstrate this by sharing examples of how you have tailored your communication style for different audiences, from technical architects to C-suite stakeholders.

Cross-Functional Leadership – You must influence teams that do not report directly to you, including product, engineering, and Solutions Engineering. You will be evaluated on your collaborative approach and your ability to resolve bottlenecks. Highlight your track record of bridging the gap between business requirements and technical deployment plans.

The interview process for a Project Manager at Availity is designed to rigorously test both your domain expertise and your cultural alignment with their mission-driven environment. You will typically begin with a recruiter phone screen that focuses heavily on validating your core qualifications, particularly your healthcare background and technical prerequisites like FHIR experience.

If you advance, you will meet with the hiring manager to dive deeper into your resume, your experience with post-sales implementations, and your approach to client management. The final stages usually involve a panel interview with cross-functional stakeholders, which may include representatives from product, engineering, and client services. During these rounds, expect highly behavioral and scenario-based questions that test how you handle shifting timelines, demanding clients, and complex technical dependencies.

Availity values collaboration and a forward-thinking mindset. Throughout the process, interviewers will gauge not just whether you can deliver a project, but whether you can do so while fostering innovation and maintaining a positive, energetic team culture.

This visual timeline outlines the typical stages of the Availity interview process, from the initial recruiter screen to the final cross-functional panel. Use this to pace your preparation, ensuring you are ready to discuss high-level cultural fit early on, and prepared for deep-dive technical and situational scenarios in the later rounds.

Healthcare Interoperability & Prior Authorization

Because Availity is a pioneer in healthcare technology, generic project management experience is not enough. Interviewers need to know that you understand the data standards that power the platform. You will be evaluated on your technical acumen regarding how data moves between providers and payers. Strong performance means you can confidently discuss the nuances of healthcare data exchange without needing a developer to translate for you.

Be ready to go over:

• FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) – How it is used to structure and exchange healthcare information electronically.
• X12 EDI Standards – Specifically transactions related to healthcare claims and prior authorizations (e.g., 278 transactions).
• Prior Authorization Workflows – The end-to-end process, pain points for providers, and how technology alleviates these bottlenecks.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – API integrations with Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems, real-time vs. batch processing in healthcare data.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Walk me through the end-to-end prior authorization process from the provider to the payer. Where do the biggest bottlenecks typically occur?"
• "Explain your experience working with FHIR and X12. How have you leveraged these standards in past implementations?"
• "How do you translate complex interoperability requirements into a technical delivery plan for your engineering team?"

Complex Client Implementations

This role is heavily focused on post-sales delivery. You are evaluated on your ability to take a signed contract and turn it into a live, functioning product for a client. Strong candidates will demonstrate a structured approach to managing concurrent projects, handling scope creep, and maintaining momentum when technical or operational hurdles arise.

Be ready to go over:

• Delivery Planning – Creating operational project plans, deployment plans, and managing technical requirements.
• Capacity Constraint Management – How you allocate resources when multiple high-priority implementations overlap.
• KPI Tracking – How you measure the success of an implementation for both the internal team and the customer.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Transitioning clients from legacy systems to modern platforms, managing data migration risks.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Tell me about a time you managed multiple concurrent implementations with shifting timelines. How did you prioritize?"
• "A strategic Health Plan client wants to significantly alter the scope of their implementation post-signature. How do you handle this?"
• "Describe your process for moving a customer efficiently from contract signature through to final delivery."

Executive Stakeholder Management

As a client-facing leader managing Availity’s premiere accounts, you must provide "white-glove" service. Interviewers will look for political awareness and your ability to navigate sensitive situations diplomatically. A strong performance in this area shows that you can build trust, deliver bad news gracefully, and align diverse stakeholders around a common goal.

Be ready to go over:

• C-Level Presentations – Preparing and leading kick-off meetings and program status updates for executives.
• Relationship Cultivation – Establishing productive partnerships with key stakeholders at multiple levels within a Health Plan.
• Conflict Resolution – Diplomatically handling sensitive situations or delivery delays with external clients.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Navigating highly matrixed client organizations to find the true decision-makers.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Describe a situation where you had to deliver difficult news about a project delay to a C-level executive. How did you prepare, and what was the outcome?"
• "How do you tailor your communication when speaking to an internal engineering lead versus an external client stakeholder?"
• "Tell me about a time you had to rely on your political awareness to save a strained customer relationship."

As a Project Manager at Availity, your day-to-day work revolves around leading internal and external teams through the lifecycle of post-sales healthcare implementations. You will be the primary point of contact for strategic Health Plan clients, guiding them from the moment a contract is signed all the way through technical deployment and operational readiness. This involves translating complex business and technical requirements into actionable delivery plans.

You will spend a significant portion of your time working cross-functionally. You will coordinate with product, engineering, client services, and Solutions Engineering to ensure that dependencies are met and capacity constraints are managed. When timelines shift, you will be responsible for analyzing project and operational data to determine the optimal mix of resources, ensuring that Availity’s strategic goals are still achieved without compromising the "white-glove" client experience.

Additionally, you will be heavily involved in stakeholder communication. You will prepare and present comprehensive materials—ranging from initial kick-off decks to regular program status updates—tailoring your message for audiences that range from technical project managers to C-level executives. You will also be accountable for tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of each implementation.

To be competitive for this position, you must possess a highly specific blend of healthcare domain expertise and project management rigor. Availity is explicit about its prerequisites, and candidates lacking the core technical background will not advance.

• Must-have skills – A strong background in healthcare technology is strictly required. You must have hands-on experience and technical acumen with FHIR and X12 standards, as well as a clear understanding of prior authorization workflows. You also need a proven track record of managing complex, client-facing implementations and influencing cross-functional teams (both business and technology).
• Nice-to-have skills – An in-depth, end-to-end understanding of the prior authorization process from the provider to the payer will set you apart. Experience specifically managing strategic Health Plan implementations is also highly advantageous.
• Experience level – The role requires a seasoned professional who is comfortable working directly with multiple levels of customers, up to C-Level Executives. You must demonstrate the political awareness necessary to diplomatically handle sensitive situations.
• Soft skills – Exceptional written and oral communication skills are non-negotiable. You must be able to seamlessly pivot your communication style depending on whether you are speaking with an engineer or a client executive.