Los Angeles County has “an unsurpassed executive leadership opportunity” in its ongoing recruitment for a chief information officer (CIO) for the county Department of Parks and Recreation, a high-profile position in the nation’s most populous and diverse county.
The CIO “directs the planning, design, coordination, development, implementation and maintenance of the department’s automated information systems,” the county job posting says. “As a member of the Executive Team, the CIO will collaborate with senior leaders to develop and execute strategic plans to optimize the use of IT in support of departmental objectives and in alignment with its strategic plan; champions feasibility studies for proposed automated information systems; and leads the department in developing, coordinating and implementing IT projects and initiatives that improve cost-effectiveness and service delivery.”
Responsibilities of the role include conducting research, analyzing data and preparing briefs based on information gleaned from Active Net and Qualtrics.
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation’s previous CIO, Mohammed Al-Rawi, brought attention to the department through several tech initiatives. With the county’s resources, the opportunities for innovation abound. The job posting notes that the county has:
- 71,249 acres of parks, lakes, trails, natural areas and botanical gardens.
- 183 regional and community parks where children are introduced to outdoor play, organized sports and individual skill development.
- The nation’s largest municipal golf course system, with 20 courses featuring vistas from the mountains to the ocean.
- 210 miles of multi-use trails.
- 42 public swimming pools.
“The ideal candidate,” the posting says, “will have strong leadership skills in managing operations, people and change; and a proven ability to achieve desired organizational services and outcomes. The candidate will have strong interpersonal skills and political savvy to open pathways to effective partnerships with other government agencies, elected officials, community groups and the public. The candidate will present a track record of building dedicated and engaged teams of experienced professionals empowered to provide outstanding services to local communities. The successful candidate will demonstrate knowledge and experience with qualitative and quantitative research.”
More information about the position is available in the job posting and online brochure. The annual salary range is $135,642 to $210,951. The “first consideration” deadline was Friday, but the recruitment will remain active until the position is filled.
Farther north, Ventura County is recruiting for an assistant CIO (ACIO) to work with and report to CIO Terry Theobald, assisting him in formulating countywide IT policies and performing related work as required.
“The incumbent serves at the discretion of the CIO and is extensively involved in the oversight of computer operations; development and maintenance of application systems and local/wide area networks; and operation and maintenance of radio, microwave, telephone and data communication systems,” the job posting says. “The ACIO will advise the CIO on the latest IT trends and is also responsible for implementation of a customer-focused, cost-effective central IT organization.”
“The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of success that demonstrates knowledge of technology business solutions combined with extensive experience managing diverse technology daily operations,” the job posting says. “Critical competencies for success include demonstrated ability to create multiyear strategic plans, translate business and customer needs into technology goals, as well as exceptional communication and interpersonal skills that foster and maintain key relationships, and demonstrated unequivocal ethical integrity.”
Requirements of the position include the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, business administration or other closely related field and five years of progressively responsible experience in information systems, including experience in a senior management or administrative capacity with accountability for planning, organizing and implementing information and telecommunication systems. A graduate degree in computer science or related field and work experience in both the private and public sectors are highly preferred.
The annual base salary for this position is $196,061, with an additional five percent education incentive.
