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2 State Departments Recruiting for Top IT Executives

The California Department of Social Services and the Department of Cannabis Control have begun recruitments for deputy directors who will also serve as chief information officers.

Two departments in state government are recruiting for top technology executives.

The California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) is seeking a deputy director/chief information officer (Career Executive Assignment) to oversee and direct policy for the department’s IT Operations, Application Support, Information Security, Infrastructure and Enterprise Services, and California Cannabis Track and Trace (CCTT) Licensing systems.

DCC’s mission is “to develop and implement progressive cannabis policies and license and regulate commercial cannabis activity in a way that best protects public health, safety, the environment, and local communities,” and the ideal candidate is “a dynamic, highly motivated individual that wants to work in a multi-tasking environment,” according to the job posting.

Desirable qualifications, according to the posting, include:
  • Management: Managing a statewide IT program with staff at all levels, including planning, organizing, and directing program operations; strategic planning; leadership; supervision; and management accountability. Leading large and complex project delivery initiatives aimed at transforming business processes and operations.
  • Technical: Overseeing a complex technology system, including working with the California Department of Technology, stakeholders and other government entities to meet a program’s business needs, assessing risks, resolving issues, and ensuring the highest level of security protection of data and personal information. Establishing a new IT organization, security program and business platforms to support new entities.
  • Policy development and implementation: Interpreting, evaluating, improving, amending, developing, recommending and implementing policies and procedures consistent with departmental and administrative goals, objectives, and/or change in practice. Developing departmental strategic plans. Formulating annual and long-range goals in accordance with a department’s strategic plan and developing and implementing action plans for staff to achieve goals.
  • Diplomacy and communication: Managing a statewide program, using different strategies and techniques for soliciting input from an organizational division and communicating critical program and/or policy changes in an expeditious manner; bridging disparate programs that rely on each other in the accomplishment of their work; and dealing with a variety of public- and private-sector people and groups in matters of significant program sensitivity. Ability to communicate with all levels of government to advance departmental priorities.
  • Innovative leadership: Leading a technology organization that is acknowledged as a thought leader for its achievement and ability to deliver services in efficient and innovative ways.
  • Legislation and regulation: Formulating assessment of proposed legislative and regulatory impacts on a technology system/project; developing proposals and initiatives; analyzing proposed legislation and regulations for system impacts; testifying before legislative committees on technology proposals.

The monthly salary range for this position is $10,831 to $12,903, and the application deadline is April 1.

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is also recruiting for “an innovative and visionary leader in IT” to serve as deputy director/CIO.

The incumbent in this position (Career Executive Assignment) will provide “IT vision, strategic planning, leadership, goal setting, policy development, direction, and oversight of enterprise architecture, project management, information security, and infrastructure and application services to meet the business needs” of the department. “Additionally, the CIO provides advice and guidance to the Directorate on sponsorship of IT projects and represents the Department, in collaboration with other state and local partners, on high level statewide IT initiatives.”

Desirable qualifications for this position, according to the job posting and duty statement, include:
  • Deep understanding and breadth of experience with the full scope of IT domains, current and emerging technologies, and how they may be applied to the enterprise to support business.
  • Exceptional leadership skills and experience managing multidisciplinary teams, organizational planning, and developing and communicating a clear vision that inspires and motivates staff and encourages initiative at all levels to meet the business goals and priorities of the organization.
  • Demonstrated ability to think analytically, set goals, develop and execute strategic planning for IT, and work in collaboration with organizational leaders to facilitate IT decision-making and priority-setting.
  • Experience leading large enterprise IT projects and ability to oversee a portfolio of projects and functions, such as project management, procurement and vendor management.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain digital concepts and technologies to business leaders, and business concepts to the IT workforce.
  • Experience effectively being a partner, managing relationships and instilling confidence with executive leadership, business partners and all key stakeholders.
  • Ability to identify and leverage resources internally and externally to the enterprise and effectively influence and negotiate to gain support of control agencies and enhance capabilities that drive digital business.
  • Ability to drive organizational change and build capabilities to optimize operational efficiency and deliver innovative and agile IT solutions to enable the business to explore digital business opportunities.

The monthly salary range for this position is $7,781 to $13,657, and the application deadline is March 12.
Dennis Noone is Executive Editor of Industry Insider. He is a career journalist, having worked at small-town newspapers and major metropolitan dailies including USA Today in Washington, D.C.