L.A. Metro Chief Information Officer Bryan M. Sastokas, who joined the agency on April 9, 2018, highlighted the three jobs in separate LinkedIn posts on Thursday. He underscored the significance each new hire may bring to the nation’s third largest transit agency; although it’s not entirely clear how the positions relate to each other, or exactly how they will move L.A. Metro forward. An L.A. Metro spokesman said the agency was not releasing details on the positions other than those provided in the listings. Here’s what is known:
• The agency is seeking an Executive Officer, Information Technology, arguably the job most closely linked to the CIO. The successful candidate will assist the CIO in “executing the overall functioning of Metro’s Information Technology Services (ITS)” as it relates to budget administration, project management and governance and data innovation.
Among the duties associated with the position, the hiree will be expected to assist the CIO in planning and administering departmental polices and procedures; offer “strategic leadership” with the CIO in directing the agency’s use of IT; give the CIO technical advice on the development and enforcement of IT; help forecast L.A. Metro’s information systems needs; and offer oversight on departmental functions including information systems development and infrastructure engineering and operations. Salary range is $153,005-$229,008 annually; the position closes May 3.
• L.A. Metro is looking to hire a Senior Director, Information Technology, in the IT project management office, to “plan, direct, and manage” its activities within the Information Technology Services (ITS) department.
Duties include coordinating continuous programming support for the agency’s mission critical systems, defining the project management process, standards and “operational cadence” needed to “ensure consistent and efficient project execution and delivery”; coordinating and executing L.A. Metro’s business continuity plan should a system failure occur; directing and managing preparation of RFPs and taking part in the RFP process; and participating in ITS disaster recovery test exercises. Salary range is $122,970-$184,434 and the position closes May 31.
• L.A. Metro is also seeking a Director, Systems Projects with a speciality in IT governance, to “strategize, plan, develop and initiate departmental technology systems and infrastructure initiatives.
Whoever is hired will be called on to serve as something of a tech liaison, advising departments on how to draw more value from IT assets and capabilities. The successful candidate will also monitor the business unit’s technology investment project portfolio, evaluate new tech software and hardware, work with business units on presentations for the Technology Governance Board readouts; offer leadership to the IT Steering Committee on tech governance; work with stakeholders and the Committee on choosing and managing tech investments; and ensure ITS demand is prioritized by business unit. Salary range is $110,677-$165,984 and the position closes May 31.
On LinkedIn, Sastokas characterized the positions as key to the agency. The senior director position, he wrote, is “for those wanting to define what transportation can be.”
