Assistant Director of Information Technology and Strategy

Gwinnett County is seeking an Assistant Director of Information Technology and Strategy to oversee the strategic direction and management of IT services. Reporting to the CIO, this role involves collaborating with senior leadership to implement technology initiatives, managing IT operations and budgets, and supervising staff. Candidates should have a bachelor's degree (master's preferred), 10-12 years of relevant experience, strong leadership skills, and a background in IT management. A public safety background check is required.
Position Summary:

The Assistant Director of Information Technology and Strategy is responsible for the strategic direction and management of all aspects of technology for the Department of Information Technology Services of Gwinnett County. This position, which reports to the Director and CIO of Gwinnett County, works with the County’s senior leadership to set the strategic direction for initiating and implementing the use of information technology to fulfill the mission of the County. This position provides operational and budgetary management and managerial supervision for a full-time IT staff. The incumbent advises and makes recommendations on the latest IT technologies, research, and data analysis trends. The Assistant Director serves on the CIO’s management team, upholding its shared mission, vision, core values, and leadership principles.

Effective 4/11/2023, this position is eligible for the Employee Referral Program.

Minimum Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree required; (Master’s preferred).
• Minimum of 10-12 years’ related experience required.
• Demonstrated leadership, management, and strategic planning skills necessary.
• Experience in managing a budget and vendor relationships required.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are essential. Must be a results and goal-oriented individual with the persistence and patience necessary to work effectively with a variety of internal and external constituencies.
• Must have the ability to gain credibility with diverse constituencies.
• Must have the ability to detect emerging trends and make recommendations for change.
• Must possess a high degree of personal integrity and ethics.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills required.
• Ability to handle confidential information with exceptional judgment and discretion necessary.
• Accuracy and attention to details and timelines essential.
• Ability to combine vision with strong creativity and tactical execution.

Preferred Qualifications
• Advanced degree preferred.
• Experience in a complex centralized environment is desirable.
• Strong IT experience in the following areas preferred: information security, software development and support, project management, strategic planning, IT governance, consultancy, systems architecture and administration, client support, storage, virtualization, and operational management.
• Experience with planning and implementing a large - scale initiatives.
This position is a grade 307.

This job requires a public safety background check to include motor vehicle histories, criminal histories, and fingerprinting.

Position Expectations:

Strategic Planning and Management

In collaboration with the CIO, the Assistant Director assists in the creation and implementation of the IT strategy for the Information Technology Department by…
• Aligning IT and data strategies with the overall strategic plan of the department as well as the individual strategies of County business units.
• Managing department operations to achieve the technology objectives of the department. An emphasis will be on continuing to standardize and improve core service and delivery, while managing organizational effectiveness, compliance/risk, and resources.
• Working with leadership and key staff to further the department’s mission by participating in strategy and direction setting, identifying, and prioritizing areas for improvement, assisting project teams with scope definition, and encouraging best practice change management.
• Serving as a senior project manager on one or more critical initiatives at any given time, guiding the project team, driving appropriate analyses, meeting project goals, managing timelines and working with leadership to successfully implement new processes, technology, and strategy.
• Leading relationship management with external vendors and software partners.
• Leading several County committees and/or working groups including:
• the Technology Standards Committee (TSC) to facilitate inter-unit collaboration and transparency, to shape policy and direction, and to identify IT and data projects that are necessary to meet the strategic priorities and mission of the County as a whole.
• the Business Strategic Services Group (BSS) to connect County business units, determine existing survey collection instruments, and promote shared data analysis.

Compliance, Security & Policy Development

The Assistant Director will lead key County initiatives related to critical areas of IT and data policy and work closely with the Senior Staff, Leadership, and Management teams to make recommendations, guide, and educate business units on IT and data analysis best practices and efficient implementation of tools, platforms, resources, and techniques through…
• Collaborating with Security on policy compliance, security and risk assessment and management.
• Developing recommendations for and implements procedures related to the County’s IT governance, including the use and purchase of computer hardware and software, installation, access, and security. Reviewing policy standards and ensuring documentation of processes.
• Overseeing management of data reporting mechanisms and databases for strategic reporting and data inquiries. Ensuring data integrity, security and maximizes efficiency for reporting needs.

Leadership and Effective Team Management

The Assistant Director will provide leadership, guidance, performance management, and plans for professional development and training by…
• Managing projects or providing project management oversight on projects assigned.
• Developing relationships needed for each project and serves as liaison to various business units, and where relevant, external constituencies.
• Supervising, mentoring, and developing staff.
• Conducting skills assessments, recommending training, promoting cross team collaboration, assessing, and assigning roles and responsibilities.
• Conducting regular unit and individual meetings and fostering a team atmosphere within and between organizations.
• Reviewing current practices throughout the department and championing results driven process improvements.
• Motivating team members, maximizing their individual and team contribution and professional growth.
• Preparing annual performance reviews, managing disciplinary issues, and participating in hiring and disciplinary procedures.
• Participating in meetings on behalf of the Chief Information Officer and representing the organization as required.
• Keeping the Chief Information Officer appraised on initiatives, preparing, and presenting recommendations, and providing proposals and reports as required.

Professional Development

The Assistant Director will stay abreast of information technology trends relevant to current and future information system environments by…
• Maintaining and enhancing knowledge in Service and Project Management techniques and methodologies.
• Pursuing training and education relating to information technology and leadership.
• Developing training plans for staff.
• Attending formal conferences; developing/improving project management skills; continually developing leadership skills.

For information related to position specific Essential Duties, Knowledge, Skills and Physical Requirements, click here.

NOTE: The class specifications listed on this site are not the official class specifications for Gwinnett County and are subject to change.
Additional Information
The IT Department is committed to empowering business stakeholders with technology and services that facilitate effective processes, collaboration, and communication. The goal of the Cybersecurity division is to identify and remediate risk to the confidentiality, integrity and availability of Gwinnett County systems while minimizing the impact to workforce productivity.For more information about the IT Department, click here.

About Gwinnett County

Welcome to Gwinnett County — one of America's fastest-growing counties for the past 20 years. Our dynamic and exciting county combines the best of big-city living with the comforts of the suburbs.

The county's population in 2000 was about 588,448 and we’ve only continued to grow since then, with the population expected to reach one million by the year 2022.

Gwinnett has many advantages, beginning with its location and road system. The county is just 45 minutes from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and 30 minutes from downtown Atlanta. Thanks to this location, 80 percent of the U.S. population is within a two-hour flight. Georgia Highway 316 has been extended to Athens, reducing travel time to the University of Georgia to 25 minutes. Gwinnett's infrastructure includes more than 2,750 miles of roadways to provide excellent mobility for our residents.

The County Administrator and County Attorney are appointed by the Board of Commissioners and serve at its pleasure. To implement the Board's policy directives, the County Administrator uses a management team consisting of members of his immediate staff and 14 department directors. The 14 departments that make up the executive side are Police Services, Fire and Emergency Services, Corrections, Communications, Support Services, Financial Services, Community Services, Human Resources, Information Technology Services, Law, Planning and Development, Water Resources, Child Advocacy & Juvenile Services, and Transportation. Each department is run by a director who is charged with managing operations in a manner which stresses the County’s values.

In addition to the executive side of County government, certain services are provided through Constitutional officers and independent elected officials. These external offices are created by the Georgia Constitution or through state law. In Gwinnett, they include the Sheriff, Tax Commissioner, District Attorney, Solicitor, Probate Court Judge, and Chief Magistrate.

Vision
Gwinnett is the preferred community where everyone thrives!

Mission
Gwinnett proudly supports our vibrantly connected community by delivering superior services.

Values

Integrity: We believe in being honest, building trust, and having strong moral principles.

Accountability: We believe in stewardship, transparency, and sustainability.

Equity: We believe in fairness and respect for all.

Inclusivity: We believe in engaging, embracing, and unifying our communities.

Innovation: We believe in continual adaptation of technology, process, and experience.
Hiring Process

Gwinnett County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For more information regarding our hiring process, please click the links below:
• Hiring Process
• FAQs