INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGER

About La Crosse County:
At La Crosse County, we are committed to creating a vibrant, safe, and inclusive community. Guided by our Strategic Plan, we focus on economic growth, environmental stewardship, affordable housing, and robust public services that enhance the quality of life for all residents.


Why Join La Crosse County?

• Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS): A top-rated pension program.
• Affordable Insurance Premiums: Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage.
• Generous Paid Time Off: Vacation, sick, and 10+ paid holidays annually.
• Work-Life Balance: Flexible schedules and wellness programs.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB):
At La Crosse County, we believe that diversity strengthens our community. We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued.


Overview

FLSA: Exempt. This is a professional management position within the Information Technology Department. The employee works under the direction of the Information Technology Director and is responsible for managing and supervising the assigned Information Technology Supervisor and staff within one of the following areas: IT Security, IT Infrastructure, or IT Software and Solutions. This vacancy is for the IT Software and Solutions area.

The IT Manager collaborates closely with the other two IT Managers to align initiatives, coordinate staff assignments, ensure consistency across teams, and support shared departmental priorities. The role converts major strategic goals into actionable operational plans in alignment with departmental strategy.

The IT Manager designs and maintains operational processes, workflows, key performance indicators (KPIs), and team standards; manages team performance and capacity; and evaluates outcomes to ensure alignment with strategic objectives. This role exercises significant independent judgement in operational decision-making, resource planning, and process design, while escalating major strategic decisions to the Director, as needed.


This position typically leads a team of 5-10 employees, including one direct supervisor and technical staff. Team size may vary by functional area.


Essential Leadership Functions:

Act with Integrity and Build Trust

• Demonstrate mutual respect, humility, and honesty in all interactions.
• Speak up appropriately, even when expressing unpopular viewpoints.
• Actively listen and remain open-minded to diverse perspectives.

Drive for Results

• Set clear goals and objectives to motivate self and others to achieve outcomes.
• Seek new opportunities to improve processes and drive sustainable results.
• Hold self and others accountable through consistent evaluation and monitoring.

Develop Talent and Effective Teams

• Foster a collaborative environment that encourages knowledge sharing and growth.
• Provide mentorship and support to help self and others reach full potential.
• Recognize and leverage diverse strengths within self and team.

Lead with Vision and Strategy

• Understand and communicate a compelling vision that aligns with organizational goals.
• Develop and execute comprehensive strategies to achieve long-term objectives.
• Connect daily work to the bigger picture, inspiring self and others to contribute meaningfully.

Lead with Paradoxical, Critical, and Agile Thinking

• Navigate complex situations by considering multiple perspectives.
• Adapt quickly to changes and uncertainties in the work environment.
• Make critical decisions using analytical skills, experience, and input from others.

Build and Maintain Effective Relationships

• Communicate and collaborate effectively with stakeholders across the organization.
• Influence others through coaching, consulting, and team-minded thinking.
• Develop and sustain partnerships that create positive outcomes for all stakeholders.

Cultivate Community Engagement and Provide Excellent Service

• Understand and address the needs and concerns of the community.
• Incorporate community perspectives into decision-making processes.
• Drive initiatives that create positive impacts beyond the organization.

Demonstrate Emotional Intelligence

• Show self-awareness and manage emotions effectively in challenging situations.
• Seek and respond constructively to feedback, even in the face of setbacks.
• Balance empathy with accountability when leading self and working with others.

Essential Job Functions

Translate organizational strategies, key goals, and objectives into actionable operating plans and priorities.

Execute and maintain the IT budget, including forecasting needs, vendor evaluation, contract renewals, and ensuring alignment with budget allocations.


Manage all IT purchasing activities, researching hardware and software, staying current on technological trends, and identifying cost-effective solutions.

Plan and forecast technology resources, including lifecycle replacements, licensing, and capacity requirements; ensure compliance with all licensing obligations.

Design, maintain, and enforce team processes such as incident management, change control, release, and patch management.

Manage team performance to maintain a high-performing group that meets or exceeds service expectations; monitor KPIs, SLAs, backlog health, and lead continuous improvement initiatives.

Direct and administer in the development of policies, procedures, and compliance standards for IT systems and IT personnel.

Conduct performance reviews and regular one-on-one meetings with supervisor and staff.

Oversee the planning, design, testing, documentation, and implementation of information technology systems and solutions.

Lead IT initiatives to ensure on-time and on-budget delivery, coordinate team members and resources according to defined plans.

Provide regular communication to the Director and team regarding outcomes, activities, and services.

Coach supervisors and teams using the County-wide Leadership and Cultural Competency leadership framework.

Physical Demands: Approximately 90% of the work is performed at a desk, requiring hearing, near vision, and keyboarding. Remaining time involves moving between departments and buildings and communicating with users and staff. Work involves sitting, standing, bending, reaching, and general office movement throughout the day. Occasional stooping or kneeling and lifting items over 40 pounds may be required. Work hours may be unpredictable, and duties may require working outside normal business hours.

These Essential job functions are not intended to encompass every task that may be required of this position. Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives and tasks.


Strong knowledge of patch and release management processes.


Knowledge of IT asset inventory processes and lifecycle controls.


Solid understanding of Microsoft products and cloud services including Microsoft 365 and Entra.

Technical Expertise Requirements - This vacancy is for the IT Software and Solutions domain.

Expertise is required in one of the following IT domains; working knowledge in additional IT domains is considered beneficial.


IT Security

• Strong knowledge of security controls, user access governance, and entitlement management.
• Effective incident detection, investigation, escalation, and response.
• Understanding of security compliance frameworks and risk management practices.

IT Infrastructure

• Strong knowledge of enterprise networked devices, servers, and endpoint hardware.
• Solid understanding of IT asset lifecycle management.
• Expertise in server, storage, and backup/recovery operations.

IT Software and Solutions

• Ability to analyze and direct resolution of complex software issues.
• Ability to translate business requirements into scalable, secure solution architectures.
• Ability to support build-versus-buy decisions and SaaS integrations.

Training, Experience and Other Requirements

Minimum of Associate Degree in Computer Science or related field, with preference for bachelor's degree.

Requires 7-10 years of IT experience, including 3-5 years of supervisory or leadership experience managing technical staff.


Training and experience in one or more IT domains (Security Infrastructure, or Software/Solutions).


Relevant certifications (GIAC, ISC2, Cisco, Microsoft, etc.) are preferred.


Experience in project management, business analysis, and process improvement methodologies is preferred.

May consider other relevant combinations of education and experience.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:
La Crosse County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.


If you need accommodations for a disability during the selection or interview process, please get in touch with Human Resources at View email address on click.appcast.io.


Application Process:
All applications must be submitted through our career website. Please ensure your application is complete and accurate,our hiring process highly values attention to detail.