Director of Information Technology

Position Description

One City. Leading Technology. Serving Community.

Technology powers every service we provide, every department we support, and every resident we serve. As our IT Director, you'll lead the strategy, innovation, and operations that keep the City connected, secure, and moving forward. From overseeing critical technology infrastructure and cybersecurity initiatives to guiding a talented team of IT professionals, you'll play a key role in shaping how technology enhances services across the organization and supports our community's future.

Why this role matters:

The technology decisions made in this position impact every City department and service. Your leadership will help ensure reliable, secure, and innovative technology solutions that enable employees to serve residents efficiently and effectively every day.

Typical Tasks

• Collaborates with City elected and appointed leaders to develop strategic vision for the department; plans, organizes, and directs the budget and capital plans, operations, policy, and activities of the department.
• Supervises, manages, and evaluates assigned employees and makes decisions about hiring, discipline and/or termination of employees; prioritizes and assigns work; develops and oversees employee work schedules and approves time away from work; provides and/or facilitates employee training and development; addresses employee concerns and/or problems; counsels and/or disciplines as appropriate; completes employee performance appraisals; determines or makes recommendations regarding new hire salaries and salary changes; and acts as liaison between employees and management.
• Develops and implements the City's overall technology strategy including goals, objectives, and portfolio of services provided to the organization and community. Provides leadership and direction to execute the plan.
• Oversee the daily operation of the City's technology portfolio including IT infrastructure, customer support, and all aspects of the enterprise software lifecycle.
• Implement cyber security measures and compliance programs to protect against internal and external threats including malware, hacking, and data breaches. Maintains incident response and disaster avoidance/recovery plans.
• Collaborates with internal City department stakeholders to understand their business plans, challenges, and how technology can be leveraged to deliver cross-functional projects and initiatives.
• Manages the IT budget including IT governance and transparency of resource allocation, budget planning, and spending judiciously to achieve maximum organizational value and impact. Manages key vendor relationships to negotiate contracts and ensure the City receives cost effective and quality services.
• Identifies opportunities and leads City-wide initiatives to enhance City services, improve operational efficiency, and foster innovation.
• Manages and creates a robust data management strategy to ensure the security, integrity, and accessibility of the City's data through effective governance, open data policies, cross-departmental data sharing, and leveraging data for decision-making.
• Performs related work as required.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Master's Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science or a closely related field and eight (8) years of experience in information technology, or related work.
• OR a Bachelor's Degree in one of the above-listed fields and ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in information technology, or related work.
• OR any combination of relevant education and experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of the position may be considered.
• AND at least five (5) years of supervisory experience.

Required Licenses or Certifications

• Valid NC Driver's License (Class C)

Additional Information

Knowledge of:

• Technology industry trends
• Management and operations of centralized IT services
• Public sector governance and regulations
• Project management methodologies
• Cyber security best practices
• IT governance and ITIL (Information Technology processes)
• Contract negotiation
• Government operations
• Modern office practices and procedures including the use of standard office equipment and computer applications such as word processing, database, and spreadsheet applications
• Supervisory principles, practices and techniques

Skilled in:

• Leadership
• Strategic thinking
• Communication and relationship-building
• Solving complex problems
• Project management
• Analytical and critical thinking

Ability to:

• Make informed decisions on critical issues
• Develop and implement long-term IT vision
• Identify root causes of complex technology challenges
• Communicate complex technology to non-technologists
• Lead and foster a culture of collaboration both internal to IT and cross-departmental
• Adapt to rapidly changing technology developments
• Demonstrate an innovative mindset to encourage continuous improvement

Supplemental Information

This position is primarily office-based, utilizing standard office equipment in a climate-controlled setting and adhering to applicable safety and ergonomic guidelines. The position functions in a fast-paced, collaborative, and public-facing municipal environment, involving interaction with elected officials, employees, community members, and external partners. Attendance at evening meetings and periodical after-hours community meetings, or emergency response are required. Other Necessary Requirements

• Office Work: Primarily sedentary, involving prolonged sitting, computer use, telephone and office equipment operation, and standard office tasks. Requires visual acuity, hearing, and manual dexterity for reviewing documents, analyzing data, and completing administrative responsibilities.

• General Requirements: The position involves occasional travel to meetings, evening events, or after-hours response. All work is performed in compliance with applicable State and Federal OSHA regulations, including hazard communication, personal protective equipment, and slip, trip, and fall prevention.

Our Core Values:

INCLUSION | COLLABORATION | CREATIVITY | ACCOUNTABILITY

Our Mission Statement: Through forward-thinking policies and responsible stewardship, we are creating a better city every day with excellent core services and quality of life for all.

What we offer:

The City of Wilmington believes that employees are one of our most important resources. We offer an excellent salary and competitive benefits package to serve the needs of our employees and their families. Our benefits package includes:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance + many other insurance options
• Excellent retirement benefits, including a city provided 4.5% contribution each pay period into a 401(k) account and automatic enrollment into the North Carolina Local Government Employees' Retirement System
• Employer-paid health & wellness clinic
• Free on-site city gym access
• Paid sick and vacation leave + 13 paid holidays per year
• 6-weeks paid parental leave
• Paid volunteer & blood donation leave to give back to our community
• Flex schedule and telework availability, depending on your position
• Professional development trainings & leadership initiatives
• Tuition assistance benefits

Applicant Status Updates: After the closing date for this position, applications will be screened by Human Resources. Applicants who meet the minimum and/or preferred qualifications will be referred over to the hiring department. All updates regarding an application can be viewed through your applicant portal.