Chief Information and Technology Officer

Chief Information and Technology Officer (SES)

The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) is seeking a transformation-minded Chief Information Officer to serve as the agency's senior technology executive and statutory agency CIO under section 282.3055, Florida Statutes. This is not a caretaker role. The next CIO will retire a remaining mainframe and COBOL/DB2 estate that still underpins core statewide education operations, stand up a durable cloud and data platform, and scale artificial intelligence in a way that is useful to districts, colleges, and the Department—without compromising student privacy, cybersecurity, or public trust.

Success in this role is defined by four outcomes: (1) a funded, governed, and executing plan to exit the mainframe and retire COBOL-dependent applications on a public timeline; (2) a production-ready AI and advanced analytics program that improves operations and decision-making under a clear risk and privacy framework; (3) measurable improvement in reliability, security, and service to program offices and local education agencies; and (4) a rebuilt technology organization that can attract and keep modern engineering, data, and product talent.

The CIO will own that program end to end and will be judged on whether the mainframe actually goes away. The next CIO will retire a remaining mainframe and COBOL/DB2 estate that still underpins core statewide education operations, stand up a durable cloud and data platform, and scale artificial intelligence in a way that is useful to districts, colleges, and the Department—without compromising student privacy, cybersecurity, or public trust.

The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) has an open position that is responsible for executing the following functions:

• Enterprise modernization and mainframe exit
• Scale artificial intelligence—responsibly and in production
• Data, interoperability, and the K-20 information architecture
• Cybersecurity, privacy, and resilience
• Architecture, platforms, and operations
• Investment, procurement, vendors, and the Legislature
• Organization, talent, and culture
• Statutory and enterprise CIO duties

Knowledge, skills and abilities include strategic clarity, technical judgment, political and legislative fluency, operator's discipline, talent magnet, integrity and candor.

Minimum qualifications include a Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in information systems, computer science, engineering, business, public administration, or a closely related field. Ten or more years of progressive information technology leadership, including at least five years leading a multi-function IT organization (applications, infrastructure or cloud, security, and data) in government, education, or a comparably regulated enterprise. Demonstrated record of delivering at least one large-scale modernization: mainframe or COBOL exit, core system replacement, cloud migration of mission systems, or equivalent transformation with published outcomes. Experience owning an IT budget, vendor portfolio, and legislative or board-level investment case. Working knowledge of cybersecurity and privacy obligations in a public or education setting. Ability to obtain and maintain any access required for State of Florida systems and to work in Tallahassee on a regular cadence.

Florida Department of Education mission statement: Every day the Department of Education works hand in hand with parents, teachers, educators, and community members to improve Florida's education system for students of all backgrounds and abilities. Our site reflects the cooperative relationship and the role that so many Floridians play in ensuring student success. The FDOE's mission for Florida's Early Learning-20 education system is to increase the proficiency of all student within one seamless, efficient system, by allowing them the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills through learning opportunities and research valued students, parents, and communities.