Director of Application Services

The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Bureau of Enterprise Systems and Technology's (BEST) Office of the Chief Information Officer is seeking a Director of Application Services (IT Manager 4). Working with the CIO, the Director will be responsible for the delivery, management, and implementation of Applications and Business Reporting solutions that support State of Connecticut's citizens, businesses and internal state agency partners. Your dedication will be integral in building our culture of innovation and engagement, focusing on strengthening the State of Connecticut as the IT employer of choice.

As a member of the IT Executive Leadership Team, the Director holds a critical and influential role, making investment and priority trade-off decisions, negotiating and handling vendor contracts, and recruiting and developing high performing teams. The Director will provide vision and leadership to a team that includes Identity and Access Management, Application Development, Application System Administrators and Program Management.

All applicants must include a resume within the "Resume Tab" of their application. (Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: performance reviews, attendance, supervisory references, college transcripts, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.

Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Theresa Judge at Theresa.Judge@ct.gov, (860) 713-5319.

Within the Department of Administrative Services, Bureau of Enterprise Systems and Technology and Centers of Information Technology Excellence, these classes are accountable for the management and direction of information systems, applications development, management and implementation of complex information technology projects implementing business and technical requirements into architectural blueprints, maintenance, computer operations and similar information technology functions including technical and support staff.

Within a state agency information technology division, these classes are accountable for the management and direction of information systems, applications development, systems maintenance, and similar information technology functions as well as technical and support staff.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading and inspiring the application development and business reporting team in all aspects of application development and business reporting delivery across business capabilities involving Human Resources, Finance, Procurement, Collections, Fleet Management, License and Permitting, Learning Management and Enterprise Content Management;
  
• Engaging agency partners through understanding their business challenges and providing technological solutions to improve operations;
  
• Working with agency partners to develop training and deployment plans aimed at improving both user adoption and realization of business benefits.
  
• Initiating, planning, scheduling and managing multiple high priority projects and programs;
  
• Developing and leading a collaborative and iterative software development approach that improves velocity, while ensuring quality and scalability;
  
• Driving cultural change to enable a continuous delivery model that cultivates focus on automation of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC);
  
• Developing a strong customer service mind-set throughout the application development team, while championing thought leadership and partnership with the agency partners.
  
• Building and maintaining Program Roadmaps for capital funded projects and programs in support of enterprise functions.
  
• Seeking out, validating, and bringing to the technology organization creative industry optimal standard practices and ideas with a particular emphasis on application development methodologies;
  
• Identifying emerging technology trends, especially in the area of Software as a service (Saas) and cloud computing to include API, robotic process automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning and other digital technologies
  
• Ensuring the state is leveraging them when appropriate to improve efficiency, lower expenditure, and drive value;
  
• Ensuring application development initiatives are delivered meeting expectations on functionality, timeliness, and cost.
  
• Developing, implementing and monitoring software development policies and controls to ensure data accuracy, security, legal and regulatory compliance.
  
• Preparing software development status reports keeping management and partners informed of project status and related issues.
  
• Manage application vendor relationships and negotiating contracts to procure resources and technology solutions to meet the company's strategic objectives.
  
• Recruitment, development and retention of a high caliber software development talent, especially for key leadership positions for succession planning.
  
• Implementing and championing a robust professional development program, to continuously upskill team members to keep them current.
  
• Evaluating team member's performance, providing candid feedback and high impact coaching that enables and motivates them to achieve departmental as well as enterprise goals.

· Plan and Deploy for Business Results, which includes the ability to develop and implement business plans, IT plans, budget plans, and human resource plans in order to maximize budget allocations, technology, personnel and other resources to achieve agency and program goals.

· Lead Change, which includes innovation, the ability to be a creative problem solver and a strategic thinker, and the ability to recognize and develop opportunities to grow and develop information technology services in response to customers and a changing work environment

· Focus on Results and Quality, including exercising and promoting accountability, and the ability to analyze surveys, financial and other data, and use strategic planning and performance measurement techniques to continuously improve performance and maintain competitiveness

· Understand Customers and Markets, which includes the ability to establish customer satisfaction and loyalty, forecast and conduct market analyses, keep ahead of industry trends and incorporate “best practices” into information technology operations.

· Lead People, including the ability to resolve conflict, communicate effectively, coach and train employees, recognize performance, and foster diversity and teamwork.

· Build Coalitions, including the ability to explain and advocate facts and ideas in a convincing manner, to negotiate with individuals and groups internally and externally, to gain cooperation from others, and to identify the internal and external politics that impact the work of the organization.

· Business Knowledge, including knowledge of the technical, professional, procedural and legal requirements of the specific information technology area.

Ten (10) years of experience in computer or network administration, architecture, operations, production control, systems development, information technology analysis and planning.

Three (3) years of the General Experience must have been in a managerial capacity.

Note: For State Employees, this is interpreted to be at the level of an Information Technology Manager 2.

1. College training in computer science, management information systems or a closely related field may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor’s Degree.

2. A Master’s Degree in computer science, management information systems or a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

The successful candidate will possess:

• Experience with Customer Relationship Management;
  
• Experience with Case Management;
  
• Experience with Enterprise Performance Management (EPM);
  
• Experience with Human Capital Management (HCM);
  
• Experience implementing emerging trends and developments in digital technologies.
  

Preferred Education:

• Masters of Science or Masters of Business Administration or related advanced degree is preferred

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.