Recruitment begins for the next state’s CIO and director of the technical department

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This story is limited to Techwire Insider members.

This story is limited to Techwire Insider members. Log in below to read this story or learn about membership. Hiring has opened for a new state chief information officer and director of the California Department of Technology (CDT).

Amy Tong, who has held that position for more than five years, will leave CDT at the end of the month and move to the Office of Digital Innovation (ODI), where she will be the director. ODI, like CDT, is part of the California Government Operations Agency (GovOps).

“California is looking for a technology leader to bring CDT and the state into a future where technology is used as a strategic asset,” the job announcement says. “The state CIO is responsible for creating the California statewide technology plan and will lead the overall effort to transform the way we think and use technology across the government.”

The position is critical, as the department works across the state government in the areas of technology procurement, cybersecurity, digital transformation, project management, and career development.

The state CIO reports to the secretary of GovOps, who oversees the technology, procurement and hiring entities for the state along with 11 other departments and programs.

“GovOps is looking for a reform leader to manage the department’s operations and help in the overall effort to transform state government operations,” the post says.

CDT Deputy Chief Director, Deputy CIO of state Russ Nichols, will act as state CIO after Tong, 48, leaves office on December 31. Nichols, like Tong, is a veteran of the state service. Before assuming his current role at CDT, he was the agency’s information officer for the California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation.

As the state’s CIO, Tong oversaw some significant changes in the state’s technology apparatus, including moving to a more iterative, agile development methodology where products are released in smaller chunks. It is a departure from the traditional “waterfall” method, in which a project was developed and then implemented as a whole.

The new state CIO will take over a department with new leaders in key roles. State Chief Technology Innovation Officer Rick Klau, head of the Office of Enterprise Technology (OET), was appointed to that role in February and brought two key deputies into the OET: Jeff Barrett, the new head of state for transformation. and digital stabilization; and Gregory Fair, the state’s new head of digital identity.

Under Tong’s administration, the state has also expanded its professional development opportunities under the Professional Development Office (OPD). Brenda Bridges Cruz, the director of the OPD, has added new avenues of advancement. The OPD now offers academies focused on leadership, emerging leaders, project management, digital service innovation, and cybersecurity.

Overall, the job announcement notes, “CDT has broad responsibility and authority over all aspects of technology operations across California,” with approximately 900 employees and a total annual budget of more than $ 3.7 billion.

The post details desirable traits for the new state CIO, including:

Leadership: A strong attachment to collaboration and transparency in developing a statewide vision of technology. The state CIO must see their role as enabling others to achieve strategic goals. Management: a focus on organizational management and staff development to reach their potential. Work experience in a large organization is essential. Modernization – Experience working with legacy technologies and large-scale modernization operations. Service Delivery: dedication to providing services at the highest level. This includes the emergence of opportunities to create and deliver the next generation of government services, to both internal and external customers. Governance and Supervision: A practical understanding of how to leverage governance and supervision to add value and mature overall operations. In addition to GovOps and ODI, the technology department and its leader work closely with CalData and State Chief Data Officer Joy Bonaguro; the Department of General Services, the state’s main business agent; CalHR, which manages human resources for the state; and the Department of Finance.

The state CIO position has a monthly salary range of $ 15,015 to $ 17,233.

Dennis Noone is chief editor of Techwire. He is a career reporter, having worked as a reporter and editor for small-town newspapers and major metropolitan newspapers in California, Nevada, Texas, and Virginia, including as an editor with USA Today in Washington, DC. He lives in the foothills of Northern California.

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