Chief Information Officer (CIO) Olympia

Full Job Description

Job Title: Chief Information Officer (CIO) Olympia
Agency: Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF)
Location: Olympia, Washington - This hybrid role combines remote work with an expectation of regular in-person engagement to support leadership collaboration, key meetings, and other organizational needs.
Reports To: Chief Administrative Officer

At DCYF, our technology and data capabilities are essential to advancing our mission: to work alongside Washington’s vulnerable children, youth, and families to foster safety, stability, and better outcomes by strengthening opportunities, connections, and community.

We are seeking a visionary, values-driven Chief Information Officer (CIO) to help lead this mission through secure, modern, and human-centered technology.

This is a rare opportunity to shape the digital future of a large, complex agency by advancing an enterprise technology strategy grounded in equity, reliability, and innovation.

As a core member of the agency’s leadership team, the CIO will influence how systems, data, and digital tools enable thousands of employees and partners to deliver meaningful services.

If you are inspired by building technology ecosystems that are resilient, integrated, and responsive to community needs, this role offers both significant responsibility and the opportunity for lasting impact.

Some of what you will get to do:

The CIO plays a crucial strategic and operational role in managing the agency's Information Technology (IT) and digital transformation efforts.

The CIO works closely with the Department's executives and staff in developing and executing a comprehensive IT strategy aligned with the Department’s overall mission and goals with a focus on measurable results and accountability.

The CIO collaborates with business partners to understand divisional goals, aligning technology initiatives with strategic objectives, and ensuring seamless delivery and operation of systems and support services.

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Provide vision, establish common goals, build consensus, actively listen, and motivate large groups to achieve objectives; develop and implement IT Strategy and overall roadmap aligned with DCYF’s mission, goals and federal/state regulation.

• Proactively collaborate with agency leaders to understand business needs and translate them into technology solutions. Anticipate and adjust an IT portfolio to directly support the agency’s needs and mission.

IT Operations & Service Delivery

• Lead all aspects of the IT Division including the operation of IT systems, networks, cloud services, AI strategy, help desk and enterprise applications to ensure reliability, security, and support of the Department's mission, goals, and objectives.

• Plan and communicate agency-wide software updates, patch management, and hardware lifecycle planning to minimize operational disruptions and maintain system integrity. Ensure IT system development lifecycle management is applied.

• Ensure the successful development, deployment, and maintenance of both consumer off-the-shelf solutions and software developed in-house.

Cybersecurity, Risk & Governance

• Oversee development and implementation of IT policies, standards, procedures and governance frameworks, as well as cybersecurity and disaster management plans, policies and protocols.

Financial Management, Budget & Procurement

• Draft, review and approve fund requests and supply explanatory materials in collaboration with agency leaders; ensure necessary consultations and notification of all relevant parties occurs.

• Maintain the IT budget, procurement and contracts; oversee vendor performance.

Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborate with other government agencies, private sector partners, non-profits and key contributors; participate in cross-agency IT initiatives including federal/state digital innovation efforts.

• Advocate, advise, strategize, negotiate, listen and collaborate with a variety of individuals and groups internal and external to the agency; facilitate meaningful communication with non-technical policy makers and stakeholders.

Required Education, Experience, and Competencies:

• Fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible and multi-dimensional experience in managing people and programs within information technologies.

Required Competencies:

• Models and champions our culture and values: Demonstrated abilities to earn the trust, respect and confidence of colleagues, employees, partners, and customers through honesty, integrity, and professionalism in all interactions.

• Cultivates a Shared Strategic Vision: Describes an inspiring, long-term vision with deep meaning for the organization or team.

• Develops People: Brings great people with the right skills and the right motivation into the organization and enables them to do their best work every day.

• Drives Results: Creates and nurtures a performance-based culture of continuous improvement. Is passionate about data informed decision-making, scientific problem solving, customer responsiveness and satisfaction, and maximizing resources across the organization.

• Fosters Learning: Fosters a climate that supports creativity, innovation and hypothesis testing. Supports and invests in employee learning and development.

• Builds Relationships: Builds and maintains internal and external relationships that creates positive customer satisfaction with the services offered by the Department.

• Conveys clear, timely and persuasive messages that positively influence the thoughts and actions of others.

Embraces inclusivity and transparency in decision making.

Actively contributes to a work environment that embraces building and sustaining relationships and partnerships with key contributors, recognizing the value of culture, ethnicity, gender and other individual differences, to enhance the attainment of department goals.

• Leads and Navigates Change: Navigates the organization through complex and changing environments and engages staff to seek creative solutions and drive change. Attends to the human side of change.

• Embraces and Embeds Inclusion in Decision-making: Reaches out to leverage diverse points of view, talents and capabilities. Accountable for the impacts of their approach, decisions and actions on themselves, coworkers, stakeholders and those we serve.

• Accepts responsibility for the quality and timeliness of the IT Division’s work.

• Fosters teamwork and collaboration while developing people. Builds trusting cooperative relationships and meaningful connections. Understands/builds networks and collaboration.
  
  

Preferred/Desired Education, Experience, and Competencies:

• Previous experience in an Executive Leadership position within a State Agencies IT Department.

• Previous experience developing and implementing IT policies, standards and procedures.

• Previous experience identifying legal requirements and government reporting regulations affecting IT functions.

• Previous experience ensuring IT policies, procedures, and reporting is compliant.

This position is a member of the DCYF Leadership Table (LT), providing strategic leadership and direction for the agency. As a member of the LT, we commit to living into the agreements below.

We demonstrate this by intentionally practicing them every day and by supporting each other and holding each other to account for including them in our work.

• Hold ourselves to the highest standards and embrace our Mission, Vision and Values, our Operating Principles, and agency policies.
• Model the behavior we want to see in others.
• Serve as subject matter experts, and approach decisions wearing our “Agency Hat,” in addition to our “Division Hat.”
• Collaborate and partner to make better decisions together.
• Own and speak with one voice on our collective decisions and directives, even when those decisions are not unanimous.
• Invest in each other's success; give constructive feedback, back each other up, and challenge each other to be our best.
• Communicate effectively with our staff and our community partners to help move our teams, our work and our agency forward.
• Foster and sustain strong external community partner relationships and ongoing engagement.
• Recognize the importance of succession planning; Develop upcoming leaders, including identifying a “trusted second,” and promote leadership qualities across our teams.

How do I apply?

Complete your applicant profile on careers.wa.gov and attach the following documents:

• Current resume detailing experience and education.
• Letter of Interest.

Supplemental Information:
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is committed to Washington’s children and youth growing up safe, healthy, and thriving. We invite all candidates to join us in our mission to create a diverse and equitable workplace that reflects the communities we serve. If you are excited about this role but you believe that your education and/or experience might not align perfectly with every qualification in the job posting, we encourage you to apply anyway.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability.

This position is exempt from Washington’s civil service rules. Exempt employment is considered “at will,” and there are no contractual employment rights.

Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.

If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment or if you would like to request an accommodation throughout the application/interview process, contact Steven Loduha (Talent Acquisition Manager) at steven.loduha@dcyf.wa.gov

If you're experiencing technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, call NEOGOV toll-free at (855)524-5627 or email support@neogov.com.

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may call the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 360-664-1960.