GIS Technical Advisor

Full Job Description

Tacoma Power is seeking an experienced GIS Technical Advisor to lead the development, implementation, and ongoing evolution of the Transmission & Distribution (T&D) GIS digital twin.

This position plays a critical leadership role in ensuring that GIS accurately represents Tacoma Power’s electrical power system and meets the operational, engineering, and strategic needs of over 200 GIS users.The GIS Technical Advisor serves as the T&D GIS Product Owner and operates within an Agile development framework and serves as the primary decision-maker for GIS product direction.

Leveraging advanced electrical power system knowledge and GIS mapping expertise, this role translates business and operational needs into actionable user stories, prioritizes work, guides development teams, and ensures high-quality, value-driven outcomes.

This position is the public-facing leader of the GIS program and a trusted advisor to stakeholders, subject matter experts (SMEs), and executive leadership.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Serve as the Product Owner and GIS Technical Advisor for Tacoma Power’s Transmission & Distribution GIS system, providing advanced electrical power system expertise to guide mapping and digital twin development.
• Utilizing the deep technical understand of an electrical distribution system to manage the product backlog, including prioritization, sequencing, and scoping of user stories and work items to maximize business value.
• Translate stakeholder and operational needs into clear user stories and acceptance criteria, ensuring alignment with T&D business processes and GIS standards.
• Lead Sprint Planning (every three weeks) and Program Increment (PI) Planning (every ten to twelve weeks), guiding teams on scope, sizing, dependencies, and commitments.
• Make independent product and scoping decisions, including veto authority for work not aligned with business or program objectives.
• Coordinate and provide work direction to Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) for requirements development, testing, training, and consultation.
• Set and uphold product quality standards, providing feedback to development teams and ensuring deliverables meet functional, operational, and mapping requirements.
• Oversee functional, integration, and user acceptance testing; determine readiness for release and when rework is required.
• Lead stakeholder engagement and organizational change management activities, including regular communication with T&D leadership and monthly updates to the GIS Steering Committee.
• Determine release timing and prioritize defect resolution and support issues; provide guidance during operational impacts or GIS-related emergencies.

Requirements

Minimum Education*
Bachelor's degree public or business administration, information technology or directly related field

Minimum Experience*
4 years of progressively responsible analytical and/or functional analyst, user support or database maintenance work in area related to assignment

*Relevant education and experience may substitute for one another on a year-for-year basis.

Additional Information

Successful candidates will be required to be in the office three days a week and live within 2 hours of the Tacoma Public Utilities campus.

City of Tacoma Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

At the City of Tacoma, we're on a mission to make our workforce as diverse and inclusive as the community we serve.

We're committed to eliminating racial and other disparities, and we actively seek out candidates from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures.

Join our team at the City of Tacoma and help us build a more vibrant, inclusive, and equitable community for all.

The City of Tacoma believes that diversity of thought, background, and experience contributes to our success and innovation.

If you’re passionate about this role and our mission, we encourage you to apply. If you have a less traditional background, we want to hear about your transferrable skills and experience.

We value a variety of perspectives and are excited to see what you bring to the table.

Apply

Interested individuals should apply online by completing the application and attaching a resume and cover letter by the closing date and time listed on the job announcement. Applications received without attaching the required materials may not progress in the selection process.

Compensation & Benefits
Pay Details:
Hourly Rate: $50.79- $71.51
Annual Salary: $105,643.20- $148,740.80

Employee Benefits | City of Tacoma

Get Assistance

For assistance with the application process or questions regarding this job announcement please contact the Human Resources office at (253) 591-5400 by 4:00 p.m. of the closing date of the job announcement.

For technical difficulties using the NEOGOV system, call the applicant support line at 1-855-524-5627 between 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. This will allow us to assist you before the job announcement closes.

Communication with the City of Tacoma

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