Technical Operations Director - 60020277

Full Job Description

Technical Operations Director

The Department of Administration's (Admin) Division of Enterprise Applications (DEA) is seeking a Technical Operations Director to join the team.

We are in growth mode, and it is an exciting time to be a contributing member to SC Enterprise Information System (SCEIS)!

SCEIS is the backbone of our business processes and ultimately empowers decision makers to improve government for the citizens.

If you enjoy working at the intersection of people, process, and technology, and are motivated by a fast paced, multi-tasked and transforming environment, then this position could be for you!

In this role you will be accountable for the stability, reliability and controlled evolution of enterprise application platforms, including SAP and integrated systems.

Provide single-point operational leadership across Quality Control, Service Desk and Change Management, ensuring that delivery velocity, system stability and governance controls are balanced and enforced.

Ensure systems are stable, performant, and supportable across production and non-production environments.

• Lead and support staff through coaching, training, and performance development. Streamline workflows while implementing management policies and organizational initiatives. Foster a positive, team focused environment.

Act as a key partner to the Chief Technology Officer and the Division Directors in the agency’s broader transformation initiatives, supporting modernization of systems, processes, and practices.

Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on operational risks, opportunities, and priorities.

Assess current operations and staffing, identify gaps, and implement improvements that increase reliability, responsiveness, and accountability.

• Establish and enforce ITIL-aligned operational governance across Quality Control, Service Desk, Change Management, and Release Management. Define and maintain operational policies, standards, service levels and control point.
• Ensure that operational controls are embedded into Agile and DevOps delivery models and that operational processes are documented, repeatable and audit-ready.

Provide executive oversight of the enterprise quality strategy. Ensure testing, automation and regression coverage are risk-based, repeatable and embedded in release cycles.

Validate that quality metrics are used to block or defer unsafe releases. Ensure production issues are analyzed for root cause, not just resolution.

Oversee the SCEIS Service Desk to ensure consistent intake and triage, SLA adherence and clear escalation paths. Ensure incidents are categorized, tracked and analyzed for trends.

Drive reduction of repeat incidents through Known Error Management, knowledge articles, and problem management coordination.

• Define and report enterprise operational KPIs including system availability, incident trends, support requests, change success rate, defect levels and release quality. Provide executive level dashboards and release go/no-go recommendations. Ensure metrics are used for decision making.

Own and enforce the Change and Release Management framework. Ensure changes are properly assessed for risk, tested and approved, and scheduled and communicated.

Chair or delegate for CAB and release readiness reviews. Balance speed of change with system stability and provide final authority on when and how changes reach production.

Coordinate across functional teams, development teams, architecture, security, infrastructure and Basis and the Program Management Office.

Ensure operational impacts are assessed early in project and product lifecycles. Embed operational readiness into design reviews, project plans and cutover activities.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree in a related field and at least five (5) years managing IT Operations using ITIL-based Service Management practices. Relevant experience may substitute for the bachelor's degree on a year for year basis.
Additional Requirements:
• Ability to effectively lead and oversee IT operational functions and ensure ITIL-based processes are adopted and managed through a continual improvement model.
• Ability to assess current operations, identify gaps, and implement improvements that increase reliability, responsiveness, and accountability.
• Ability to define and driver performance measurement, reporting, and continual improvement in service quality.
• Knowledge of work management related tools such as Azure DevOps (or similar), Confluence, Smartsheet.
• Demonstrated skill in collaboration throughout an organization.
• Knowledge of Agile Scrum principles and practices.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills and outstanding communication.
• Deep experience in IT service delivery, organizational change, and optimizing modern and legacy environments.
• Adept at implementing accountability structures, improving service quality, and aligning operations with modern IT practices.
• Experience managing ERP software upgrade or implementations, preferably SAP.
• Position may be required to report to work during emergency situations.
• Position may require employee to work evenings and weekends.
Applicants indicating college credit or degree(s) on the application may bring a copy of college transcript to the interview. A copy of the transcript may also be uploaded as an attachment to the application, if required by the hiring department or if desired by the applicant. Please note that some areas of the Department may require an official, certified copy of the transcript prior to hiring or within a specific timeframe required by that area, after hiring. Failure to produce an official, certified transcript may result in not being hired or termination.

Additional Information

The Department of Administration is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions including, but not limited, to lactation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.

Supplemental questions are considered part of your official application. Any misrepresentation will result in your disqualification from employment.

Please complete the state application to include all current and previous work history and education.

A resume will not be accepted nor reviewed to determine if an applicant has met the qualifications for the position.

The South Carolina Department of Administration offers an exceptional benefits package for full time (FTE) employees:

• Health, dental, vision, long-term disability, and life insurance for employees, spouse, and children. Click here for additional information.
• 15 days annual (vacation) leave per year
• 15 days sick leave per year
• 13 paid holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• S.C. Deferred Compensation Program available (S.C. Deferred Compensation)
• Retirement benefit choices *
  • State Retirement Plan (SCRS)
  • State Optional Retirement Program (State ORP)
*Enrollment in one of the listed plans is required for all FTE employees; please refer to the contribution section of hyperlinked retirement sites for the current contribution rate of gross pay.