0000007376.ASST DIR, SOFTWARE ENGINEERING.INFO TECH - APPLICATIONS

About the role

Provides strategic and operational leadership across multiple software engineering domains supporting Dallas County’s critical business functions, including Law Enforcement, Justice & Courts, Public Health, Digital Enablement, and Community Services. Leads the architecture, development, modernization, and delivery of enterprise systems and digital solutions aligned with the County’s technology strategy and business outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Translates Dallas County’s business priorities into a cohesive software engineering strategy supporting modernization, AI enablement, and digital transformation.
• Defines and executes multi-year roadmaps for legacy system replacement, cloud migration, and digital platform expansion.
• Parsners with the IT Director, Enterprise Architecture, and Data & AI divisions to shape technology direction and standards.
• Drives adoption of modern application architectures, including microservices, API-first, and composable designs.
• Serves as a technology thought leader—advising County leadership on emerging trends, opportunities, and risks.
• Establishes engineering metrics and success indicators tied to County performance goals and resident outcomes.
• Led cross-functional planning to align projects, staffing, and budgets with strategic priorities.
• Fosters a culture of innovation, agility, and continuous improvement within software delivery teams.
• Oversees full software lifecycle management—requirements, design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance.
• Implements DevSecOps pipelines, automation, and infrastructure-as-code practices to improve speed and reliability.
• Ensures solutions are secure, scalable, and aligned with IT service management (ITIL) and change control standards.
• Directs multiple agile teams to deliver enterprise-grade applications for mission-critical County functions.
• Leads quarterly operational reviews and annual performance assessments for all major systems.
• Incorporates user feedback loops, surveys, and usability testing to enhance digital service quality.
• Reinforces a culture of measurable excellence—turning insights into action for ongoing service improvement.
• Leads, mentors, and develops high-performing engineering teams across multiple technical domains.
• Defines clear roles, responsibilities, and success measures for team members and supervisors.
• Fosters a culture of accountability, collaboration, and knowledge sharing across onshore and offshore teams.
• Promotes continuous learning through professional development, certifications, and emerging technology exposure.
• Builds internal leadership capacity by coaching senior engineers and team leads toward management readiness.
• Implements workforce planning strategies to ensure sufficient coverage for critical County systems.
• Builds strong partnerships with County departments to understand needs, challenges, and service opportunities.
• Translates complex technical concepts into business-relevant terms for executives and department leaders.
• Collaborates with IT peers (Infrastructure, Data & AI, Cybersecurity, Quality Engineering, Strategy & Engagement) to deliver integrated solutions.
• Represents Software Engineering in governance committees, program reviews, and Commissioners Court briefings.
• Ensures timely communication of project milestones, risks, and dependencies across stakeholder groups.
• Champions transparency in priorities, progress, and performance across all projects and initiatives.
• Engages vendors and implementation partners to ensure alignment with County standards and outcomes.
• Serves as a trusted advisor and escalation point for software-related initiatives across all departments.

Qualifications

• Education and experience equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Business Administration, Information Systems, Computer Science, or job-related field of study. Master’s degree preferred.
• Seven (7) years of work-related experience in software engineering, including two (2) years in technical leadership or management roles overseeing enterprise application portfolios.