Associate Chief Information Officer

About the role

The County of Santa Clara is seeking an Associate Chief Information Officer (CIO) to lead the future of Countywide IT. This role will drive modernized operations, service excellence, and technology strategies that meet the evolving needs of a large, complex government organization.

Responsibilities

• Lead and evolve high-performing technical or non-technical IT functions to deliver exceptional services, customer satisfaction, and enterprise value.
• Partner with the Chief Information Officer to ensure County IT operates with best-in-class standards, policies, processes, and governance.
• Guide large, cross-functional teams responsible for shared IT operations across the County, driving strategy, performance, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee enterprise technology strategy, shared services operations, and IT business functions to improve efficiency, reliability, and customer satisfaction.
• Ensure reliable delivery of infrastructure operations, customer support, system administration, and high-availability services.
• Advance IT Business Management, cost optimization, performance metrics, and service-level achievement.
• Facilitate communication and alignment across departments, IT groups, and business stakeholders.
• Support enterprise decision-making using data-driven insights and technical expertise.

Requirements

Required:

• Demonstrated success leading large, complex IT organizations with multiple cross-functional teams.
• Expertise in enterprise technology operations, strategy, governance, and service delivery.
• Strong leadership presence and ability to collaborate across diverse stakeholders and executive teams.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technology into business-focused concepts.
• Deep understanding of modern IT practices, emerging technologies, and industry trends.
• Commitment to innovation, customer service, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Administration or a closely related field.
• At least ten (10) to fifteen (15) years of increasingly responsible senior management experience in the information technology and business industry.
• At least five (5) years of which must be concentrated in managing multiple, large, cross functional teams or projects.
• Extensive experience in managing the technical and/or non-technical services of a complex organization similar to the County of Santa Clara, either public or private.

Skills

Essential:

• Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Collaborative leadership and team management.
• Technical acumen and IT industry knowledge.
• Customer-centric approach and service orientation.
• Ability to communicate complex ideas effectively.

Benefits

The County offers competitive benefits including:

• CalPERS pension with reciprocity across most California public agencies.
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan with both pre-tax and Roth options.
• $325,000 in term life insurance plus $300,000 in accidental death and disability coverage.
• Premium health insurance options (Kaiser, HealthNet, Valley Health Plan).
• Fully covered dental and vision plans.
• Employee Assistance Program, Dependent Care Assistance, and Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Tuition reimbursement and internal executive development programs.

Pay

The salary range for this position is $200,000 - $250,000 annually, commensurate with experience.

Schedule

This is a full-time position with standard work hours.