Special Assistant/Digital Transformation Architect - Vacancy ID #220132

Duties Description The Digital Transformation Architect will assist in modernizing our technological ecosystem and service delivery platforms. This role is critical in driving innovation, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing citizen engagement through technology. The ideal candidate will also bring strong project management and software development lifecycle expertise to oversee complex transformation initiatives from planning through implementation and testing. This includes the development and evaluation of Requests for Proposals (RFPs)., The Digital Transformation Architect duties in the Division of Agency Transformation & External Affairs will include but are not limited to the following:

• Design, document, and implement enterprise-wide digital transformation strategies aligned with agency goals. Develop and track key performance indicators and success metrics to evaluate the impact of digital initiatives.
• Manage digital modernization projects, policy alignment, data harmonization, and application rationalization within scope, cost, and time constraints.
• Oversee the evolution of interdependent systems, applications, and digital services in step with the continuous improvement of agency operations they support.
• Integrate Software Development Lifecycle best practices into all phases of solution development, from requirements gathering to deployment and maintenance.
• Define, develop, and implement testing strategies to ensure system reliability, performance, and compliance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to gather requirements and deliver solutions.
• Ensure compliance with federal and state cybersecurity and data governance standards.
• Coordinate vendor activities with the Office of Information Technology Services to assure proper engineering consultation, cybersecurity review/policy adherence, system/application testing, and deployment.
• Develop and manage project plans, track milestones, report progress to stakeholders, and provide situational awareness via the project portfolio management dashboard.
• Prepare and facilitate project meetings, working sessions, and stakeholder briefings. Report project status, risks, and outcomes to executive sponsors and senior leadership. Identify, document, and mitigate project risks and dependencies.
• Work with the Department's offices, divisions, and units to develop information technology-related Requests for Proposal and other contractual documents that engage vendors. Participate in vendor selection and contract negotiations.
• Where necessary, recommend alternatives to the Director and Deputy Director when vendors are not meeting expected deliveries and projects slip off agreed-upon timelines.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior Business System Analysts and Project Managers.
• Facilitate architectural reviews and contribute to the development of best practices. Stay informed about emerging technologies and assess their applicability to NYSDOS operations

Minimum Qualifications The minimum qualifications for appointment are: a Bachelor's degree and four years of relevant professional experience. Two of those years must have been in a supervisory capacity over professional staff.

Substitutions: Four years of specialized experience or an associate's degree and two years of specialized experience may substitute for a bachelor's degree.

J.D. or master's degree may substitute for one year of specialized experience Ph.D. may substitute for two years of specialized experience.

Specialized experience includes experience in a combination of the following:

• Managing information technology vendors and contracts.
• Analyzing business policies and processes.
• Supervising IT projects, resources, including budgeting/contract payments., Ten years of experience in the areas of specialized experience listed above, including, but not limited to:
• Strong understanding of accessibility standards, open data principles, and digital equity considerations.
• Strong understanding of software development lifecycle, Agile, LEAN, Scrum, Kanban, Waterfall, and hybrid delivery methodologies, including structured testing methodologies.
• Experience in service design, user experience, customer experience , and/or human-centered design methodologies.
• Knowledge of AI, automation, and intelligent work management solutions.
• Experience establishing a Transformation Center of Excellence or improving Project Management Office maturity.
• Experience developing and managing performance dashboards and analytics tools such as Tableau, SAS Visual Analytics, Business Intelligence, or SAS Viya.
• Experience implementing enterprise risk management practices.
• Experience implementing performance-based contracts, including developing and monitoring quality assurance surveillance plans as defined in FAR 37.6 or comparable agile procurement/oversight practices.
• Experience developing business cases, cost-benefit analyses, and return-on-investment models AWS Solutions Architect or Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect certification.
• Experience implementing performance-based contracts, including developing and monitoring quality assurance surveillance plans as defined in FAR 37.6 or comparable agile procurement/oversight practices.
• Experience using LEAN, Agile, and other modern project delivery methodologies to streamline processes and improve outcomes.