Chief Information Officer

Responsibility: Oversees technology vendors, contractors, consultants, and major technology initiatives. Direct staff supervision may be assigned as the County’s organizational needs evolve.

General Purpose

The Chief Information Officer serves as Halifax County’s senior technology executive and principal advisor to the County Administrator on information technology strategy, enterprise systems, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and long-term technology investments.

This progressive, forward-thinking position leads the County’s transition from a primarily support-based technology model to a coordinated enterprise approach that aligns technology with operational priorities, fiscal stewardship, risk management, and improved public service. The CIO establishes Countywide technology priorities, standards, and accountability while overseeing contracted providers responsible for routine technical services.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The following duties are representative of the position and are not intended to be all-inclusive:

• Develops, implements, and periodically updates the County’s Five-Year Information Technology Strategy and supporting technology roadmap.

• Advises the County Administrator, Board of Supervisors, department heads, and constitutional officers regarding technology opportunities, investments, risks, and priorities.

• Serves as the County’s executive owner and primary relationship manager for Tyler Munis/Enterprise ERP and related applications.

• Leads efforts to improve ERP utilization, reporting, system integration, workflow automation, data integrity, employee training, and return on investment.

• Coordinates ERP priorities among Finance, Budget, Purchasing, Human Resources, Payroll, the Treasurer, the Commissioner of the Revenue, County departments, and participating offices.

• Oversees technology vendors, contractors, consultants, telecommunications providers, cybersecurity providers, and managed-service relationships.

• Establishes vendor performance standards, service levels, escalation procedures, security expectations, and measurable deliverables.

• Monitors vendor performance, system availability, recurring service issues, contract compliance, costs, and customer satisfaction.

• Develops and maintains standard operating procedures for technology services, including device management, identity and access management, cybersecurity, infrastructure operations, change management, project management, disaster recovery, compliance, and physical technology security.

• Develops the County’s annual information technology operating and capital budget recommendations and maintains a rolling five-year technology financial plan.

• Identifies technology costs across departmental budgets and recommends opportunities to consolidate contracts, eliminate unnecessary applications, and improve cost effectiveness.

• Establishes replacement schedules and lifecycle standards for computers, mobile devices, servers, networks, telecommunications systems, and related technology.

• Leads Countywide business-process improvement, workflow automation, digital-service expansion, and paper-reduction initiatives.

• Establishes and facilitates an Information Technology Steering Committee or comparable governance structure.

• Develops enterprise standards for software, hardware, cybersecurity, system integration, data management, procurement, lifecycle management, and project oversight.

• Coordinates technology planning and shared-service opportunities with constitutional officers while respecting their independent statutory authority.

• Establishes cybersecurity policies, priorities, controls, and risk-management practices.

• Coordinates security assessments, audits, vulnerability reviews, penetration testing, incident response, and remediation planning.

• Develops and maintains the technology components of the County’s Continuity of Operations and disaster-recovery plans.

• Coordinates backup validation, recovery testing, emergency communications, restoration priorities, and continuity exercises with contracted providers and County leadership.

• Provides executive leadership for records digitization and electronic information management in accordance with applicable Library of Virginia requirements.

• Establishes standards for scanning, indexing, storage, retrieval, security, retention, disposition, and electronic-record accessibility.

• Develops responsible-use standards for artificial intelligence and evaluates emerging technologies based on business needs, risks, costs, and measurable benefits.

• Leads the expansion of accessible online services, electronic payments, forms, applications, notifications, status tracking, and other digital-government services.

• Communicates technology strategy, project progress, vendor performance, risks, costs, and results in clear, nontechnical language.

• Develops training, communication, and change-management strategies that promote successful adoption of new systems and processes.

• Identifies and pursues appropriate grant opportunities supporting cybersecurity, digital government, records modernization, emergency preparedness, and infrastructure.

• Performs other related duties as assigned., The position performs executive, professional, analytical, and administrative work requiring regular interaction with County leadership, departments, constitutional offices, vendors, contractors, and governmental agencies.

The CIO must be available outside normal working hours when necessary to provide executive coordination during cybersecurity incidents, system outages, severe weather, disaster-recovery events, facility closures, or other emergencies affecting County technology operations.

Evaluation

Performance will be evaluated based on successful implementation of the County’s technology strategy; improved ERP utilization; effective vendor and budget management; reduced cybersecurity and continuity risks; progress in automation, records digitization, and digital services; and the measurable value produced by County technology investments.

• Comprehensive knowledge of enterprise information technology strategy, governance, cybersecurity, budgeting, and risk management.

• Strong understanding of ERP systems, business-process improvement, digital transformation, workflow automation, cloud services, system integration, and data management.

• Knowledge of governmental finance, budgeting, procurement, payroll, human resources, and related administrative functions.

• Ability to optimize existing technology investments before recommending additional systems.

• Ability to manage vendors, contracts, service-level agreements, and managed-service providers effectively.

• Ability to prepare operating and capital budgets and conduct total-cost-of-ownership analyses.

• Strong project and program management skills.

• Ability to translate organizational needs into practical, secure, cost-effective, and sustainable technology solutions.

• Ability to communicate complex technology matters effectively to elected officials, executives, employees, vendors, and nontechnical stakeholders.

• Ability to build productive relationships across departments, independently managed offices, and external organizations.

• Strong analytical, organizational, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to exercise independent judgment, maintain confidentiality, and manage competing priorities.

• Commitment to innovation, fiscal stewardship, accountability, and responsive public service.

Education and Experience

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in information technology, management information systems, computer science, or a closely related field.

• Seven or more years of progressively responsible professional experience in enterprise information technology, ERP systems, technology management, digital transformation, business systems, or a related field.

• Demonstrated experience leading major enterprise technology projects.

• Experience managing vendors, contracts, budgets, or managed-service relationships.

• Experience developing or implementing an organizational technology strategy.

An equivalent combination of education, training, professional experience, and demonstrated competencies may be considered.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Tyler Munis/Enterprise ERP or a comparable public-sector ERP platform.

• Experience optimizing an existing ERP environment.

• Experience with local government, public-sector finance, payroll, purchasing, budgeting, or administrative systems.

• Experience working in an outsourced or managed-services technology environment.

• Experience developing multi-year technology operating and capital budgets.

• Experience with workflow automation, records digitization, electronic document management, cybersecurity governance, and digital-government services.

• Familiarity with Virginia local government operations and requirements.

• Professional certification such as Certified Government Chief Information Officer, Project Management Professional, Certified Information Security Manager, Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Information Technology Infrastructure Library, or a comparable credential.

Physical Requirements

Work is primarily performed in an office environment and requires the ability to:

• Communicate effectively in person, in writing, by telephone, and through electronic platforms.

• Review and prepare detailed reports, budgets, contracts, policies, and technical materials.

• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Relocation assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance