Position: Director of Information Technology
FLSA: Exempt
Department/Site: Information Technology Department
Salary Grade: 130
Union: Non-Represented
Position Summary
Under general direction, the Director of Information Technology provides strategic and operational leadership for the City’s core technology infrastructure. The position ensures foundational IT services are reliable, secure, cost-effective, resilient, and aligned with the City’s mission and strategic priorities. This role defines and executes the City’s IT infrastructure strategy, drives modernization of enterprise architecture, and ensures the City departments receive high-quality, responsive, and innovative technology support. The Director serves as a key technology leader in a Mayor-Council form of government, contributing to digital transformation initiatives and institution-wide planning efforts. This position reports directly to the City Administrator.
Level of Authority
This position operates with broad professional independence within City policies and administrative direction. The Director serves as a senior member of a high-performing team of IT professionals, leading communications and IT infrastructure operations and collaborating closely with City leadership, Department Directors, elected officials and external partners. The position makes expert recommendations on enterprise infrastructure decisions, participates in IT governance, and exercises substantial judgment in managing technology risk, continuity, and investment planning.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Other duties may be assigned as needed.
1. Define and execute the City’s infrastructure strategy in support of the City’s mission and strategic plan ensuring security, resilience, performance, and cost-effectiveness.
2. Drive the evolution of a modern infrastructure architecture leveraging on-premises, cloud, hybrid, and managed services models to enhance agility and reliability.
3. Define, recommend, and advance infrastructure goals and objectives that align with City Council directives, organizational priorities, and all applicable laws and regulations. Lead the development, implementation, and operational frameworks that drive compliance, resiliency, and excellence in Citywide technology service delivery.
4. Translate City needs into infrastructure roadmaps, standards, and reference architectures, collaborating with enterprise applications teams, departmental technologies, and secure access strategies.
5. Provide strategic leadership for network, systems, cloud services, storage, servers, identity and access, telecommunications, cybersecurity controls and data center operation.
6. Provide vital oversight of the department's annual budget, ensuring resources are effectively aligned with City priorities and infrastructure objectives. Safeguard all financial assets, technology investments, and physical resources through sound stewardship, long-range planning, and disciplined operational management.
7. Ensure business continuity through disaster recovery planning, cybersecurity best practices, and operational risk management.
8. Oversee the full lifecycle management of infrastructure services, including planning, implementation, maintenance, upgrades, and decommissioning.
9. Manage high-impact infrastructure projects and portfolios, ensuring successful delivery, risk mitigation, and alignment with Citywide priorities.
Partner closely with City stakeholders to understand departmental needs and ensure infrastructure services effectively support operations, public services, and institutional values.
10. Develop, maintain, and enforce infrastructure standards, policies, and procedures to promote consistency, maintainability, and compliance across all City systems.
11. Participate in IT governance processes and committees, providing expert input on infrastructure impacts, risks, opportunities, and course of action.
12. Communicate complex technical concepts in clear, accessible language appropriate for non-technical stakeholders, elected officials, committees, and governance bodies.
13. Lead, supervise, and mentor technical staff; promote a strong customer service ethic, and hold team members accountable for performance excellence.
14. Foster collaborative relationships, demonstrating outstanding interpersonal and consensus-building skills with individuals and groups at all levels of the City.
15. Operate effectively as both a big-picture-thinker and hands-on technical contributor depending on the situation, criticality, or complexity of tasks.
16. Manage multiple concurrent initiatives in a fast-paced environment; demonstrate exceptional organization, flexibility, prioritization, and attention to detail.
17. Promote innovative thinking, intellectual curiosity, and cross-functional partnership throughout the City’s technology ecosystem.
18. Provide expert guidance on technology procurement, contract negotiation, resource planning, and vendor management for infrastructure solutions.
Qualifications
Knowledge and Skills
· Comprehensive understanding of enterprise infrastructure domains, including networking, systems, cloud services, identity and access management, security controls, virtualization, storage and data center operations in a public sector environment.
· Strong knowledge of modern infrastructure architecture and design, including hybrid cloud strategies, zero-trust security models, API-driven services, automation approaches, segmentation, high-availability design, and resilient service delivery patterns.
· Proficiency in evaluating technology capabilities and emerging trends, with the ability to assess feasibility, impact, and alignment with organizational plan.
· Knowledge of infrastructure governance and standards development. Including policies, reference architectures, compliance requirements, and lifecycle planning.
· Strong grasp of municipal operations, public-sector technology environments, and the unique reliability, continuity, and security needs of essential City services.
· Knowledge of enterprise data concepts such as relational databases, integration methods, middleware considerations, and the dependencies between infrastructure and application environments.
· Skills in managing technical teams, including coaching, performance development, workforce planning, and fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and service excellence.
· Strong vendor and contract management knowledge, including licensing, managed service agreements, professional services and negotiation strategies.
· Fluency in project and portfolio management principles, including prioritization, resourcing, risk management, and oversight of multi-phase technology initiatives.
· Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex infrastructure concepts in clear, accessible terms for non-technical stakeholders, executives, and elected officials.
· Advanced customer service skills, with a deep understanding of how to deliver high-quality service and operational support to diverse internal and external constituents.
· Influential leadership and relationship-building skills, capable of aligning teams, departments, and partners around shared technology goals and institutional priorities.
· Strong organizational and analytical skills, including the ability to evaluate competing priorities, solve complex problems, and maintain detailed operational awareness across simultaneous initiatives.
· Demonstrated intellectual curiosity and commitment to continuous learning, maintaining awareness of industry advancements, evolving technologies, and best practices in enterprise infrastructure.
Abilities
· Lead and inspire technical professionals, cultivating a high-performing infrastructure team through mentorship, accountability, collaboration, and empowerment.
· Influence and guide stakeholders across all levels of the City, building consensus and alignment around infrastructure priorities, risks and technology investments.
· Build strong, trust-based relationships with Department Directors and staff through active listening, responsiveness, and shared problem-solving.
· Demonstrate exceptional interpersonal skills, exercising tact, diplomacy, and professionalism with internal and external constituents.
· Apply balanced thinking and sound judgement to evaluate alternatives, assess risks, and make timely decisions in mission-critical operating environments.
· Balance leadership and hands-on technical execution, adapting to the needs, urgency, and complexity of each situation.
· Prioritize effectively in a dynamic environment, managing multiple initiatives and shifting demands with organization, focus, and attention to detail.
· Promote innovation and intellectual curiosity, encouraging new approaches, continuous learning, and thoughtful experimentation within the team and across functional areas.
· Provide outstanding customer service, modeling and reinforcing high standards for responsiveness, professionalism, and reliability.
· Communicate clearly and persuasively, both orally and in writing, across diverse audiences and in a variety of formats.
· Navigate sensitive, high-pressure situations with composure, adaptability, and problem-solving acuity.
Physical Abilities
· Ability to perform job duties that may require sitting, standing, walking, bending, kneeling, working from ladders or heights, or reaching for extended periods during equipment installation, troubleshooting, or system maintenance.
· Ability to lift, carry, or move equipment up to 50 pounds when necessary.
· Sufficient vision to perform detailed computer, network, and equipment work, including close focus, distance focus, depth perception, and peripheral awareness.
· Ability to safely navigate office, network, and server-room environments during operational or emergency tasks.
· Capacity to work for periods of time in confined spaces or areas with moderate equipment noise.
Working Conditions
· Work is performed primarily in an office and secure technology operations environment, with periodic work in data centers, equipment rooms, or field locations.
· Occasional exposure to moderate noise, electrical equipment, server-room environmental conditions, and office-related chemicals (e.g., toner).
· May require availability outside regular business hours to respond to infrastructure incidents, outages, cybersecurity concerns, or urgent operational needs.
· Requires frequent interaction with staff across all City departments, vendors, contractors, and external agencies.
· Work involves managing complex, time-sensitive tasks with critical operational impacts, requiring focus, collaborations, and adaptability.
Education and Experience
· Eight (8) or more years of progressive experience in enterprise infrastructure operations (network, systems, cloud, and/or data center)
· At least three (3) years in a supervisory or management role leading technical teams.
· Demonstrated experience operating and supporting complex, mission-critical infrastructure environments with high availability, security, and performance requirements.
· Experience managing complex infrastructure projects or portfolios, including planning, execution, and risk management.
· Bachelor’s degree in information technology, computer science, engineering, or related field preferred; or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
Licenses or Certificates
· Valid Washington State Driver License or ability to obtain within six months of hire.
· Must be bondable.
· ICS 100, 200, 700a, 800b within 6 months (Emergency Management Training)
· ICS 300 & 400 desirable
This job/class description describes the general nature of the work performed and typical qualifications needed for acceptable performance. It is not intended to list every responsibility, duty, or skill required for the position.
Pay: $122,951.00 - $146,166.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- Do you acknowledge that you must submit a resume, cover letter, copies of relevant certifications/degrees/licenses and a City of Sedro-Woolley application (found on the City's website) to [email protected] in order to be considered for this position?
Education:
Experience:
- progressive experience in IT operations: 8 years (Required)
- supervisory: 3 years (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284 (Required)
Work Location: In person
