Washington State

Description

The Office of Secretary of State (OSOS) offers some of the most unique and diverse job opportunities in state government. Its critical responsibilities include: ensuring a fair and accurate elections process; connecting Washingtonians through the power of libraries; protecting our important government records; and registering corporations and charities. The Secretary of State also administers vital community programs that inspire giving, document our history, and assist crime survivors in avoiding further abuse. This independent office under the state Constitution operates from facilities in the Olympia area and statewide.

The OSOS is looking for top-performing employees who embody its core values of integrity, service excellence, visionary leadership, collaboration and teamwork. It is committed to both employee growth and work-life balance. The benefits of working in state government also include potential eligibility for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Visit our website at: www.sos.wa.gov.

The Division of Information Technology (IT) is a support arm of the entire organization-touching every program, every division, all staff members, and most stakeholders. IT is a division comprised of several programs that drive OSOS operations. These programs include: Applications Development, Systems Administration, Service Desk Support, IT Project Management and IT Policy and Planning. This IT position maintains expertise in a wide range of technology and their application to customers.

IT Operations Manager

Permanent, Full-Time

This position provides technical and organizational direction to the three IT Operations teams – One of them provides office wide desktop support and the two other teams provide infrastructure support for both on-prem and SaaS solutions. This position is responsible for strategic planning, communication, leadership, employing project management principles and executing a change control process. This position is a subject matter expert in multiple IT disciplines in order to effectively advise and support the office. The primary responsibilities for this position include providing strategic and long-term planning for the teams that provide IT Operations support that includes supporting network, storage and backup infrastructure, disaster recovery, O365 platform and overall cloud and physical infrastructure and desktop support. This position directs the operations and maintenance of system platforms to attain the maximum potential and performance in order to achieve OSOS’s business goals.

Each of the three teams that report to this position, perform critical functions in support of the office's mission and business objectives. The IT Operations Manager is responsible for organizing and prioritizing the work for the three teams to ensure quality, efficiency and alignment with the needs and functions of the divisions in the office. This position also develops, maintains and implements standards, guidelines and procedures. The incumbent also serves as the office's main point of contact for escalation of enterprise IT operations issues. The Operations Manager must establish and maintain strong working relationships with OSOS's vendors and partners (e.g WaTech, DES, Microsoft).

Duties

Manages IT Operations Staff

Tasks include:

• Perform supervisory duties that include onboarding, orientation and training.
• Understands the director’s vision for the division. Establish new positions as well as updates existing positions accordingly, by writing accurate position descriptions that reflect the roles and responsibilities.
• Conducts Performance Development Plans annually.
• Coordinates and implements work assignments and project plans.
• Consults and provide expert technical guidance and advice to the team.
• Acts on leave requests; approves overtime, travel, purchases and equipment.
• Resolves workplace conflicts; manage work and remote work schedules.
• Makes recommendations to division director and deputy director regarding hiring, discipline and termination actions.
• Engages with team members through mentoring and coaching to help them advance their technical skills and abilities; explain the reasoning and benefit of project priorities and program commitments.

Applies independent judgement in performance and delegation of the following tasks to manage the Systems Administrators

Tasks include:

• Develops, interprets, and applies policies and procedures governing the overall delivery of IT services.
• Works with the architects to establish the office’s technical vision and leads technological development and strategic planning for both short term and long-term goals.
• Build a roadmap for secure, integrated and cloud-based technical services.
• Creates and maintains a governance process within the Operations unit to ensure high-quality delivery of IT operations and projects.
• Creates and maintains the technical specifications and design documents for applications and systems.
• Provides technical expertise and recommendations to Chief Information Officer and Executive Leadership.
• Solves most complex technology problems related to IT infrastructure; Builds streamlined solutions by consolidating and integrating new initiatives with the existing internal systems and with partner agencies.
• Gather business requirements from program managers and stakeholders to design to evaluate multi-system technological solutions, as needed that meet business needs.
• Participates in WaTech workgroups with other state agency representatives as WaTech creates and updates state policies, standards and guidelines.
• Conducts research and understands the diverse business and their technological needs.
• Creates and evaluates multi-system technical designs for implementing and managing technology by collaborating with the architects in the design process.
• Propose and implement new technology services and service delivery methods to support an increasingly collaborative and mobile workforce.

Manages IT Operations Budgets and Projects

Tasks include:

• Reviews budget allotments and expenditures for IT Operations by working closely with the budgeting and accounting teams.
• Supports project efforts which vary in scope from program/division to multi-agency partnerships outside of OSOS.
• Ensures the delivery of assigned project tasks necessary for successful, on time, project completion.
• Applies project management principles, methods and practices to assigned projects and initiatives such as Kanban, Scrum, S.M.A.R.T. objectives, etc.
• Evaluates and approves purchase of hardware, software or vendor supplied services.
• Conducts analysis and prepares short-range roadmap of IT services and projects and adjusts as necessary.
• Supports senior IT positions in Architecture, Application Development and Project Management Office, by doing or reassigning senior level tasks when those staff members are out, or unavailable.
• Aligns IT Operations with Applications Development and PMO by working in close partnership with the other managers and senior architects in the division.
• Reports out to peers on the IT management team on progress and performance of IT projects and support functions, including metrics on customers served, quality of support, and unmet support needs.

Strategic planning and development of IT Policies, Standards and Procedures that impact the IT operations unit

Tasks Include:

• Reviews and updates policies, standards and procedures. Collaborates with architects very closely as these are being developed. Ensure written policies are written in plain talk that is understandable by non-technical staff.
• Creates standards and guidelines to supplement and streamline policies and procedures.
• Communicate policies, standards and procedures to enforce governance.
• Make exceptions to policies and procedures when needed.
• Re-write and recommend updates to state and agency policy.
• Develop and deliver technical recommendations on the design, standardization and organization of the OSOS IT operations model to best align with the office’s mission and business objectives.
• Develop strong working relationships with oversight and partner entities including both state and federal agencies (e.g. OCS, SAO, OFM, DHS, FBI, etc.)

Manage contracts, vendors and purchasing

Tasks:

• Manages contracts with vendors and contractors related to IT operations functions within OSOS.
• Assists with the development of baseline software, system, and device requirements and configurations in the development of formal documents like RFQ, RFI, RFP, contracts, memorandums of understanding, service-level agreements.
• Researches, evaluates, and provides recommendations to management on software and hardware being considered for purchase.
• Responsible for the creation of proposals or quotes for all IT related purchases.
• Provides input for the budgeting, procurement and replacing of IT systems office wide.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Ten years of progressively more responsible experience analyzing, designing, managing, and operating server, network, and storage infrastructure.
• A minimum of four years of experience managing in an IT environment, holding various leadership or management roles leading technology teams providing a wide spectrum of services.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to read and write English Language.

Preferred Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s Degree in computer science, information technology, or related field, and six years of progressive experience analyzing, designing, managing, and operating server, network, and storage infrastructure.
• Master’s Degree in computer science, information technology, or related field.
• A minimum of three years of experience designing, managing, supporting, and maintaining cloud infrastructure.

PLEASE READ: If you have gotten this far and are thinking you do not qualify, consider again. Studies have shown that members of historically marginalized and underrepresented communities, specifically women and people of color, are less likely to apply to jobs unless they clearly meet every single qualification.

At the Office of the Secretary of State, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic work force with a foundation of belonging. If you are excited about this role and have relevant experience and skills, but question whether your experience aligns perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply regardless. You may just be the ideal candidate this office needs.

Supplemental Information

Working Conditions

In this position, the incumbent works primarily in an office setting, which will require the ability to sit and/or stand for extended periods of time. The standard work hours are Monday-Friday 8am - 5pm; however, work can be required outside of standard hours to include evenings, weekends, and holidays. Travel to all office sites located in the state when needed. This could involve overnight trips and/or extended stays. The incumbent in this position must be able to represent the Office of the Secretary of State in a competent, confident, and professional manner, including professional dress, and be able to clearly and effectively communicate ideas and information both verbally and in writing, and work successfully with a wide variety of people in a team environment. The incumbent in this position must have the ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, and coordinate with other operational areas to resolve complaints or conflicts; and be able to move and maneuver objects weighing approximately 50 lbs with or without reasonable accommodation.

Special Requirements

• This position is in a bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) and is subject to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the State of Washington, The Office of the Secretary of State, and the WFSE.
• Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the position.
• Must have current Washington state driver's license or have requested and obtained an appropriate accommodation.

How to Apply

• Required: To be considered for this position you must attach the following:
  • Letter of interest describing how your experience and qualifications relate to the duties and qualifications of the position.
  • Current resume
• Three Professional references. Personal references will not be considered.
• You must complete the supplemental questions at the end of this application. Incomplete responses such as "see resume" will not be considered.
• All veterans must include a copy of your DD214 to receive preference in the hiring process. You must black out your social security number before attaching it to your application.

The Office of the Secretary of State is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We do not discriminate on the basis of religion, age, gender, marital status, color, creed, national origin, political affiliation, military status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any sensory, mental or physical ability. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply.

More than Just a Paycheck!

Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.

We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career. Like everyone, your first priority is ensuring that you and your family will maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.

Read about our benefits:

The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work (e.g. part-time); view the job posting for benefits details for job types other than full-time.

Note: If the position offers benefits which differ from the following, the job posting should include the specific benefits.

Insurance Benefits

Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state.

Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care expenses. Employees are also covered by basic life and long-term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.

To view premium rates, coverage choice in your area and how to enroll, please visit the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) website. The Washington Wellness program from the Health Care Authority works with PEBB to support our workplace wellness programs.

Dependent care assistance allows the employee to save pre-tax dollars for a child or elder care expenses.

Other insurance coverage for auto, boat, home, and renter insurance is available through payroll deduction.

The Washington State Employee Assistance Program promotes the health and well-being of employees.

Retirement and Deferred Compensation

State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs. For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.

Employees also have the ability to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP). This is a supplemental retirement savings program (similar to an IRA) that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.

Social Security

All state employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The state and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, and meet the qualifying criteria, you may be eligible to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Holidays

Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.

Note: Employees who are members of certain Unions may be entitled to additional personal leave day(s), please refer to position specific Collective Bargaining Agreements for more information.

Full-time employees who work full monthly schedules qualify for holiday compensation if they are employed before the holiday and are in pay status for at least 80 nonovertime hours during the month of the holiday; or for the entire work shift preceding the holiday.

Part-time employees who are in pay status during the month of the holiday qualify for the holiday on a pro-rata basis. Compensation for holidays (including personal holiday) will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status in the month to that required for full-time employment, excluding all holiday hours. Pay status includes hours worked and time on paid leave.

Sick Leave

Full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month. Overtime eligible employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month, earn a monthly proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Overtime exempt employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month do not earn a monthly accrual of sick leave.

Sick leave accruals for part-time employees will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

Vacation (Annual Leave)

Full-time employees accrue vacation leave at the rates specified in WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Full-time employees who are in pay status for less than 80 nonovertime hours in a month do not earn a monthly accrual of vacation leave.

Part-time employees accrue vacation leave hours in accordance with WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on a pro rata basis. Vacation leave accrual will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment.

Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

As provided in WAC 357-58-175, an employer may authorize a lump-sum accrual of vacation leave or accelerate the vacation leave accrual rate to support the recruitment and/or retention of a candidate or employee for a Washington Management Service position. Vacation leave accrual rates may only be accelerated using the rates established WAC 357-31-165.

Note: Most agencies follow the civil service rules covering leave and holidays for exempt employees even though there is no requirement for them to do so. However, agencies are required to adhere to the applicable RCWs pertaining holidays and leave.

Military Leave

Washington State supports members of the armed forces with 21 days paid military leave per year.

Bereavement Leave

Most employees whose family member or household member dies, are entitled to three (3) days of paid bereavement leave. In addition, the employer may approve other available leave types for the purpose of bereavement leave.

Additional Leave

Leave Sharing

Parental Leave

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Leave Without Pay

Please visit the State HR Website for more detailed information regarding benefits.

Updated 12-31-2022

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