IT Director of Strategy, Innovation - Santa Ana - OCERS

Description

IT Director of Strategy, Innovation & Architecture (Technology Services Deputy Director)

Salary may be negotiable within the applicable range of the classification and successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. This recruitment will establish an open eligible list that will be used to fill current and future Technology Services Deputy Director positions. The eligible list established may also be used to fill positions in similar and/or lower classifications throughout the County of Orange. DEADLINE TO APPLY: Sunday February 22, 2026 at 11:59pm (PST).

ORANGE COUNTY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (OCIT). The mission of OCIT is to provide innovative, reliable, and secure technology solutions that support County departments in the delivery of quality public services. OCIT provides IT solutions across County departments for voice communications, network services, application support, service desk, desktop support, as well as data center services. The opportunity includes information about OCIT and the County of Orange. The OCIT team is seeking a highly skilled and strategic individual to lead the implementation and delivery of enterprise network and communications services in a complex, fast-paced environment.

The ideal candidate will possess strong technical expertise, analytical and planning skills, and the ability to lead large-scale technical initiatives while collaborating with internal stakeholders and external partners. This role requires experience in both strategic and tactical Information Technology planning, along with a demonstrated commitment to delivering reliable, secure, and efficient services in support of County operations. This position reports directly to the Chief Technology Officer and requires an uncompromising commitment to public service and operational excellence.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The IT Director of Strategy, Innovation & Architecture duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide strategic operational oversight for enterprise IT services, ensuring timely and accurate processing of requisitions, effective workload prioritization, and alignment of procurement activities with operational and project needs.
• Oversee service management and incident response functions, including governance of ServiceNow ticket workflows, escalation processes, and service continuity to ensure reliable, uninterrupted operations in a 24x7x365 environment.
• Direct and manage complex IT projects and programs, establishing project milestones, monitoring progress against timelines and deliverables, and ensuring accurate documentation and reporting to support informed decision-making.
• Lead enterprise network, voice, and cloud architecture initiatives, guiding the design, integration, and lifecycle management of large-scale infrastructure solutions while ensuring performance, security, and scalability.
• Manage financial, vendor, and organizational resources, including multi-million-dollar budgets, RFPs, contracts, and the leadership of internal teams and contractors to achieve County objectives through effective collaboration and accountability.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & CORE COMPETENCIES

In addition to the minimum qualifications, the ideal candidate will demonstrate at least five (5) years of extensive experience in managing a complex, large-scale IT environment, including the following: Network Architecture, Cable and Circuit Management, Voice and VoIP, and Cloud Architecture and Solution Management. In addition, the ideal candidate will possess extensive experience and knowledge in the following core competencies:

Technical Knowledge | Technical Experience

• Developing and reviewing complex enterprise network, voice, and cloud architectures, including defining integration strategies, technical standards, and best practices to support scalable, secure, and highly available environments.
• Applying advanced networking and VoIP expertise, including SIP, RTP/RTCP, H.323, TCP/IP, VLANs, QoS prioritization, and routing protocols (OSPF, BGP) to ensure call signaling, media transport, and overall service quality.
• Managing and overseeing multi-million-dollar IT infrastructure programs, including IT budgets, Strategic Financial Plans (SFPs), Requests for Proposals (RFPs), contract development and negotiation, and ongoing vendor and contract management.
• Leading large-scale IT projects and operational initiatives, including prioritizing competing demands, resource planning, budget estimation, milestone tracking, risk management, and producing executive-level technical and status documentation.
• Staying current with emerging technologies, evaluating their applicability to County operations, and driving the adoption of innovative network, cloud, and communications solutions to improve performance, resiliency, and service delivery.

Problem Solving | Decision Making Skills

• Making strategic judgments and evaluating the impact of information technology decisions.
• Strategic Thinking & Planning proactively identifying potential network issues before they arise, understanding the long-term impact of technical decisions, and aligning network infrastructure with broader objectives for OCIT.
• Developing strategic, tactical, and operating information technology plans which set technical direction, policy standards, and objectives for OCIT.
• Analyzing problems and proposing solutions while dealing with changing priorities; planning, organizing, and implementing projects to meet established time frames.

Oral | Written Communication Skills

• Collaborating with clients and fostering a positive business relationship to meet all levels of IT service demands (technical, research & development, and operations & maintenance).
• Clearly discussing and conveying information technology concepts and terminology with both technical and non-technical staff at all levels within and outside the department.
• Producing clear and concise written documents, emails, project status reports, and briefs.
• Communicating effectively with various levels of the organization.

Leadership Skills

• Cultivating a culture of continuous learning to keep up with evolving technology (e.g., cloud computing) and fostering creative problem-solving.
• Leveraging and managing a robust team of internal staff and contractors to achieve operational goals.
• Establishing and maintaining effective partnerships through collaboration and information technology in support of the County.
• Managing the day-to-day responsibilities of a 24x7x365 IT organization across multiple locations and users, assigning clear authority and holding others accountable for goal achievement.
• Building and leading high-performing teams, mentoring staff, setting clear goals, and improving productivity through strong interpersonal skills.
• Managing relationships with telecom service providers and vendors to ensure uptime and service quality.
• Navigating disagreements within the team or with external vendors, and building consensus.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Please click here for details on this classification, including the physical, mental, environmental and working conditions.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Human Resource Services (HRS) will screen all application materials to identify qualified applicants. After screening, qualified applicants will be referred to the next step and notified of all further procedures applicable to their status in the competition.

Application Screening (Refer/Non-Refer)
Applications and supplemental responses will be screened for qualifications that are highly desirable and most needed to successfully perform the duties of this job. Only those applicants that meet the qualifications as listed in the job bulletin will be referred to the next step.

Structured Oral Interview (Weighted 100%)
Applicants will be interviewed and rated by an oral interview panel of job knowledge experts. Each applicant's rating will be based on responses to a series of structured questions designed to elicit the applicant's qualifications for the job. Only the most successful candidates will be placed on the eligible list.

Eligible List

Once the assessment has been completed, HRS will establish an eligible list of candidates. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies. Based on the County's needs, the selection procedures listed above may be modified. All candidates will be notified of any changes in the selection procedure.

Veterans Employment Preference Policy (VEPP)

The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please click here to review the policy.

EMAIL NOTIFICATION

Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account.

NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply.

Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through Please check your email folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept emails ending with and If your email address should change, please update your profile at

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Click here for additional Frequently Asked Questions.

For specific information pertaining to this recruitment, contact Joanna Xue at or The County of Orange is an equal employment opportunity employer and encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.