Assistant Director of Information Technology

US District Courts, Northern District of California•San Francisco, CA

25d

About The Position

The Assistant Director of Information Technology leads the IT Administration function and reports to the Director of IT. The role’s primary responsibility is project management: establishing and operating the department’s project management practice and moving the IT portfolio from approval through completion. The Assistant Director supervises the managers of the Operations, Infrastructure, Development and Applications, and CM/ECF divisions; serves as their second-level escalation point; and acts on behalf of the Director when the Director is absent. Information Security and Training and Adoption report directly to the Director, not to the Assistant Director. The position requires travel to the Oakland, San Jose, and McKinleyville locations. The Assistant Director establishes project intake, sizing, documentation, reporting, change-control, and post-implementation processes; plans and leads projects; monitors portfolio schedules, scope, budgets, and risks; and coordinates projects across court sites and operations. The role also supports IT committee and court-leadership work, budget planning, procurement and vendor coordination, policy development, and the IT Continuity of Operations Plan. As a people leader, the Assistant Director sets priorities, reviews work and performance, develops managers and staff, and supports cross-training. The position works with the Information Security Officer to ensure projects meet security requirements and may represent the Director in meetings with judges and court leadership.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in information technology, information systems, business, or a related field; alternatively, seven years of progressively responsible experience in IT across multiple disciplines.
At least five years of progressively responsible technical, managerial, or professional experience, including at least three years supervising IT staff or managers.
Experience managing remote or hybrid staff across multiple locations.
Demonstrated experience leading IT projects from intake through completion, including project plans, schedules, status reporting, and change control.
Experience in at least two of these IT leadership functions: strategic planning, annual budget planning and management, procurement and vendor management, and policy development.
Working knowledge of enterprise IT environments, including Windows Active Directory, Microsoft 365, LAN/WAN networking, virtualized servers, and IT security practices.
Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills, including ability to prepare clear briefing materials for executives and judges.
FBI fingerprint check and background investigation; employment is provisional and contingent on satisfactory completion of the investigation.
Adherence to a code of conduct.
Mandatory direct deposit of federal wages.
Eligibility to receive an employment offer under the stated requirements for non-citizens.

Nice To Haves

Federal court IT experience or IT management experience in a court or legal environment.
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent, and experience with Agile or hybrid project management methods.
Experience establishing a project management office or project management practice, including portfolio reporting to executive leadership or a governing committee.
Experience with federal or public-sector procurement, contract routing, and review of cloud and FedRAMP-authorized vendors.
Experience with courtroom audiovisual systems and hybrid hearing technology, including Zoom.
Familiarity with NextGen CM/ECF, national judiciary applications, and AO IT security requirements.

Responsibilities

Establish and maintain the department’s project management practice, including project intake and sizing, documentation standards, status reporting, change control, and post-implementation review.
Develop project plans, lead project teams, and apply project management methods with staff.
Track schedule, scope, budget, and risk across the IT portfolio and report status to the Director.
Coordinate multi-site projects affecting courtrooms, chambers, and Clerk’s Office operations, including audiovisual and hybrid-hearing upgrades, network and facilities work, and application releases.
Support the Director’s work with the IT Committee and court leadership by preparing agendas, options papers, and decision records.
Assist the Director in developing the IT spending plan and allocating it across the project portfolio.
Prepare budget justifications and cost estimates for proposed initiatives.
Manage vendor coordination, procurement follow-through, maintenance agreements, software licensing, and invoice processing with Court Finance and Procurement staff.
Track funding approvals for appropriate and non-appropriated fund (NAF) projects.
Work with division managers to draft and maintain IT policies, procedures, and standards.
Assist in managing the IT Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), including annual testing and plan updates.
Supervise the managers of the Operations, Infrastructure, Development and Applications, and CM/ECF divisions; assign and review work, set priorities and deadlines, evaluate performance, and recommend personnel actions.
Serve as the second-level escalation point for operational issues and resolve cross-division priority and staffing conflicts.
Coach and develop managers and staff, and support cross-training to provide coverage across four locations.
Work with the Information Security Officer to confirm projects meet national and local IT security requirements and that remediation work is scheduled and completed.
Act for the Director of IT in the Director’s absence, including in meetings with judges, the IT Committee, court unit executives, and management teams.
Explain technical matters clearly, orally and in writing, to judges, chambers staff, Clerk’s Office staff, the bar, and the public.
Remain current on judiciary IT initiatives and national programs from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts and the Ninth Circuit.
Perform other duties as assigned.