Innovation Program Director

State of Vermont•Calais, VT

21h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Innovation Program Director provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and technical direction for the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) Innovation Program within the Administration and Innovation Division. The position leads Department-wide innovation, enterprise technology, digital services, governance, and data modernization initiatives that improve customer experience, operational efficiency, transparency, and organizational resilience. The position advances modernization efforts by coordinating enterprise technology initiatives, strengthening governance and project prioritization processes, improving business processes, and advancing consistent data practices across DEC programs. The Director provides oversight of core operational platforms and digital services, including ANR Online (nFORM), Environmental Notice Bulletin (ENB), Office 365 and Microsoft Power Platform solutions, DEC web services, SharePoint environments, business intelligence initiatives, and quality management activities. The position supports secure, sustainable technology solutions aligned with State technology, security, and governance standards. The Innovation Program Director also serves as DEC's Quality Assurance Manager, overseeing quality management activities, federal compliance, and electronic data exchange initiatives supporting environmental reporting and permitting modernization. The position supervises professional and technical staff, establishes priorities, develops staff, and represents DEC in technology, governance, and modernization initiatives across the Department, Agency, State, and federal partners.

Requirements

Master's degree in accounting, business or public administration, office administration or a related field AND one (1) year or more of professional-level experience performing and supervising (directly or indirectly) administrative functions for a moderate sized office, department or agency.
OR Bachelor's degree in accounting, business or public administration, office administration or a related field AND three (3) years or more of professional-level experience performing and supervising (directly or indirectly) administrative functions for a moderate sized office, department or agency.
OR Bachelor's degree AND five (5) years or more of professional-level experience performing and supervising (directly or indirectly) administrative functions for a moderate sized office, department or agency.
OR Two years of full-time college coursework or associate's degree AND seven (7) years or more of professional-level experience performing and supervising (directly or indirectly) administrative functions for a moderate sized office, department or agency.
OR High School diploma or equivalent AND nine (9) years or more of professional-level experience performing and supervising (directly or indirectly) administrative functions for a moderate sized office, department or agency.
OR One (1) year or more of experience as an Administrative Services Manager III with the State of Vermont.
Only administrative work experience is qualifying. Administrative support includes those functions which keep the organization running or provide the resources for others to provide the programmatic work (e.g., accounting, budget management, grant administration, finance, human resources, payroll, purchasing, or space management).

Nice To Haves

Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) or equivalent project management certification is preferred.

Responsibilities

Provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and technical direction for the DEC's Innovation Program.
Leads Department-wide innovation, enterprise technology, digital services, governance, and data modernization initiatives.
Coordinates enterprise technology initiatives, strengthens governance and project prioritization processes, improves business processes, and advances consistent data practices.
Provides oversight of core operational platforms and digital services (ANR Online, ENB, Office 365, Power Platform, DEC web services, SharePoint, business intelligence, quality management).
Supports secure, sustainable technology solutions aligned with State technology, security, and governance standards.
Serves as DEC's Quality Assurance Manager, overseeing quality management activities, federal compliance, and electronic data exchange initiatives.
Supervises professional and technical staff, establishes priorities, and develops staff.
Represents DEC in technology, governance, and modernization initiatives across various levels (Department, Agency, State, federal partners).

Benefits

80% State paid medical premium and a dental plan at no cost for employees and their families
11 paid holidays each year and a generous leave plan
State Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FMLI)
State defined benefit pension plan
Deferred compensation 457(b) plan
Tuition Reimbursement
Flexible spending healthcare and childcare reimbursement accounts
Low cost group life insurance
Incentive-based Wellness Program
Qualified Employer for Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness Program