IT DIRECTOR- 77036

Executive Service

This position is designed as Hybrid.

This position requires a criminal background check and CJIS/FTI Fingerprints. Therefore, you may be required to provide information about your criminal history in order to be considered for this position

Who we are and what we do:

The State of Tennessee is seeking an experienced IT Director to lead the management and continued modernization of business software applications within the Department of Human Services. This is a unique opportunity to combine strategic leadership, innovation, and public service to make a lasting impact on communities across Tennessee.

As IT Director, you will oversee a team of fewer than 25 IT professionals and collaborate closely with DHS leadership to shape technology strategy, drive modernization initiatives, and ensure secure, scalable solutions that support critical programs such as Family Assistance, Appeals and Hearings, Quality Control, and Quality Assurance.

This role also requires an understanding of human services eligibility and case management environments, preferably including SNAP, so that technology decisions reflect operational realities, policy-driven requirements, and customer service needs. The ideal candidate will be able to support the transition to a product management model for application delivery by helping translate business and policy needs into practical technology priorities, while maintaining strong ownership of platform stability, modernization, and execution.

How you make a difference in this role:

See key responsibilities.

Job Overview:

At DHS, technology is at the heart of delivering essential services to Tennessee families. Your leadership will ensure these systems remain modern, efficient, and future-ready, enabling better outcomes for citizens statewide.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning:

1. Develop and execute IT strategies aligned with STS policies and DHS objectives.
2. Modernization Leadership: Drive initiatives to implement modernized applications, cloud solutions, and digital services.

Team Leadership:

1. Supervise and mentor IT staff, fostering a culture of accountability and professional growth.

Budget & Vendor Oversight:

1. Manage technology contracts, procurement, and resource planning for IT investments.

Cybersecurity Governance:

1. Ensure compliance with state and federal security standards and participate in cybersecurity initiatives.

Project Management:

1. Direct major IT projects, including software implementations and system integrations.

Governance & Compliance:

1. Enforce IT standards and monitor operations for regulatory compliance, accessibility, and open data initiatives.

Stakeholder Engagement:

1. Collaborate with department leadership, external agencies, and vendors to meet evolving technology needs.
2. Continuity & Disaster Recovery: Maintain robust disaster recovery and business continuity plans.

Business Application Domain Alignment:

1. Provide leadership for business applications in a way that reflects the operational and regulatory needs of human services programs, including familiarity with eligibility and case management environments such as SNAP.

Product Management Transition Support:

1. Support the establishment and maturation of product management for business applications by enabling roadmap execution, structured prioritization, and outcome-based delivery practices in partnership with business leadership as product ownership transitions to dedicated product management roles.
2. Policy and Operations Partnership: Partner with business leadership and product management to convert policy, operational, and case management needs into clear technology delivery plans, modernization decisions, and implementation priorities that improve service delivery, compliance, and platform effectiveness.

Outcome Measurement:

1. Support the use of outcome-based success measures for business applications, including service reliability, operational efficiency, user experience, and risk reduction, in partnership with business and product leadership.
2. Prioritization & Tradeoff Management: Contribute technical and operational input to structured prioritization and tradeoff decisions across the application portfolio based on impact, risk, funding, and capacity.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education & Experience:
Bachelor's degree and 7 years of professional IT experience, including 3 years in management.

OR

an IT-specific associate degree plus 2 additional years of IT leadership experience.

Preferred Experience:

1. Leading modernization initiatives.
2. Managing enterprise-scale projects and maintenance activities.
3. Vendor and contract management in a complex environment.
4. Working knowledge of policy-driven and regulatory environments, with the ability to align technology delivery to operational, compliance, and customer service needs
5. Experience partnering with business leaders to translate policy, operational, and case management needs into technology delivery priorities
6. Experience working in or helping establish a product-oriented operating model, with the ability to support transition of product ownership to dedicated product management roles

Competencies & Skills:

Strategic Mindset:

1. Ability to align technology with organizational goals.
2. Leadership & Team Building:
3. Inspire and develop high-performing teams.

Decision Quality:

1. Make informed, impactful decisions under pressure.

Customer Focus:

1. Deliver solutions that enhance citizen services.

Technical Expertise:

1. Knowledge of IT operations, modern software applications technology stack, compliance, and security management.

Business and Policy Acumen:

1. Ability to understand operational workflows, case management needs, and policy-driven requirements, and apply that understanding to technology planning, delivery, and implementation support.

Product-Oriented Thinking:

1. Ability to support roadmap-driven delivery, structured prioritization, and outcome measurement within a product operating model, while partnering effectively as product ownership transitions to dedicated product management roles.

Pursuant to the State of Tennessees Workplace Discrimination and Harassment policy, the State is firmly committed to the principle of fair and equal employment opportunities for its citizens and strives to protect the rights and opportunities of all people to seek, obtain, and hold employment without being subjected to illegal discrimination and harassment in the workplace. It is the States policy to provide an environment free of discrimination and harassment of an individual because of that persons race, color, national origin, age (40 and over), sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, disability, veterans status or any other category protected by state and/or federal civil rights laws.