SALARY

$133,870.88 - $170,857.44 Annually

The County of Santa Barbara's Information Technology Department (ITD) is seeking an experienced and forward-thinking leader to contribute technical expertise and strategic insight in a dynamic, service-driven environment. This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact while advancing innovation across County operations.

The ITD Department is accepting applications to fill one (1) full-time Enterprise Architect vacancy. The County classification title is Enterprise Architect. This position is "At-Will" and exempt from Civil Service protections. This role is expected to be hybrid, with more onsite work needed initially. 

Please note: Employees of the County must reside in California. Currently, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must have permanent work authorization to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship by the start date of employment. 

THE DEPARTMENT:

In the ITD Department, our success is powered by people and technology. Our culture is what makes IT a fun and rewarding place to work! We establish, develop and nurture partnerships and open communication within our communities. We embrace a willingness to learn and accept new ideas, to actively listen and to be receptive to change. We strive to grow our talents and do our best in the service of others while taking pride in our work. We explore and deliver new and creative ways to pair technology with business needs. We ensure the resources necessary to succeed and encourage thoughtful participation leading to inclusion and ownership.

THE POSITION:

This is a new role for the County and this position reports to department executive leadership and is responsible for highly complex assignments that include analyzing and recommending integrated systems, new technologies, security and compliance requirements, system reliability issues, and managing public, confidential and regulated data. The Enterprise Architect may serve as a team member, internal consultant, and/or team lead on multiple large, critical projects, and provides direction, guidance, and facilitation in the development of current and future network and system architecture required to meet the business needs, goals, and strategic direction of the County. This position is focused on balancing and prioritizing operations demands, disruptions, and system opportunities, as well as advising on longer-term strategic planning for the organization's networks, systems, and applications that build and enhance the enterprise architecture.

Highlighted Benefits:

• Hybrid remote schedule
• Health Plan: County contributes towards premium; HSA offered
• Pension Retirement
• Reciprocity with other public sector retirement systems (like CalPERS)
• 12 holidays, 12 sick leave days (unlimited accumulation), and 12 to 25 days of vacation (based on length of service) per year
• 40 hours of management leave per year (prorated upon hire)
• Time and service credit towards an advanced vacation accrual rate for previous public service.
• For more information on County benefits, please click here.

• Analyzes, designs, recommends, and implements business and system architecture models within the organization; ensures alignment with the County's strategic plans, objectives, and goals.
• Researches, develops, recommends, communicates, and maintains enterprise architecture models, initiatives, capabilities, and components to effectively perform the County's operations and technology activities.
• Researches, analyzes, and recommends improvements to current information technology infrastructure, organizational strategies, internal functions, systems, and processes to optimize operations.
• Researches, analyzes, and recommends methods to reduce information technology expenditures through automation, standardization, and other means; analyzes and recommends whether internal or external solutions would be the most cost effective; researches and recommends software and vendors.
• Researches, analyzes and recommends information technology policies and standards and works in coordination with the EITC sub-committees.
• Analyzes technology industry and market trends to determine their potential impact on existing enterprise architecture; researches and evaluates emerging technology to assist in project development and/or operational support activities.
• Participates in the strategic planning cycle, with an understanding of common issues, drivers, imperatives, and objectives across the County.
• Communicates effectively with County departments and employees to ensure understanding of architecture practices, and the operation and technology implications of architectural decisions; determines any gaps in relevant knowledge and skills of County staff and recommends and organizes training to enhance employee knowledge/skills for future organizational growth.
• Maintains an accurate portfolio of system capabilities, strategies, and opportunities.
• Ensures system architecture supports the security, privacy and resiliency of countywide information technology systems, operations, and data; collaborates in the definition and implementation of the enterprise disaster recovery plan; researches, recommends, and implements information technology solutions to support data storage, metadata management, and change control.
• Forecasts product/service requirements based on near-term and long-term agency and information technology demands; ensures compatibility with existing solutions, infrastructure, services, and strategic requirements.
• Detects critical deficiencies and system weaknesses; researches and recommends solutions for improvement; performs ongoing architecture quality review activities. Develops, motivates, and provides lead direction to staff; collaborates with information technology teams in the management of technical change, verification of testing results, and monitoring of technical standards compliance and deployment.
• Builds and maintains positive working relationships with co-workers and other County staff.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

The knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below may be acquired through various types of training, education, and experience. A typical way to acquire the required knowledge and abilities would be:

1. Seven years of increasingly responsible experience in enterprise architecture design and deployment, systems lifecycle management, and infrastructure planning and operations.

Desired Qualifications: A Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, computer engineering, system analysis, or other closely related field and experience working in a local government environment is preferred but not required.

Knowledge of:

• Information management practices, system development, life cycle management, and optimization of information systems and architecture. 
• Existing, recent, and emerging technologies and processing environments, and evaluating best technology solutions to enhance operations. 
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations, evaluating their impact on existing enterprise architecture and work processes, and on-going auditing and compliance methods.
• Principles and practices of implementing shared infrastructure to improve information sharing and minimize expenses.
• Principles and practices of developing standards and policies for enterprise architecture, coordinating multiple, diverse technologies and processing environments, and the use of information technology assets.
• Principles and methods of operating and financial modeling, cost-benefit analysis, budgeting, and risk management.
• Principles and methods of enhancing and upgrading existing enterprise architecture, and post-implementation review and improvement efforts.
• Principles and practices of user education regarding utilization of information technology products and solutions available within the organization.
• Principles and methods of evaluating enterprise architecture and information technology systems for quality assurance and control, network security, vulnerabilities and/or deficiencies that may compromise performance or efficiency, and recommending solutions for improvement

• Principles and methods of enterprise disaster recovery and contingency planning.

• Data sourcing, enterprise data management, modeling and graphic representations, cloud computing, system architecture, and appropriate enterprise solutions.  
• Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and other specialized applications related to area of assignment.
• Principles and practices of supervision, performance management, and staff training.

• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Ability to:

• Establish and implement appropriate information technology and network architecture standards, policies, and procedures.

• Research, analyze, and recommend appropriate network and information technology trends, enhancements, and innovations.
• Identify and balance long-term and short-term needs and goals for the department and the County.
• Encourage consensus on complex matters involving diverse stakeholders with varying points of view.
• Develop strategic technology plans, and lead efforts to create technological solutions to agency needs.
• Perform on-going architecture quality review and develop opportunities for improvement.
• Interpret and apply federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
• Demonstrate strong technical, analytical, problem solving, and project management skills.
• Prioritize work, coordinate with others, manage multiple projects and initiatives, provide project leadership and motivation, and establish work and project guidelines.
• Gather and analyze data, develop solutions, anticipate consequences, and evaluate results.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Establish, monitor, and control projects and schedules to meet goals, objectives, and critical deadlines.
• Establish and maintain cooperative, effective working relationships with a variety of County staff, vendors, and others.
• Apply customer service skills, including the identification of customer needs, and follow up to ensure customer commitments have been met.
• Interpret and summarize a variety of data and information, and prepare a variety of documents and reports.
• Supervise and train staff, when assigned.
• Exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality of information.

Additional Information

May be required to work a varied schedule of hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and holidays. 

Completion of a background investigation to the satisfaction of the County, including Livescan and Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) Clearance is required. 

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS:

1. Review applications and supplemental questionnaire to determine those applicants who meet the employment standards.
2. Candidates who are successful in the selection process will have their names placed on the employment list.

Recruiters will communicate with applicants by e-mail during each step in the recruitment process. Applicants are reminded to check spam filters continuously during the Recruitment & Selection Process steps listed above to ensure they do not miss required deadlines.
  
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS: The County of Santa Barbara is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants. Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter listed on the job posting. We require verification of needed accommodation from a professional source, such as a Medical Provider or a learning institution.

Conditional Job Offer: Once a conditional offer of employment has been made, candidate will be required to successfully complete a background check, which includes a conviction history check, Live Scan fingerprint check and satisfactory reference checks. 

Disaster Service Worker: Pursuant to Governmental Code section 3100, all employees with the County of Santa Barbara are declared to be disaster service workers subject to such disaster service. Activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law.
 
Statement of Commitment

The County of Santa Barbara provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any type with regard to any characteristic or status protected by any federal law, state law, or Santa Barbara County ordinance. The County continues to be committed to a merit-based selection process and to eliminating barriers to attracting and retaining top qualified candidates. The County has a long-standing practice of providing a work environment that respects the dignity of individual employees and values their contributions to our organization.