Data Modernization Senior Advisor

Overview

The Data Modernization Senior Advisor will serve as a subject matter expert, guiding public health agencies through the development and delivery of technical projects that improve the use of public health data to inform decision making. This role is aligned to the Workforce Acceleration Initiative (WAI). WAI is a federally funded CDC Foundation program with the goal of helping the nation’s public health agencies by providing them with the technology and data experts they need to accelerate their information system improvements.

The Data Modernization Senior Advisor will be hired by the CDC Foundation and assigned to a public health organization. The Data Modernization Senior Advisor will develop and implement the organization’s strategy for increasingly effective use of data and information through improvements in information systems, policy, workforce, and work processes. This position will strategically direct the organization’s data modernization effort by identifying and addressing needs, gaps, and opportunities in the organization’s data ecosystem.

The data ecosystem includes both the technical data infrastructure and the workforce that relies on and works with the data infrastructure and the data itself, including systems and data of external partners. This position will combine deep expertise in public health operations with expertise in the development, maintenance, operation, enhancement, and configuration of information systems, and with knowledge of advanced information technology, tools, and processes.

The ideal candidate will have deep knowledge about organizations in the public health informatics landscape, technical infrastructure, and proven experience in informatics-oriented work with public health organizations and in working with agency leaders to develop and implement systems improvement strategies. Strong communication and partnership skills are required to succeed in this role. This role requires demonstrated leadership in establishing and operationalizing data governance frameworks, safeguarding sensitive information, ensuring compliance with privacy and security requirements, and guiding organizations through complex change.

As the effort matures, this position will help shape and lead to additional initiatives related to data interoperability, analytics and system integration as the agency needs to emerge.

The Data Modernization Senior Advisor will be hired by the CDC Foundation and assigned to the St. Mary's County Health Department. This position is eligible for a fully remote work arrangement for U.S. based candidates.

• Align with agency leadership and key personnel to clarify agency information needs and opportunities for highly impactful systems improvement, and to define priorities for data modernization, plan and implement those improvements within the limits of agency resources.
• Serve as a trusted senior advisor to leadership on data-related risk, compliance, and strategic investment decisions.
• Lead an initial baseline assessment of the agency’s current data systems, workflows, governance practices, and technical readiness to inform a phased data modernization approach.
• Develop and lead implementation of the organization’s strategy for increasingly effective use of data and information through improvements in information systems, policy, workforce, and work processes through collaboration with key staff throughout the organization. Adapt strategy and scope as agency priorities and external requirements evolve.
• Provide expert technical advisement and requirements of definition related to information systems, systems architecture, and data infrastructure, in collaboration with architects, engineers, and implementation partners as appropriate.
• Design, establish and lead the agency’s data governance framework, including decision making structures, roles, policies, standards, and accountability mechanisms.
• With support of the governance team, develop and implement policies and procedures related to data privacy, confidentiality, security, and appropriate data use, ensuring alignment with federal and state regulations.
• Collaborate with legal, IT,…