IT Director of Strategy, Innovation & Architecture

IT Director of Strategy, Innovation & Architecture (Technology Services Deputy Director)

Salary may be negotiable within the applicable range of the classification and successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. This recruitment will establish an open eligible list that will be used to fill current and future Technology Services Deputy Director positions. The eligible list established may also be used to fill positions in similar and/or lower classifications throughout the County of Orange.

Final date to receive applications:
Sunday February 22, 2026 at 11:59pm (PST).

ORANGE COUNTY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (OCIT). The mission of OCIT is to provide innovative, reliable, and secure technology solutions that support County departments in the delivery of quality public services. OCIT provides IT solutions across County departments for voice communications, network services, application support, service desk, desktop support, as well as data center services. The opportunity includes information about OCIT and the County of Orange.

The OCIT team is seeking a highly skilled and strategic individual to lead the implementation and delivery of enterprise network and communications services in a complex, fast-paced environment.

The ideal candidate will possess strong technical expertise, analytical and planning skills, and the ability to lead large-scale technical initiatives while collaborating with internal stakeholders and external partners. This role requires experience in both strategic and tactical Information Technology planning, along with a demonstrated commitment to delivering reliable, secure, and efficient services in support of County operations. This position reports directly to the Chief Technology Officer and requires an uncompromising commitment to public service and operational excellence.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The IT Director of Strategy, Innovation & Architecture duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide strategic operational oversight for enterprise IT services, ensuring timely and accurate processing of requisitions, effective workload prioritization, and alignment of procurement activities with operational and project needs.
• Oversee service management and incident response functions, including governance of Service Now ticket workflows, escalation processes, and service continuity to ensure reliable, uninterrupted operations in a 24x7x365 environment.
• Direct and manage complex IT projects and programs, establishing project milestones, monitoring progress against timelines and deliverables, and ensuring accurate documentation and reporting to support informed decision-making.
• Lead enterprise network, voice, and cloud architecture initiatives, guiding the design, integration, and lifecycle management of large-scale infrastructure solutions while ensuring performance, security, and scalability.
• Manage financial, vendor, and organizational resources, including multi-million-dollar budgets, RFPs, contracts, and the leadership of internal teams and contractors to achieve County objectives through effective collaboration and accountability.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & CORE COMPETENCIES

In addition to the minimum qualifications, the ideal candidate will demonstrate at least five (5) years of extensive experience in managing a complex, large-scale IT environment, including the following:
Network Architecture, Cable and Circuit Management, Voice and VoIP, and Cloud Architecture and Solution Management. In addition, the ideal candidate will possess extensive experience and knowledge in the following core competencies:

Technical Knowledge | Technical Experience

• Developing and reviewing complex enterprise network, voice, and cloud architectures, including defining integration strategies, technical standards, and best practices to support scalable, secure, and highly available environments.
• Applying advanced networking and VoIP expertise, including SIP, RTP/RTCP, H.323, TCP/IP, VLANs, QoS prioritization, and routing protocols (OSPF, BGP) to ensure call signaling, media transport, and overall service quality.
• Managing and overseeing multi-million-dollar IT infrastructure programs, including IT budgets, Strategic Financial Plans (SFPs), Requests for Proposals (RFPs), contract development and negotiation, and ongoing vendor and contract management.
• Leading large-scale IT projects and operational initiatives, including prioritizing competing demands, resource planning, budget estimation, milestone tracking, risk management, and producing executive-level technical and status documentation.
• Staying current with emerging technologies, evaluating their applicability to County operations, and driving the adoption of innovative network, cloud, and communications solutions to improve performance, resiliency, and service delivery.

Problem Solving | Decision Making Skills

• Making strategic judgments and evaluating the impact of information technology decisions.
• Strategic…