GIS Center Manager

Salary

$158,787.20 - $201,281.60 Annually

Location

Chinook Building 401 5th Avenue Seattle, WA

Job Type

Special Duty Assignment

Job Number

2025-23866

Department

KCIT - Information Technology

Division

Engineering Division

Opening Date

02/04/2025

Closing Date

2/11/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

FLSA

Exempt

Bargaining Unit

F16 : L117-IT Mgrs & Sups

Full- or Part-Time

Full Time

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions
  
  

Summary

This announcement is seeking two candidates to for two separate 6-month special duty opportunities, to be served consecutively. Please note that these Special Duty opportunities are only available to internal KCIT Career Service employees who have passed their initial probation period. It is important to note that you must get approval from your current supervisor/manager to accept a Special Duty assignment. We encourage you to discuss this with your current supervisor/manager before applying.

The Department of Information Technology (KCIT) is seeking GIS Center Managers for the Enterprise Technology Division. We are searching for seasoned leaders and change agents who can guide and develop our dedicated staff and delivery partners to achieve operational excellence and stellar customer service. The GIS Center Manager is responsible for providing strategic leadership for the breadth of operational and infrastructure services that comprise the core set of GIS services for King County and reports to the Chief Technology Officer. The incumbent functions with a broad level of latitude and independence to provide the vision, leadership and planning to ensure that the County’s GIS services are effectively and appropriately delivered, including service operations, human and fiscal resources, business relationships, customer service, and intra- and inter-institutional relationships. The primary role of the GIS Center Manager is grouped around three key responsibility domains: leading the continuous development of sustainable product teams that support King County’s world class GIS capability, providing strategic and innovative leadership and vision for the delivery of GIS products and services to King County and the region, and delivering significant business outcomes and results through a deliberate and consistent customer focus.

The King County GIS Center

The King County GIS Center is the single most extensive and capable GIS operation in the Pacific Northwest. Our unique blend of enterprise GIS resources, end-user experience, and highly capable client services helps us deliver exceptional value to our customers. The KCGIS Center team comprises more than two dozen highly qualified GIS professionals with a wide array of technical competencies to ensure the GIS services and products we offer meet customer needs and are delivered in a timely manner. The breadth of the GIS services we provide and the depth of the technical resources available for our customers make the KCGIS Center a unique service provider.

Job Duties

Strategic Leadership

Lead the King County GIS Center, in coordination with stakeholders, customers, technical managers, practitioners, and solution architects to develop and sustain the GIS community across King County. Develop King County’s GIS technology road map and associated high-level vision and strategic goals, aligning them to the technology direction and strategic goals of KCIT and King County. Design and implement short- and long-term strategic plans to ensure infrastructure capacity meets existing and future requirements. Participate in the development of IT strategies in collaboration with the executive team and ensure continuous alignment with executive team strategies and priorities throughout the technology division. Conduct research and make recommendations on products, services, protocols, and standards in support of all infrastructure procurement and development efforts.

Operational Management

Directly manage the managers of three teams, Spatial Services, Geo Data Management, Geo Engineering as well as data and platform architects, including setting development and performance goals and expectations. Oversee the goal setting and performance appraisal process for the entire team. Manage operations staffing, including recruitment, supervision, scheduling, development, evaluation, and disciplinary actions.

Planning & Coordination

Develop the biennial GIS budgets, in coordination with KCIT management and finance groups. Develop rate methodologies to ensure customers are charged equitably for the GIS enterprise and project services they consume. Responsibly manage the GIS fund and the imagery reserve fund to ensure financial health. Review and approve expenditures, and seek cost-sharing opportunities with local, regional, and state agencies.

Governance & Stakeholder Engagement

Manage and nurture relationships with key GIS vendors and regional stakeholders, including negotiating contracts and subscriptions, provisioning products and services, arranging for and moving forward on vendor engagements, and elevating issues for resolution. Manage large, regional data acquisition projects (e.g. orthogonal and oblique aerials, lidar). Develop cost sharing methodologies and lead the program to bring on cost-share partners. Manage County GIS governance at all levels, including the GIS Steering Committee (business focus), GIS Technical Advisory Committee (technical focus), and Web GIS Guidance Team (center of excellence). Chair committees or delegate authority as appropriate. Guide those committees and teams in the development and execution of priority initiatives, and County-wide and agency-level GIS work plans.

Equity & Social Justice

Partner with the CTO and senior IT leadership to ensure that KCIT exhibits consistent and visible leadership at all levels and furthers a shared and actionable vision for Equity and Social Justice. Develop effective and accountable leadership for advancing ESJ to drive pro-equity governance at all levels of the organization. Develop an organization where all employees are change agents who actively apply their ESJ knowledge to their work. Visibly and publicly display progress on Equity and Social Justice. Help ensure that KCIT’s operations, programs and services are pro-equity in our service delivery – responsive and adaptive, focused on those whose needs are greatest–and collaborate with other King County and external service providers.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

The Ideal Candidate Will Possess:

• Any combination of education, training, and experience equivalent to a Bachelor's degree in Geography, GIS, Regional Planning, Information Services, Science, Engineering, or another closely related field and ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in information systems which include five (5) years of experience in a management or senior management capacity, with accountability for planning, organizing, implementing, and ongoing operations and maintenance of information systems and associated staff for a large organization with diverse line operations with a primary emphasis on GIS.
• Knowledge of human resources management, organizational communications, and organizational development.
• Knowledge of contracting, procurement, and vendor management.
• Exceptional interpersonal, written, and presentation communication skills and the ability to maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders and colleagues.
• Excellent decision-making, time-management, and planning skills.
• Customer-centric approach to problem-solving.
• Effective relationship-building skills to engage stakeholders, resolve issues with a sense of urgency, and communicate in a timely manner.
• Change management and experience leading others through change.
• Ability to be an enthusiastic and resourceful leader.
• Ability to be a self-starter and motivated to move projects forward.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a highly demanding environment.
• Ability to successfully work collaboratively across an organization with interdisciplinary teams to develop and obtain broad support for a shared vision and long-range plans.
  
  

Desired Experience

• Significant experience in private and/or public-sector in a large agency comprised of diverse departments including, but not limited to natural resources, law enforcement, transportation, health care, and social services.
• Significant experience managing large technology teams; ability to present both technical and business topics to large audiences; ability to write clearly and to various levels of customers.
  
  

Supplemental Information

Hybrid Work

The work associated with this position will be performed through a combination of onsite work and telecommuting. Employees will have access to shared workspaces at various King County facilities. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Work Schedule

The normal workweek for this position is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Alternative work schedules may be considered. This position is FLSA Exempt and is not eligible for overtime pay

Duration

This announcement is seeking two candidates to for two separate 6-month special duty opportunities, to be served consecutively. (We reserve the right to fill this opening with a single candidate in a 1 year long special duty).

Classification

IT Manager-Principal - 7341500

Union

This position is represented by L117: IT Managers and Supervisors

Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State's best employers. Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play. Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles--we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ , people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

Are you ready to APPLY!?

The recruitment for this position is open to all qualified candidates. This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies. A completed King County Application and Resume are required for consideration. A Cover Letter is not required but is strongly encouraged. Applications submitted without required materials will not be considered.

Questions

If you have questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Shannon Hoeper, shoeper@kingcounty.gov or 206-263-6957.

Benefits

King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:

• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what’s best for themselves and their eligible dependents
• Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
• Retirement: eligible King County employees may participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
• Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
• 12 paid holidays each year plus two personal holidays
• Generous vacation and paid sick leave
• Paid parental, family and medical, and volunteer leaves
• Flexible Spending Account
• Wellness programs
• Onsite activity centers
• Employee Giving Program
• Employee assistance programs
• Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
• Training and career development programs
  
  

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page.

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.

NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.

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These Special Duty opportunities are only available to internal King County Department of Information Technology (KCIT) Career Service employees who have passed their initial probation period. Are you a current Career Service employees who has passed their initial probation period?

• Yes
• No
  
  

Required Question

Employer King County

Address King Street Center

201 South Jackson Street

Seattle, Washington, 98104

Phone 206-477-3404

Website http://www.kingcounty.gov/