Director - IT Applications

Salary range is $150k to $260k, with a midpoint of $200k. New hires typically receive between minimum and midpoint, however, we may go slightly higher based on experience, internal equity and market.

Sound Transit also offers a competitive benefits package with a wide range of offerings, including:

• Health Benefits: We offer two choices of medical plans, a dental plan, and a vision plan all at no cost for employee coverage; comprehensive benefits for employees and eligible dependents, including a spouse or domestic partner.
• Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Retirement Plans: 401a - 10% of employee contribution with a 12% match by Sound Transit; 457b - up to IRS maximum (employee only contribution).
• Paid Time Off: Employees accrue 25 days of paid time off annually with increases at four, eight and twelve years of service. Employees at the director level and up accrue additional days. We also observe 12 paid holidays and provide up to 2 paid floating holidays and up to 2 paid volunteer days per year.
• Parental Leave: 12 weeks of parental leave for new parents.
• Pet Insurance.
• ORCA Card: All full-time employees will receive an ORCA card at no cost.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Sound Transit will pay up to $5,000 annually for approved tuition expenses.
• Inclusive Reproductive Health Support Services.
• Compensation Practices: We offer competitive salaries based on market rates and internal equity. In addition to compensation and benefits, you'll find that we provide work-life balance, opportunities for professional development and recognition from your colleagues.

GENERAL PURPOSE:

The Director of IT Applications is accountable for the Agency's applications portfolio and associated application lifecycle management services. Through developing and nurturing a high-functioning team of solution architects, engineers, and business analysts, the Director of IT Applications champions and ensures the delivery of mission-critical software solutions that enable all aspects of Sound Transit, including business operations, passenger experience, and data management & analytics. This role spearheads the continual improvement on how we plan, build and deliver application solutions, including standardizing our product management discipline, rationalization of our application portfolio, maturing our internal software delivery methods and tools, and how we leverage/work with vendors, all while supporting substantial agency expansion efforts and the ongoing reduction of technical debt. As a key member of the IT leadership team, this position contributes to the development and execution of IT's strategy through championing a service-based culture aligned to the overarching IT service delivery model and ensures continual improvement of services based on performance metrics.

The Director of IT Applications is known for their strong relationships throughout the business, ability to simplify and communicate complex business and technology issues, balancing near-term needs with long-term strategic goals, and delivery of timely and quality results.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
The following duties are a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

• Provide leadership, strategy, and day-to-day management to the teams responsible for planning, delivering, managing, enhancing, and supporting the Agency's application portfolio.
• Create and nurture a high-functioning Application's team through building a culture of servant leadership, continual learning, curiosity, partnership, and proactive goal setting and performance management.
• Create and nurture trusting relationships with business stakeholders, enterprise architects, project managers, IT service owners, solution vendors, etc. to enable productive collaboration, optimize solutions and contribute to a Sound Transit's Mission.
• Establish and continually improve the processes and tools required to ensure efficient and effective planning, delivery, maintenance, and support of high quality and high value technology applications.
• Lead the development of the IT Applications service strategy, including continual improvement efforts that are integrated with the overarching IT service delivery model and strategic priorities and goals.
• Lead the development of business/technical roadmaps to ensure proactive planning of organizational priorities and ensures the subsequent integration with the overarching technology ecosystem and service delivery model.
• Evolve and mature the current systems/applications ecosystem and architecture as needed, ensuring an appropriate balance between business needs, innovation, user experience, security, and costs.
• Stay abreast of industry (transit and technology) innovation, trends, and best practices, and selectively apply when deemed advantageous for advancing Sound Transit's mission.
• Maintain a culture of "good repair" for our current application investments, ensuring the seamless operation of agency services through modern, scalable, and well-managed technology platforms.
• Participate in the assessment of internal and external technological capabilities required to achieve desired competitive positioning.
• Establish the application sourcing strategy in alignment with the Agency's strategic global vendor and partner management policies and procedures, and in partnership with the IT leadership team and Agency's procurement team.
• Champion formal governance mechanisms to ensure Application services are delivered per agreed upon business outcomes and Service Level Agreements.
• Manage the growing maturity of the organization by introducing revisions to the operating model that accommodate the move from a project-driven to a product family, service-centric environment.
• Leverage negotiation and influencing skills across IT and the enterprise to enable cost-effective and innovative shared solutions to achieve business goals.
• Work closely with the IT leadership team on the project portfolio and governance required to prioritize IT investments, people resources, and business readiness and change management.
• Develop and manage annual operating expenditure (opex) and capital expenditure (capex) budgets related to the applications portfolio in alignment with overarching IT and Agency FP&A and Budget Management processes; Ensures fiscal stewardship mindset in all financial decisions and actions.
• Champions and models Sound Transit's core values and demonstrates values-based behaviors in everyday interactions across the agency.
• Contributes to a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion in alignment with Sound Transit's Equity & Inclusion Policy.
• Integrates Agency safety rules, regulations, and procedures into everyday business practices.
• Integrates sustainability into everyday business practices.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Experience: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Administration or related field. Eight years of experience, in software engineering, development, and/or product development, including a combination of overseeing large scale IT budgets, planning, solution delivery experience and developing corporate policies and procedures related to software design and development; Or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Six years of leadership, budgetary, planning and workforce management experience.

Required Knowledge and Skills:

• Established leader with proven track record in organizational management and rapid technical organization growth.
• High level of experience managing Office 365 environment.
• Expertise in application of SDLC and experience leveraging both Waterfall and Agile Delivery frameworks.
• Working knowledge of miscellaneous technology frameworks and methods (i.e. ITSM, DevOps, ADKAR, PMI, ITIL, LEAN, etc.)
• Proven experience or demonstrated capability in leading IT transformational initiatives in complex and dynamic environments.
• Expertise in budget planning and financial management, preferably with show back and/or chargeback models a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute a strategic people plan that ensures the right people are in the right roles at the right time and employees are highly engaged and satisfied.
• Demonstrated cloud-focused strategic development involving various cloud providers.
• Relevant Management/Leadership Training.
• Ability to manage team with diplomatic and collaborative leadership style which puts value on relationships and collaboration, both internal and external.
• Ability to hold sensitive information with a high level of confidentiality and integrity.
• Ability to communicate and present ideas in a clear, concise and professional manner both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to proactively problem solve, troubleshoot and apply innovative solutions.
• Ability to collaborate and encourage collaboration in a team environment, and ability to work independently and prioritize work.
• Ability to effectively meet deadlines at expected quality.
• Ability to build a strong partnership with the business and demonstrate the business value of IT.
• Excellent analytical, strategic conceptual thinking, strategic planning, and execution skills, right results, right time, right way.
• Expert level experience managing the delivery of large, complex systems projects through design, build, and implementation.
• Ability to drive project direction while working collaboratively with project stakeholders at all levels including the executives, IT peers, and subject matter experts.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, organization design, and development.
• Strong relationship management skills.
• Strong ability to collaborate effectively and drive solutions in a team environment.
• Excellent problem solving, negotiation, influencing, conflict management, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience in development, managing, and reporting of service level agreements.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, organize, make decisions, and deal with ambiguity.
• Vendor and contractor oversight and performance management.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with other department staff, management, vendors, outside agencies, community groups, and the general public.
• Conceptualizing, influencing, developing, and administering goals, objectives, guidelines, and procedures for the project.
• Developing and monitoring project budget, cost, and schedule.
• Interpreting and administering policies and procedures sufficient to administer, discuss, resolve, and explain them to staff and other constituencies.
• Interpreting and applying applicable federal, state, and local policies, laws, and regulations.
• Excellent customer service, interpersonal skills and the ability to interact with all levels of staff
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work with agility in an ambiguous environment.
• Deep knowledge of principles and standard related to enterprise frameworks and industry best practices for Enterprise and Solutions Architecture, Infrastructure and Operations, Portfolio Management and Project Management.
• Excellent oral and written communicator.

Preferred Knowledge and Skills:

• Management of technology in both standard office environments and industrial automation environments.
• Application of regulatory and statutory compliance, including PCI, ISO, NIST, and information security.
• Relevant federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations as they apply to transit operations.

Physical Demands / Work Environment:

• Work is performed in a hybrid office environment.
• The Agency promotes a safe and healthy work environment and provides appropriate safety and equipment training for all personnel as required.

Sound Transit is an equal employment opportunity employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment action 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.