Associate Chief Information Officer

Description

Reimagine County Technology Leadership. Power Public Service Innovation.

The County of Santa Clara is not just any government agency—it’s a premiere public institution known for technological ambition, operational excellence, and forward-thinking leadership. With a workforce of over 23,000 employees across 30+ departments, the County delivers essential services in health, social services, public safety, housing, and core government operations. Our teams are driven by a shared commitment to provide for the needs of a dynamic community, provide quality services, and promote a healthy, safe, and prosperous community.

We’re on a mission to elevate our enterprise technology capabilities—and we’re seeking a strategic, collaborative, and visionary Associate Chief Information Officer (CIO) to help lead the way.

As the Associate CIO, you will partner closely with the Chief Information Officer to shape the future of Countywide IT, driving modernized operations, service excellence, and technology strategies that meet the evolving needs of a large, complex government organization. In this role, you will ensure our IT ecosystem operates using best-in-class standards, processes, and practices—and you may act on behalf of the CIO when needed.

This is your opportunity to influence transformational change at scale and help define the next generation of digital government for one of California’s most impactful public agencies.

Your Mission

Lead and evolve high-performing technical or non-technical IT functions to deliver exceptional services, customer satisfaction, and enterprise value. You will guide large, cross-functional teams responsible for shared IT operations across the County, driving strategy, performance, and continuous improvement.

What Makes This Role Unique

Scale and Complexity: You will guide enterprise shared services that support a federated technology environment serving 30+ departments—including a public hospital system, justice partners, emergency response agencies, social services, housing and development, transportation, and government operations. Your leadership will influence infrastructure, platforms, strategy, IT operations, policy development, financial stewardship, and customer-facing technology services used across the entire County.

Technology at the Forefront: Located in the center of Silicon Valley, the County of Santa Clara is reshaping how government leverages data, cloud services, cyber security, digital platforms, and innovative technology solutions to improve services for millions of residents.

Enterprise Collaboration: This role requires deep partnership with County departments and executive leaders. Through cross-agency collaboration, you will shape unified strategies, streamline IT operations, and support major Countywide initiatives that rely on scalable, secure, and forward-thinking technology.

Direct Impact: You will help set technology direction for the County—driving modernization, operational excellence, and customer-centered IT services that support critical public functions. Your leadership will influence how technology improves outcomes for the community.

What You’ll Do

Strategic Technology and Operations Leadership

• Oversee enterprise technology strategy, shared services operations, and IT business functions to improve efficiency, reliability, and customer satisfaction.
• Partner with the CIO to ensure County IT operates with best-in-class standards, policies, processes, and governance.
• Lead technical or non-technical divisions, including infrastructure, cloud, engineering, operations, service delivery, policy management, strategy, and customer relationship management.
  
  

Organizational Development and People Leadership

• Coach, develop, and inspire high-performing teams.
• Foster a collaborative, high-trust, and customer-focused culture across IT divisions.
• Motivate staff to achieve excellence in service delivery and operational performance.
  
  

Countywide Strategy and Transformation

• Develop and implement Countywide programs, policies, service models, and strategic initiatives.
• Lead enterprise planning for infrastructure, applications, platforms, and life cycle management.
• Promote innovation, best practices, and performance optimization across all lines of business.
  
  

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Operational Excellence and Service Delivery

• Oversee budgeting, financial management, and vendor strategy for major IT programs.
• Ensure reliable delivery of infrastructure operations, customer support, system administration, and high-availability services.
• Advance IT Business Management, cost optimization, performance metrics, and service-level achievement.
  
  

Enterprise Partnership and Collaboration

• Facilitate communication and alignment across departments, IT groups, and business stakeholders.
• Partner with County executives to translate business needs into technology strategies and solutions.
• Support enterprise decision-making using data-driven insights and technical expertise.
  
  

What You Bring

• Demonstrated success leading large, complex IT organizations with multiple cross-functional teams.
• Expertise in enterprise technology operations, strategy, governance, and service delivery.
• Strong leadership presence and ability to collaborate across diverse stakeholders and executive teams.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technology into business-focused concepts.
• Deep understanding of modern IT practices, emerging technologies, and industry trends.
• Commitment to innovation, customer service, and continuous improvement.
  
  

What Success Looks Like

In the first 6–12 months, you will:

• Strengthen operational alignment across technical and non-technical IT functions.
• Improve communication and partnership with County departments and stakeholders.
• Establish key performance measures and modernization priorities.
  
  

In The Long Term, You Will

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• Optimize IT operations and service delivery models.
• Elevate customer and user satisfaction across County departments.
• Strengthen IT value, and reliability across the enterprise.
• Help position the County of Santa Clara as a national leader in government technology excellence.
  
  

Why Join Us?

• Lead technology business transformation with purpose – supporting millions of residents who rely on County services every day.
• Influence strategic decisions at the highest levels of government.
• Work in a mission-driven culture dedicated to equity, innovation, and public service.
• Help shape the future of digital government in one of the most dynamic regions in the world.
  
  

Virtual Executive Insight Session: Associated Chief Information Officer

Thinking about whether this executive role might be the right next step for you? Wondering what kind of difference you could help make for the people and communities we serve?

Join us on Thursday, July 2, 2026 from 12:00 NN–1:00 PM for a relaxed virtual conversation with our hiring team. We’ll walk through what the role is all about, the community-focused work it supports, and what success looks like for leaders in this space.

It’s a chance to ask questions, get a feel for the responsibilities, and see whether this opportunity aligns with your values and leadership style.

If you already know what you’d like to ask, feel free to submit your questions ahead of time through the RSVP form — it helps us make the session as useful as possible.

We hope you’ll join us!

More About Our Competitive Executive Benefits

Strategic Financial and Retirement Benefits

• CalPERS pension with reciprocity across most California public agencies (2.5% @ 55 for Classic Members, 2% @ 62 for Non-Classic Members)
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan with both pre-tax and Roth options, up to IRS limits
• $325,000 in term life insurance plus $300,000 in accidental death and disability coverage
• Eligible employer under the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program
  
  

Executive-Level Health, Wellness, and Family Support

• Premium health insurance options (Kaiser, HealthNet, Valley Health Plan) with up to 96% County-paid coverage
• Fully covered dental (Delta or Liberty) and vision (VSP) plans for individuals and families

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• Employee Assistance Program, Dependent Care Assistance, and Flexible Spending Accounts
• Access to wellness and leadership development programs designed to support executive performance and resilience
  
  

Leadership Mobility, Time Off, and Professional Growth

• 39 days of annual leave with a cash-out option, plus 13 paid holidays
• Relocation assistance to support seamless transitions
• Tuition reimbursement and internal executive development programs
• To learn more about benefits, check out our dedicated page .
  
  

Ready to join the leadership team? Apply now.

Learn more about the County and the impact you can have as a leader.

Application Process and Key Dates

Filing Deadline: Monday, July 27, 2026

This recruitment may close or be extended as early as 10 days after posting. Early application is strongly encouraged. Please check the website regularly for updates.

Apply at: https://esa.santaclaracounty.gov/career-seekers

What To Include In Your Application

• Résumé
• Cover Letter (maximum3 pages)
  
  

Describe why you are the ideal candidate, highlighting relevant leadership experience and accomplishments.

Next steps in the process

Following mutual interest, a comprehensive background investigation and reference check will be conducted. Finalists will be asked to provide at least five professional references, with prior authorization obtained by Executive Services.

Questions regarding this Executive recruitment may be directed to Quynh Truong, Executive Services at quynh.truong@esa.sccgov.org

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Employment Standards

The knowledge and abilities required to perform this function are normally attained through possession of a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Administration or a closely related field and ten (10) to fifteen (15) years of increasingly responsible senior management experience in the information technology and business industry, with at least five (5) years of which must be concentrated in managing multiple, large, cross functional teams or projects, with extensive experience in managing the technical and/or non-technical services of a complex organization similar to the County of Santa Clara, either public or private.

View the full job specification on our career site.