IT Strategic Advisor

Job Description and Duties

The California Department of Technology’s (CDT’s) Critical Services (CS) Program helps state entities evaluate the critical services they deliver and identify opportunities for information technology (IT) system improvement to prevent failure or substandard performance.

Under administrative direction of the Information Technology Manager II (IT Mgr II), the Information Technology Specialist III (IT Spec III) serves as the IT Strategic Advisor, partnering closely with product leaders, analysts, designers, and business executives to assess and improve the technical foundations of high-impact government services.

Regardless of specialty, whether in data, software, infrastructure, or security this position contributes technical insight to multidisciplinary teams tackling complex service delivery challenges. The IT Spec III is expected to apply human-centered practices throughout their work: building empathy with users, identifying pain points in existing systems, and helping design more accessible, effective, and equitable solutions.

The IT Spec III balances immediate problem-solving with long-term modernization strategy, always grounding their work in user needs, business outcomes, and systemic impact.

Telework

Telework is available.

Visa Sponsorship

Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Working Conditions

CA Residency
Candidates who reside outside of the State of California may be admitted to the job interview. However, upon a job offer, candidates must provide proof of residence in California prior to their appointment becoming effective, or the offer may be rescinded.

• Must pass a fingerprint background criminal record check completed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
• May be required to travel to various offices and locations throughout the State and surrounding areas to provide client services and attend meetings, conferences and training.
• May be required to travel via private or public transportation including overnight lodging.
• May be required to carry a mobile device and be available by phone and/or email.
• May be required to work outside of normal business hours: periodic off-shift and weekend work.
• Works in an office environment operating a laptop, keyboard, mouse, monitor(s) and printers under non-natural lighting for prolonged periods.
• Must maintain consistent, predictable attendance.
• Professional business attire may be required.

Special Requirements

Do not submit the “Equal Employment Opportunity” questionnaire (page 5) with your completed state application (STD. 678) – For exam use only.

Please do NOT include your Social Security Number on any of the submitted documents.

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ)

All interested applicants are required to submit a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ). You must provide direct responses to each of the numbered items listed below. Each individual response must be numbered and include the full text of the numbered items prior to your response. The SOQ header should include the Job Code #, your name, “Statement of Qualifications”. The SOQ should include specific examples of your education, training, and/or experience. Please include places of employment, pertinent dates and duties performed. Limit your SOQ to no more than two pages, single-spaced, one-inch margin, and twelve-point Arial font. Each question includes optional prompts. You are not expected to answer every prompt, use them to guide your reflection.

Note: Applicants who do not follow these instructions may be disqualified from the selection process. Cover letters and résumés do not take the place of the SOQ.

1. Describe a time when you improved the reliability, scalability, or architecture of a system or service to better meet user needs.

Include your role, project scope and timeframe. Address:

• How you identified stakeholder needs
• Specific technical improvements you implemented
• How you balanced technical requirements with user needs
• Measurable outcomes and impact on service delivery
• Key lessons learned that inform your current approach

Focus on your individual contributions and decisions, not team efforts or project outcomes.

2. Public services often involve many teams, rules and legacy processes. Tell us about a time when you had to work within a complex or bureaucratic system to make progress on a project or initiative.

State your role, context and duration of the effort. In your response, cover:

• Key challenges you encountered navigating bureaucracy or cross-functional coordination
• How you developed an understanding of the environment and key players
• Specific strategies or actions you took to move the work forward
• The outcome of your efforts
• What you might do differently in the future and why

Your response must highlight your own strategic thinking, navigation of complexity and results .

3. Why are you interested in joining the Critical Services team at the California Department of Technology?

In your response, consider the following:

• What draws you to this kind of work or mission
• What impact you hope to have in this role
• What you hope to learn or grow into
• How this position aligns with your values or goals

This question is designed to understand your motivation and alignment with our team's mission. We are looking for authentic, well-considered responses.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Experience contributing technical leadership in one or more areas such as: application development, data analysis or engineering, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, business analysis, platform engineering, or enterprise architecture.
• Ability to assess complex systems for performance, reliability, usability, and risk, especially in support of public services or mission-critical functions.
• Knowledge of system design principles, architecture patterns, and modernization strategies such as replatforming, automation, or modularization.
• Ability to collaborate across technical and non-technical disciplines to align technical solutions with service delivery goals and end-user needs.
• Experience supporting or leading discovery, diagnostics, or root cause analysis efforts to inform technical or business decision-making.
• Understanding of accessibility, security, and equity considerations in digital service delivery.
• Ability to document, communicate, and translate technical concepts in plain language for diverse audiences, including executives and program leaders.
• Ability to work with legacy systems while identifying opportunities for simplification, integration, or future-state design.

Benefits

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

Additional Application Instructions

Using the online application system as specified in the announcement is the preferred method of applying for civil service job opportunities; however, applicants may instead apply by way of U.S. mail, parcel delivery or courier service, or in person, as set forth in this announcement.

Applicants who wish to submit hard copy applications shall use the most current version of the State Application (STD. 678) revised 10/2023. The position number and job control number must be identified in the job title line of the STD 678 (these numbers will auto-populate in the job title of the STD 678 if submitting an electronic application through CalCareers Account). The hard copy application MUST be signed . Applicants who fail to submit the most current version of the STD. 678 may be disqualified.

Note : Applications MUST include the “From dates“ and “To” dates, “Hours Per Week”, and “Duties Performed” fields for all job listed in the “Employment History” fields, and contact names and phone numbers of supervisors. State employees must list the specific departments for which they worked and indicate the specific civil service classification titles held (not working titles). Applications that are submitted blank will be considered incomplete. Reference to a resume in place of a description of the duties will not be accepted. Failure to submit a completed STD 678 may result in you being screened out. Only the most qualified candidates will be invited to an interview.

Please note that the CalCareer system will not allow you to make changes to your application information once it is submitted. For all other questions regarding your CalHR CalCareer account, you may contact the CalCareer Unit at (866) 844-8671

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is required and must be included.
• Statement of Qualifications - SOQ Required. Please see "Special Requirements" section for further information.