About Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT)
DoIT's mission is to empower the State of Illinois through high-value, customer-centric technology by delivering best-in-class innovation to client agencies fostering collaboration and empowering employees to provide better services to residents, businesses, and visitors.
The Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) became an agency by statute on July 20, 2018, being charged with responsibility for the information technology functions of 35 agencies under the jurisdiction of the governor.
DoIT is leading a digital transformation toward an enterprise approach to technology in the State of Illinois to gain efficiencies and improve service delivery for customer agencies who in turn, serve the residents of Illinois. This transformation is resulting in improved security and data protection, fewer redundant systems, more efficient technology spending and greater interagency collaboration.
The Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) delivers statewide technology, innovation and telecommunication services to state government agencies, boards and commissions as well as policy and standards development, lifecycle investment planning, enterprise solutions and privacy and security management.
DoIT also manages the Illinois Century Network (ICN), a service that creates and maintains high speed telecommunications networks providing reliable communication links to and among Illinois schools, institutions of higher education, libraries, museums, research institutions, state agencies, units of local government and other entities that provide service to Illinois residents.
DoIT is guided by 5 Foundational Priorities:
- Architecture & Governance: Maximize interoperability via service-oriented architecture & thoughtfully planned out roadmaps.
- Service Management: Establish and adhere to best practices for how to administer and maintain technology.
- Standardization & Modernization: Rationalize and standardize the tech stack in order to modernize and better support all client systems.
- Data Management: Establish robust data practice environments to enable agency analytics.
- Information Security: Protect the data assets of the agencies & residents DoIT supports & serves.
For more information on DoIT please visit: https://doit.illinois.gov/
The Opportunity
DoIT is seeking a top tier Technology and Innovation professional to lead the agency during this period of growth and transformation. The Secretary of Innovation and Technology (“The Secretary”) will be a visionary, seasoned, and strategic leader who will thrive working in a dynamic and complex government environment.
Reporting to the Governor’s Office the Secretary will serve as a key leadership team member and an active participant in making strategic decisions affecting the State of Illinois. The Secretary will oversee an agency staff of over 1,500 employees and will ensure that DolT delivers exceptional IT services and innovative solutions to customer agencies in order to improve services provided to all Illinois residents.
Under the leadership of the Secretary, the Department of Innovation & Technology will continue its work of delivering an enterprise approach to statewide technology, innovation and telecommunication services while continuing to push the agency forward to develop new services, policies, and practices.
The successful candidate will help forge new relationships to continue building and elevating DoIT’s visibility, impact, and resources. The Secretary will design and implement a comprehensive plan for the organization and will have primary responsibility for establishing and implementing the infrastructure needed to grow the impact of the agency.
Candidate Profile
The successful candidate will have a record of collaborative and innovative partnership in the field of information technology, with a foundation of leadership experience in progressively more senior positions in a complex organizational environment. The Secretary will ideally possess an in-depth understanding of a government environment and the roles and relationships of multiple stakeholders and their diverse needs for technical support. They must have a track record of flexibility and determination to maintain a strong and responsive service orientation. The candidate will understand the impact of changing technologies on the agencies DoIT serves and be able to anticipate next-generation trends in all phases of information technology and security.
The ideal candidate will have the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:
Functional Expertise
- Depth of expertise and knowledge in leading organizations through digital transformation initiatives, including large scale system and process changes.
- Exhibits a thorough understanding of specific aspects of work supervised (IT Infrastructure, Enterprise Systems and Applications, IT Security, Software Development).
Strategic Planning and Change Management
- Adept at overseeing and executing strategic projects with significant visibility and impact.
- Skilled at looking downstream and focusing organizational and team efforts on big picture, long term impactful initiatives.
- Experience with the effective use of IT Governance.
Relationship Building and Collaboration
- Builds collaborative working relationships across groups; evokes respect from others.
- Possesses the executive presence and interpersonal skills to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and effect change through influence.
- Collaborates with senior management to deliver strategic business results.
Staff Recruitment and Development
- Demonstrated ability to develop and manage cross-functional, effective teams in a complex, mission focused environment.
- Establish and direct a staff recruitment and retention model that works to address the needs of client agencies and allows room for innovation.
Customer Service and Communication
- Exhibits necessary patience to work with a variety of different leadership styles, a leader with the explicit ability to compromise, and a dedication to follow through.
- Expert advisor to staff, peers, and internal and external customers.
- Skilled at communicating to both technical and non-technical audiences in language appropriate to the group.
Creativity and Problem Solving
- Excellent analytic, problem solving, coaching, and conflict-resolution skills.
- Recommends policies, methods, processes, and techniques for information technology based on change initiatives; creates/conceptualizes new methods, techniques, and /or processes across information technology.
In addition, strong candidates will offer:
- Passion for the mission of DoIT.
- Demonstrated personal and professional commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
- Knowledge of government environments and experience leading teams in complex, decentralized environments through influence and persuasion.
Compensation
The salary for this role is $211,000 annually.
DoIT provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. They actively foster a culture of inclusion and encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply.
Contact
Koya Partners, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, has been exclusively retained for this engagement. To make recommendations or to express your interest in this role please email DoIT@koyapartners.com. All nominations, inquiries, and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.
About Koya Partners
Koya Partners, a part of Diversified Search Group, is a leading executive search and strategic advising firm dedicated to connecting exceptionally talented people with mission-driven clients. Our founding philosophy—The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World—guides our work as we partner with nonprofits & NGOs, institutions of higher education, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.
Koya is an equal opportunity employer fully committed to creating an environment and team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, styles, and experiences. We encourage all to apply because we believe a diversity of voices leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone. Koya does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, military status, veteran status, genetic information, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
For more information about Koya Partners, visit Koya's website.
