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Chief Director of Innovation (IT Program Director III)

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Chief Director of Innovation (IT Program Director III)

Salary

$127,953.07 - $230,315.49 Annually

Location

FAIRFAX (EJ32), VA

Job Type

FT Salary W BN

Job Number

26-00088

Department

Information Technology

Opening Date

01/10/2026

Closing Date

1/23/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Pay Grade

M04

Posting Type

Open to General Public

+ Description

+ Benefits

+ Questions

Job Announcement

The Chief Director of Innovation is a high-level executive leadership position within the Department of Information Technology (DIT), reporting directly to the Chief Information Officer (CIO). This role functions under limited supervision and serves as a strategic IT expert, providing oversight and direction for multiple divisions and functions within the department. The incumbent leads the development and implementation of countywide AI, ML, Data, Self-Service, and Business Intelligence solutions, ensuring alignment with the County’s strategic goals and business needs. This position is a key member of the CIO’s executive leadership team.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership and Supervision

+ Supervises Directors and/or Branch Managers across multiple DIT divisions.

+ Establishes priorities and leads performance management, staff development, and competency planning for assigned personnel.

+ Collaborates with other Chief Directors and County leadership to plan and execute technology initiatives.

+ Assists with division-wide budgeting, staffing, and performance planning.

+ Oversees daily operations, ensuring reliable, secure, and continuous application services in coordination with CIO and CTO.

Solutions Oversight

+ Directs AI/ML, Data, mobility, cloud-native modernization, emerging technologies, citizen-facing solutions, and data platforms.

+ Ensures security-by-design, performance resilience, technical compliance, and operational sustainability.

+ Participate in enterprise architecture alignment and adoption of industry frameworks.

+ Ensures Fairfax County remains a regional and national leader in innovative public-sector technology implementation.

Strategic Planning and Innovation

+ Oversees internal Innovation specific governance strategies, portfolio management practices, and technology prioritization.

+ Develops and implements policies, standards, and procedures to ensure operational compliance and accountability.

+ Establish objectives, KPIs, budgets, and performance metrics for assigned divisions.

+ Leads executive reporting and performance presentations to leadership and stakeholders.

Stakeholder Engagement and Emergency Operations

+ Serves as a liaison between technical teams, executive leadership, and County stakeholders.

+ Serves as an executive liaison for technology partnerships, innovation pilots, and cross-jurisdictional initiatives.

+ Maintains productive engagement with internal departments, external agencies, localities, academic organizations, and industry partners

+ Collaborates with departments to discover innovation opportunities and ensure strong alignment with business needs.

+ Coordinates with other Chief Directors during emergencies and ensures disaster recovery plans are up to date for critical applications.

+ Maintains continuity of operations documentation, including succession planning and emergency delegation of authority.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following: (https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hr/equivalencies-education-and-experience)

(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")

Possession of a bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, business or public administration, or closely related field; plus seven years of progressively responsible experience in applying and/or managing information technology systems and resources to meet the needs of a government or business organization.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

The appointee is required to complete a criminal background check to the satisfaction of the employer.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

+ Demonstrated success in the development and deployment of AI, ML, Data, Self-Service, and Business Intelligence applications and services in a large public, or private, sector environment.

+ Demonstrates the ability to clearly articulate a strategic plan and define quarterly and annual deliverables in alignment with the strategic plan.

+ Demonstrated success in defining, and implementing, innovative user experience strategies resulting in improved, year over year, self-service metrics.

+ Extensive experience overseeing complex application environments and leading technical teams.

+ Strong technical background, including hands-on experience in AI/ML/Data solutions development and the establishment of ethical and diversity focused standards.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Work is generally sedentary, performed in a normal office environment. All duties are performed with or without reasonable accommodation.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:

Panel interview and may include exercise.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others (https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/demographics/fairfax-county-general-overview) .) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. [email protected] EEO/AA/TTY.

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