CIO / Information Technology Director

Posting CLOSES on 10/31/2025

Job Summary

Provides vision, strategy and direction for the effective operation of the county’s Information Technology Department (CCIT) to ensure solutions are aligned with county objectives and are focused to help in the delivery of departmental and public services. This position reports directly to the Canyon County Chief Operating Officer while residing under the Board of County Commissioners. The Director of Information Technology is responsible for the department’s annual budget, supervision of assigned staff, and providing status reports to the Board of County Commissioners as requested. Additionally, the Director serves in a technical oversight capacity of the Sheriff’s Office Emergency Technical Services (ETS) employees, and continues as long as a memorandum of understanding exists

Key Responsibilities

· Strategic Planning and Leadership

o Leads strategic technological planning to achieve business goals by prioritizing technology initiatives and coordinating the evaluation, deployment and management of current and future technologies.

o Primary liaison for the county’s technology vision, strategy and direction via regular written and/or in-person communication with elected officials, department heads and end-users.

o Provide leadership and direction for the IT department, fostering innovation and efficiencies.

o Work with elected officials and department administrators to assess, set requirements, and test new solutions that may include hardware, software and new technologies before introducing into the county environment.

o Stay current with new technologies and policy by attending conferences, building peer-to-peer relationships and identify leadership trainings for personal growth.

· IT Operations Management

o Oversee the management of IT infrastructure including acquiring, implementing, and operating current and possible new network systems, equipment, software and other technologies.

o Oversee the network, telephone and cyber security including policy and direction of the county’s technical infrastructure.

o Maintains and updates internal documentation (IT Handbook and IT Service Book) to define internal policies and procedures to supplement and align with the county employee handbook

o Approves, prioritizes and controls projects and the project portfolio, as they relate to the selection, acquisition, development and installation of major application system solutions

o Oversees and maintains the asset inventory management policy and process

o Develops, tracks and controls the technical services annual operating and capital budgets for technology purchasing, staffing and operations

o Develops and presents to the Board of County Commissioners proposed departmental budget and monitors approved budget and expenditures.

· Recruiting, Development and Team Leadership

o Build, develop, and lead a high-performing IT team, including hiring, training, mentoring and evaluating staff.

o Promote collaboration and effective communication within the IT team and across departments and foster a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and customer service within the IT department.

· Vendor and Stakeholder Management

o Manage relationships with external IT vendors, service providers and the public, negotiating contracts and ensuring Service Level Agreements (SLA) are met.

o Collaborate with the county to ensure IT initiatives are aligned and prioritized including cost benefit analyses for technology spending and application acquisition and/or development initiatives.

o Acts as a lead in cyber awareness and Cyber Incident Response Plans (CIRP) and works closely with the Sheriff’s Emergency Management Department, Idaho Supreme Court, State of Idaho, Military Division, CISA and other affiliates.

o Collaborates with appropriate departments to develop and maintain a 5-year technology business plan that supports organizational needs

o Ensures continuous delivery of technical services through over-sight of service level agreements with end-users and monitoring of systems, programs and equipment performance

· Risk Management and Compliance

o Develop and implement strategies to mitigate IT risks, including data breaches, cyber threats and system failures

o Assesses and communicates risks associated with technology-related investments and purchases

o Ensure the organization’s IT systems comply with relevant regulations and standards

o Assist in technical oversight of Sheriff’s 911 systems, connectivity, strategy and technology vision.

· Other Duties and Responsibilities

o Attend evening meetings and respond to emergency calls during off-duty hours

o Oversees and develops patenting of intellectual property, inventions and business processes.

o Performs other related duties as assigned

Qualifications

Skills and Abilities:

· Design and operation of computer information systems, systems analysis and development

· Principles of effective supervision and budgeting practices and principles

· Experience in strategic technology planning, execution and policy development

· Excellent knowledge of technology environments, including telecommunications, networks, programming, media, datacenter principles and systems

· Technical experience with systems networking, databases, web development and user support

· In-depth knowledge of applicable laws and regulations as they relate to technology issues

· Group collaboration, planning, application services, organization assessment and development

· Project Management and methodologies; ability to lead, coach, mentor and develop others

· Organize and supervise a voice and data communication service department

· Negotiate contracts while maintaining vendor professional relationships

· Establish and maintain effective work relationships with elected officials, department administrators and others

· Make meaningful presentations to large and small groups

· Work independently and deal effectively with stress caused by workload and time deadlines;

· Articulate ideas to both technical and non-technical audiences

· Provide solutions to technical or business problems

Education and Experience

· Bachelor’s degree in computer science, mathematics, communication technology, electronics, data processing or related field preferred

· Six years of technical experience performing the above identified and related duties and ten years of management or supervisory experience leading technical teams

· Public Sector or public administration experience preferred

Special Qualifications

· Valid driver’s license

· Successfully complete a background investigation and polygraph examination

Essential Physical Abilities

· Clear speech and hearing ability, with or without an accommodation, to follow verbal instructions and communicate effectively by phone and in person

· Clarity of sight, with or without an accommodation, to read instructions, review and organize documents

· Requires sufficient personal mobility and physical reflexes, which permits the employee to function in a general office environment to accomplish tasks

Disclaimer

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the primary job responsibilities satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodation. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being assigned to this job. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of individuals in the job. This job description is not an employment agreement and/or an expressed or implied employment contract. Management has the exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without notice.

Canyon County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions related to recruitment and selection is made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.