With a workforce of over 25,000 people, and opportunities in more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia is the fifth largest city in the United States and one of the largest employers in Southeastern Pennsylvania. As an employer, the City of Philadelphia operates through the guiding principles of service, integrity, respect, accountability, collaboration, diversity and inclusion. Through these principles, we strive to effectively deliver services, to resolve the challenges facing our city, and to make Philadelphia a place where all of our residents have the opportunity to reach their potential.

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s mission is to protect and promote the health of all Philadelphians and to provide a safety net for the most vulnerable. We provide services, set policies, and enforce laws that support the dignity of every man, woman, and child in Philadelphia. The health department is organized in the following divisions, each of which is responsible for providing service related to its name: AIDS Activity Coordinating Office, Air Management Services, Ambulatory Health Services, Chronic Disease Prevention, Commissioner’s Office, Disease Control, Environmental Health Services, Facilities Management, Fiscal, Human Resources, Information Technology, Lead and Healthy Homes, Maternal Child and Family Health Services, Medical Examiner’s Office, and Public Health Laboratory. The department also provides nursing homes services, and we work with a broad network of community, hospital, academic and business partners throughout Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley. We work together to make Philadelphia a healthy place to live, work and play.

The Department of Public Health’s central Information Technology (IT) Division is responsible for maintaining and improving the department’s IT infrastructure and systems. This position works with department management to identify and define problems, issues and opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness through IT initiatives. Under the direction of the Department of Public Health’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), this position has director-level responsibility for planning and directing the activities of departmental IT systems through subordinate supervisors and administrators, technical support staff and consultants, and vendors coordinating with the City’s central Office of Innovation and Technology (OIT). The position directly oversees 3-6 positions and a total team of 20+ employees in exempt, union-represented, and contract positions.

Essential Functions
Division leadership
• Plan, organize, manage, and administer IT functions
• Develop and implement program and strategic planning; Implement and assist in the development of policies, procedures, and business practices
• Evaluate goals, objectives, priorities, and activities to improve performance and outcomes
• Recommend and establish administrative controls and improvements
• Develop procedures to implement new and/or changing regulatory requirements
• Serve as the leader of the IT management team
Management
• Direct and approve through subordinate supervisor(s) the planning, prioritizing, assigning, supervising, training, and review of the work of a diverse workforce
• Determine staff development requirements and ensure technical staff receives suitable training and stays abreast of recent developments
• Act as a resource, and provide direction, guidance, and leadership to staff; Advise on complex and sensitive concerns and issues; Select, direct, and manage the work of consultants
• Manage and coordinate work among various project team members and department and division staff members, some of whom you do not have direct line authority over
• Consult with clients, staff, and stakeholders to resolve issues
• Organize, facilitate, and participate in meetings of stakeholder groups to identify needs and build consensus and collaboration
• Assist in clarifying expected outcomes and managing expectations
• Investigate complaints and recommend corrective actions as necessary
Analysis, planning and implementation of IT systems and enhancements
• Confer with division director and various department managers and staff to determine computing and information management needs and requirements
• Develop plans and strategies to meet the information management needs of the department
• Determine which applications can best satisfy department computing requirements
• Direct installation and startup of new or revised software and hardware; Confer with central OIT managers and designated technical specialists to establish access to data and to insure provision of support to the department; Participate in interview and selection of vendors/contractors
• Assure security protocols are maintained, including HIPAA compliance
• Work with internal IT resources and OIT to organize around the problem and ensure new initiatives are planned, launched and executed correctly.
• Ensure delivery of computer services to the department within allocated cost and schedule
• Project future needs of department to promote effectiveness and efficiency; Confer with and recommend to superiors the most appropriate software and hardware purchases; Prepare cost comparisons of equipment and software considered for purchasing
Budget, contract, and vendor management
• Develop, administer, assist, and monitor budgets; Develop justifications for budgetary recommendations or adjustments; Participate in forecasting for staffing and resources
• Participate in the interpretation, negotiation, management, and enforcement of contracts
• Coordinate the finalization of budgets to ensure timely submission of the department budget
• Establish, maintain, and manage relationships with third parties/vendors
Coordination with external and central Office of Innovation and Technology (OIT) partners
• Represent the City of Philadelphia Department of Public Health to other agencies and organizations including making presentations, and participating in meetings, as directed
• Act as representative on committees, interagency task forces, and special projects
• Respond to and resolve confidential and sensitive inquiries
Other duties
• Develop and design long-term IT improvements and environments in order to plan for future acquisitions and technologies
• Conduct analysis on best practices and trends, and formulate and implement recommendations
• Recommend technology strategy to the Chief Operating Officer
• Perform other duties as assigned.
Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
• Competencies in:
o Managing in a union environment
o Participative leadership
o Strategic planning
o Budget management, procurement, contracting, and purchasing
• Knowledge of or skills in:
o Networking, security and infrastructure technologies
o Cost analysis and estimation for IT projects, hardware, and software
o Hardware and software systems for diverse and varied needs for a large department
o Application development, scoping and maintenance
o Request for Proposal (RFP) and contract negotiation processes
o Broad-based technology systems in varied business applications and environments
o Software development and analysis
• Ability to:
o Communicate verbally and in writing effectively with stakeholders and senior leaders
o Organize and work effectively with project teams of staff, managers, and leaders
o Understand complex, technical needs and resources
o Clearly define, communicate, and measure objectives
o Manage, recruit, coach, hire, discipline, and terminate, as needed, a diverse staff of 20+ employees, including employees in union-represented positions
o Work occasional evenings and weekends as required for various off-peak project implementations

• BA/BS degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Eight plus (8+) years of applicable IT work experience with five plus (5+) years of IT management experience
• Experience working in a large governmental, non-profit, or health environment is a plus
• Experience with electronic health records (EHR) systems is a plus

Please submit a resume and cover letter with your application. 

Successful candidate must be a City resident within six months of hire. 

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age,disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to For more information, go to: Human Relations Website at: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations