What’s the Job?

The IT Director is responsible for IT strategic planning and direction as well as overseeing all IT systems, support, information security, project management, administrative/procurement functions, and serves as HIPAA Security Officer for the four HIPAA-covered units within PDPH.

This is a keystone position, and connects PDPH to the City’s central IT body, the Office of Innovation and Technology (OIT), by reporting jointly to both. Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and executing IT strategy
• Partnering with multiple levels of leadership across departments to achieve PDPH goals
• Overseeing staff, budgets, vendors, projects, and operations
• Maintaining core hardware and software
• Purchasing or developing solutions to provide specialized public health services

The key to this job is understanding the many ways in which PDPH works to benefit the health and safety of Philadelphia’s residents.

Why It Matters

If you are someone looking for a job where you can make a difference, where you can do something with real and tangible meaning and impact to people who really need it, this may be for you.

The IT Director of PDPH is in the position to directly and indirectly support, maintain, and improve services offered to residents, and to set strategies and execute on initiatives which can make significant change to individual healthcare, the Opioid epidemic, handling of COVID-19, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, air quality, food safety, health of children, healthy pregnancies, and more, all while keeping the IT foundations solid and secure.

Who We Seek

We’re looking for an individual with broad IT knowledge, a penchant for learning, a desire to be challenged, and a real interest in being in service to the residents of Philadelphia.

You need to know how to be a partner to peers and leaders across multiple departments and divisions and need to be able to lead and find consensus. You need to be an experienced IT manager, with a strong and varied education and experience background ready to build an organization capable of moving PDPH forward. You need to be flexible, adaptable, and thrive in a fast-paced environment. You need to be interested in digging into each division, as well as the City IT operations, understanding what they do and why. You need to know security and privacy, and how to make the things we need to build and buy safe. You need to be a great communicator, able to successfully discuss technical and business topics with people of varied understandings. You need to respect others regardless of their differences and have a desire to be a part of a truly diverse team. You need to have an interest in customer service and service management, with an eye to best supporting the needs of PDPH.  And lastly, the successful candidate will need to be a Philadelphia resident within 6 months of hire.

Who We Are

A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What We Offer:

  Impact - The work you do here matters to millions.

  Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it?

  Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.

  Opportunities in Tech - Don’t wait for the future, shape it.

  Benefits - We care about your wellbeing.

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. We work together to make Philadelphia a healthy place to live, work and play.

The Office of Innovation and Technology (OIT) oversees most major technology projects for the City of Philadelphia, ensures continuity of the City's technology operations, and finds new ways to help the public interact meaningfully with technology. OIT uses technology to help City employees do their work better and helps residents get what they need from municipal government.

Please find the full list of responsibilities and details below

Full list of Responsibilities
 

Division Leadership

• Plan, organize, manage, and administer IT functions
• Develop, maintain, implement IT-related policies, procedures, and business practices
• Evaluate goals, objectives, priorities, and activities to improve performance and outcomes
• Coach and professionally develop managers, supervisors, and direct reports; act as a resource, and provide direction, guidance, and leadership to staff
• Maintain a positive HealthIT culture which serves the department well and allows staff to develop
• Determine staff development requirements; ensure technical staff receives suitable training and stays abreast of recent developments
• Advise on complex and sensitive concerns and issues
• Prepare proposals, presentations, reports, and other business documents as needed

Strategy

• Develop, implement, and prioritize strategic plans, projects, and initiatives
• Facilitate the IT Project Governance executive group; play a key role in Data Stewardship and other committees
• Confer with departmental and divisional leadership to anticipate technology and information management needs
• Work with divisions to incorporate technology initiatives and lifecycles into budget and planning workflows
• Create flexible plans and structures capable of responding to emerging public health needs

Project Management and Consultation

• Oversee IT project managers charged with providing business analysis, consulting, stakeholder communication, product and vendor research, vendor management, project management, and facilitation for department and divisional projects and initiatives
• Encourage a spirit of partnership and collaboration with key division stakeholders that persists from project to project
• Consult with clients, staff, vendors, partners, and stakeholders to resolve issues
• As needed, organize, facilitate, and participate in meetings of stakeholder groups to identify needs and build consensus and collaboration
• Oversee and produce communications for new projects, initiatives, and solutions
• Review and approve IT solutions for purchase, development, and implementation, ensuring compliance with OIT standards; ensure appropriate selection of vendors, contractors, and products
• Direct the implementation and launch of projects and initiatives
• Ensure close coordination with stakeholders, OIT, and external partners to ensure smooth and timely project implementation and launch

Service Management and Operations

• Ensure the continuity and quality of PDPH-provided services
• Define practices and expectations for HealthIT to provide excellent customer experience to PDPH staff and partners
• Set standards for communication with colleagues and PDPH clients, including managing expectations, communicating policy, and documenting solutions in an approachable way
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and work with the IT Operations Manager to define, measure, and achieve objectives
• Recommend and oversee procurement of appropriate software and hardware for department and divisional operational needs
• Respond to complaint escalations and critical issues
• Communicate OIT/City initiatives that will impact PDPH staff
• Coordinate with, and provide technical leadership for, PDPH technical staff in programmatic divisions

Information Security and HIPAA

• Assure security protocols are maintained, including HIPAA compliance and alignment with OIT security standards
• Serve as HIPAA Security Officer for PDPH HIPAA-covered entities
• Review new solutions, products, and network devices (including scientific instruments) for information security and compliance with applicable regulations and policies
• Assist in ensuring other applicable laws and regulations are followed (such as the PA Confidentiality of HIV-Related Information Act)
• Verify appropriate contracts, business associate agreements, and data sharing agreements are in place before permitting new system accesses or data integrations
• Respond to and resolve confidential and sensitive inquiries; participate in or lead investigations as needed

Partnership

• Cultivate partnerships with divisional and departmental leadership, OIT peers, and key City partners
• Represent PDPH to City agencies, partners, state and federal entities, and outside organizations as needed
• Participate in PDPH, OIT, and City committees, interagency task forces, and special projects
• Collaborate with OIT to establish access to data and applications, and ensure support of OIT technologies to the department

Budget, Contract, and Vendor Management

• Propose, justify, administer, and monitor budgets
• Participate in forecasting for staffing and resources
• Participate in the interpretation, negotiation, management, and enforcement of contracts
• Establish, maintain, and manage relationships with third parties/vendors, assuring contract compliance and results
• Select, direct, and manage the work of consultants
• Project future needs of department and divisions
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Full List of Needed Competencies, Abilities, Skills and Knowledge

• Excellent spoken and written communication as well as receptive listening skills, with ability to present complex ideas in a clear, concise fashion to technical and non-technical audiences
• Broad technical knowledge encompassing multiple disciplines
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Recognition of the goals and mission of DPH and our responsibility to the residents of Philadelphia

Competencies in:

• Managing, preferably in a union environment
• Strategic planning
• Budget management, procurement, contracting, and purchasing

Management-level knowledge of or skills in the majority of the following :

• Networking, security and infrastructure technologies
• Information security and risk management concepts
• HIPAA/HITECH, particularly compliance with the Security Rule
• Customer service/IT service management principles and models
• Web applications and technologies
• Cost analysis and estimation for IT projects, hardware, and software
• Hardware and software systems for diverse and varied needs for a large department
• Application development, scoping and maintenance
• Request for Proposal (RFP), contract negotiation, and procurement processes
• One or more of the following methodologies: Agile, Lean, Kanban, Waterfall
• Broad-based technology systems in varied business applications and environments
• Software development and analysis
• Facilities IT projects

Ability to:

• Quickly learn, research and assess new technologies and knowledge areas
• Work with cross-functional/cross departmental teams and within a matrixed leadership structure
• Work with deadlines and changing priorities in a complex environment
• Exercise strong judgment in analyzing, appraising, evaluating and solving problems of a difficult procedural, organizational, administrative or technical nature
• Communicate verbally and in writing effectively with stakeholders and senior leaders
• Organize and work effectively with project teams of staff, managers, and leaders
• Understand complex, technical needs and resources
• Clearly define, communicate, and measure objectives
• Manage, recruit, coach, hire, discipline, and terminate, as needed, a diverse staff of 20+ employees, including employees in union-represented positions
• Work occasional evenings and weekends as required for various off-peak project implementations

• BA/BS degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience, an advanced degree in a related discipline is a plus
• 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 public/community health environment is a plus
• Relevant additional education and certifications are a plus (PMP, CISSP, etc.)

Did you know?

• We are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program qualified employer
• 25% tuition discount program for City employees (and sometimes spouses and dependents as well) in partnership with area colleges and universities
• We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
•  Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available. 

The Successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia 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 faqpchr @phila.gov. For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx