California seeks a visionary and dynamic leader to establish our Office of Digital Innovation (ODI). The Office will seek to make government more accessible and intuitive for the people it serves.
ODI will build on what we have learned about digital innovation in California, and bring it to scale. The Office will always start by seeking to understand what users want. It will use design, technology, data, and behavioral insights to iteratively work with departments to deliver better services for Californians. It will also bring its tools to bear on troubled projects to refocus efforts through discovery and rapid prototyping.
The Director of ODI will build a world-class team, create the culture, build the institution, and deliver real results. The Director will also become the de facto community leader and convener of innovators across the state. This is a tremendous opportunity to build a movement, and develop capabilities statewide. The Director will also provide advice and guidance to senior government officials grounded in deep experience and an understanding of what works.
California’s government offers a large canvas. It serves nearly 40 million residents. It plays a key role in delivering health and human services to millions, maintaining one of the largest transportation networks in the country, and leading the country in environmental protections. The state responds to emergencies, protecting life and property, and provides oversight and regulation of businesses, offering protections to consumers. The opportunities for transition to user-focused digital services are vast.
Governor Gavin Newsom will appoint the Director of ODI, who will report to the Secretary of the Government Operations Agency. ODI will become a program in the Government Operations Agency (GovOps), in recognition of the Office’s critical cross-cutting role. GovOps will provide administrative support to the new office, and help coordinate with the departments responsible for the state’s technology backbone, hiring, and procurement, which also fall within the same agency.
Chief executive of ODI. You will build and lead the team in setting and executing an ambitious agenda, recruiting exceptional talent, and building a digital service delivery engine that works in California. You will build and shape a curious, scrappy, and driven team focused on solving problems for Californians. You will establish mechanisms for monitoring, measuring, and reporting on progress and results. You will catalyze lasting change in how government serves the people.
Champion for users and customer experience in California. You will be the voice of “yes, and.” You will shape the strategic direction for digital services and grow the capacity needed to advance the mandate. You will drive innovative approaches to procurement, contracts, standards, and how work gets done. You will escalate and help resolve issues that inhibit better services – at times breaking things, and making them better. You will be a proponent of openness, simplicity, and common standards.
Advises the Governor’s Cabinet Secretaries, and collaborates with Department Directors, and California’s technology, human resources, and procurement leadership. You will provide candid and informed counsel on ODI’s mandate, government services, and digital transformation initiatives across California. You find the truth and tell the truth.
Outspoken advocate representing ODI and California at internal, intergovernmental, national, and international meetings related to digital service delivery and transformation.
An engaged servant leader. You are equally at ease presenting to the Governor and his Cabinet as you are whiteboarding with developers. You work with both public governmental agencies and private sector organizations to build partnerships and ecosystems. You are able to clear barriers, and empower and support staff at all levels. You are a skilled strategist who can dive deep to understand the details.
A force multiplier. You inspire people to work together for a common cause. You impart knowledge with humility and create capacity for change. You’re able to feed and sustain team energy and enthusiasm over time while maintaining an accelerated tempo. You invest in your team, and empower them. They do the same.
An innovative technologist. You know how to leverage technology to enable new business models and transform service delivery. You can speak credibly and effectively to technical audiences, though you’re able to take the complex and make it simple. Experience implementing digital transformation strategies, enterprise data management strategies, and/or agile development methods at scale is desirable.
A bold thinker. You have a transformative vision, which you engage others in to help shape and drive. You embrace change, because you can see the risk inherent in the status quo. You inspire people to think and work differently.
Obsessed with users. You are the voice of the people we serve, passionate about helping teams deliver user-centric products and services. You build with people, rather than for them, leveraging data and real user experiences as guides.
A life-long learner and teacher. You recognize that a learning organization starts with you. You are naturally curious and prefer asking questions to making assumptions. You value mistakes big and small for the opportunity they offer to learn more about what works and what doesn’t.
Accomplished and engaged: You have a track record of driving digital adoption and improving service delivery in large, complex organizations. You roll up your sleeves and work alongside your team. While you think long-term, your bias for action ensures you gain traction quickly.
Bureaucracy-savvy. You know what it means to work in a large bureaucracy, and understand how to deliver in one.
Contact email odi@govops.ca.gov
This content was originally posted at https://govops.forms.fm/interest-form-director-of-the-california-office-of-digital-innovation/forms/6701