Chief Information Officer - City of Fayetteville, NC

If you are an innovative IT professional with a proven track record in effective staff management and development, the City of Fayetteville, NC, invites you to apply as its next Chief Information Officer (CIO). The CIO serves as the city executive on all information services, information technology, and communications matters. They plan, direct, and review the administration and operations of Fayetteville’s Information Technology Department, which consists of Network Infrastructure, Telephony, GIS Management, Business Intelligence, Desktop Support services, Project Management, and management control of the servers, applications, network support and infrastructure of the city’s E911 Communications systems. 

This position is for the executive who is a natural problem solver who thinks and plans strategically and has the humility and ability to admit faults and errors. The ideal candidate has experience in organizational change management and will support the digital transformation of city functions and technology integration across the organization to streamline processes, systems, and procedures. 

The next CIO has a track record of achievements in the IT field that includes delivering outstanding customer service, proactively assessing and matching organizational needs with technology solutions, managing cyber threats with a commitment to transparency, and working with end users to feel skilled and competent as new technology is rolled out. The CIO is a highly organized project manager who will prioritize organizing service delivery to ensure quality communication, workflow, and efficiency across departments. 

About the Community: 

Few places in America have played such a formative role in our country's most defining moments as Fayetteville, from its original settlement in 1739 by Scottish immigrants from the highlands of Scotland arriving via the Cape Fear River through the deployment of troops around the world.  It is here where the very seeds of American freedom, democracy, and patriotism were planted and continue to grow.

The City of Fayetteville, in North Carolina's Sandhills region, has a population of more than 208,000 community members and is the 6^th largest city and 5^th largest metropolitan area in North Carolina. Recognized for innovation, leadership, and excellence and a four-time All-America City award winner, the City of Fayetteville is America’s Can Do City. Fayetteville offers the amenities of a sizable metropolitan, including historic sites, seven museums, three colleges and universities, multiple entertainment venues, a historic downtown, various festivals and special events, and award-winning recreation amenities.  

Fayetteville is the county seat for Cumberland County (pop. 326,328) and is one of nine municipalities within the county. Fayetteville and the surrounding counties include scenic rivers, lakes, and other recreation areas, as well as world-renowned golf courses that host major tournaments. Fayetteville is two hours from the North Carolina coast and four hours from the Great Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Parkway. 

Fayetteville is the proud home of Fort Liberty, one of the largest military installations in the world and headquarters for U.S. Army Forces Command, XVIII Airborne Corps, 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army Reserve Command, and U.S. Army Special Operations Command. With an active-duty population of over 51,000 troops, the strong military presence offers significant economic development potential and growth. 

One of Fayetteville’s greatest assets is its vibrant arts and cultural community and its revitalized downtown area, which is bringing forth additional growth spurred by the $40 million baseball stadium for the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, an Astros affiliate, and Class-A Advance baseball team. Surrounding the stadium is the revitalized historic Prince Charles, offering 59 one- and two-bedroom luxury apartments. Investment and expansion opportunities will continue to rise as Fayetteville experiences growth. Learn more about the opportunities in Fayetteville here and get a taste of what a weekend is like in Fayetteville by watching this short video. 

About the Organization: 

The City of Fayetteville operates under a council-manager form of government. It has more than 1,800 full-time and 300 part-time seasonal employees working across 19 departments. The FY 2025 operating budget is $ 320.9M across all funds. 

The City’s core values of RESPECT (Responsibility, Ethics, Stewardship, Professionalism, Entrepreneurial Spirit, Commitment, and Teamwork) are the basis for actions and decisions. They are the compass for accomplishing the City’s mission, vision, and objectives. The City has dedicated resources to transparency and accountability for meeting City goals and objectives through the Office of Strategic Performance Analytics and a strategic planning process that engages the community proactively. The most current annual 2022 Strategic Plan can be found here.

The City prides itself on community engagement and offers multiple ways for the community to become involved and stay informed, from 26 Advisory Boards and Commissions to state-of-the-art communication tools such as the cable and streaming FayTV government access channel, social media, podcasts, and community surveys. The city earns numerous awards and recognitions annually at the department level and nationally for its efforts. Explore more about the City of Fayetteville here. 

About the Department and Position:

The Information Technology Department provides technical support for all city departments. With 29 personnel, the department provides cost-effective technology, products, and services, which helps improve the City’s ability to serve its community members efficiently. The department operates four major functions: Policy, Planning, Operations & Administration (PPOA) program; the Geographical Information System (GIS), the Infrastructure Technology Solutions (ITS) program, and the Business Enterprise Solutions and Support program (BESS), which has four support areas, including Client Services, Enterprise Application Development & Support, Enterprise Resource Planning, and Web Services. 

Reporting to the Assistant City Manager, the Fayetteville CIO is responsible for managing a budget of $9M and overseeing the department’s 29 personnel, including four direct reports: Assistant CIO, GIS Manager, IT Business Intelligence Manager, and Infrastructure Technology Solutions Officer. The CIO also manages programs for cybersecurity, infrastructure upgrades, maintenance and expansion, and project management. The next CIO will facilitate infrastructure (network deployment, network equipment, and servers) upgrades for City services and expand public access while planning for future upgrades amidst budget challenges. The ideal candidate has depth and breadth in leading community access to technology through municipal initiatives such as high-speed broadband access. 

Key Position Priorities: 

• Facilitate the completion of various pending projects, including the installation of the ERP system, and oversee education, compliance, and accountability of the system within the department.
• Assess the impact of significant budget constraints from the previous year and determine opportunities to meet the department and city’s needs on a reduced budget.
• Build cohesion and unity within the department around the city’s strategic IT vision, goals, and priorities while improving communication within the department, organization, and community through methods that address proactive and accurate communication, use of nontechnical language, and accountability. 
• Evaluate opportunities to improve compensation and employee benefits, effective career development, succession planning, and recruitment and retention of skilled personnel while assessing outsourcing options to support efficient and quality service delivery. 
• Analyze the department’s approach to cybersecurity and disaster recovery and strategically plan for updates to improve automated protection and perimeter and ensure understanding and compliance across the organization. 

A bachelor’s degree in information systems, computer science, business administration, or related fields is required. Candidate's employment history must include well-rounded IT experience with at least ten or more years of successful and progressive levels of responsibility culminating in a management position in IT, with a title equivalent to Assistant Director, Director, CIO, etc., including five years of administrative and supervisory responsibility. Certified Government Chief Information Officer (CGCIO) designation and local government experience are highly preferred but not required.

The Successful Candidate is: 

• knowledgeable of principles and practices of strategic planning, information systems management, emergency communications management, systems analysis, systems design, systems integration, human resource management, program development, and organizational development; 

• familiar with IT infrastructure, including TelCom and business systems such as Application Support, Web, Desktop SW, and ERP; 

• knowledgeable of trends and practices in managing functions and departments dealing with information handling, workflow and systems, multiple hardware platforms, and integrated information and communications systems; fiber as a broadband technology; management and supervisory principles and practices; relevant state and federal laws, department rules, regulations, policies, and procedures related to personnel processes; principles and practices of operating and capital budget development, administration and oversight;
• experienced in researching, analyzing, and evaluating new service delivery methods and techniques; staying abreast on current and emerging information about emergency communications and telecommunications technologies; 
• able to interpret and apply federal, state, and local policies, laws, and regulations to municipal information systems services. 
• skilled in the municipal budget developmental and administration process while leveraging a tight budget to maximize existing resources and deliver quality service;
• experienced in using metrics to evaluate service and outcomes against standards and goals consistently; 
• balances the security of personal and organizational data with innovation, allowing the city to be maximally effective and efficient while continuing to be a frontrunner in municipal information technology; 
• a principled leader who values accountability while holding realistic and fair expectations of self and others, including creating specific and measurable performance standards and metrics; 
• a skilled trainer who can educate and equip staff on various software and systems; and, 
• an effective listener who seeks input from relevant parties, communicates clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, and presents and articulates information to City Senior Management, Elected Officials, and, as appropriate, the general public. 

Salary and Benefits: The anticipated hiring range is $150,000 to $175,000. Salary will be determined based on experience and credentials. The City of Fayetteville offers a comprehensive benefits package, including the outstanding NC Local Government Retirement system with vesting after five years. The city will consider relocation assistance based on personal circumstances.  

To apply, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/developmentalassociates and click on the title of Chief Information Officer– City of Fayetteville, NC. Please note the following: 

• All applications must be submitted online via the Developmental Associates application portal (link above) – NOT the city’s employment application portal or any other external website. 
• Resumes and cover letters be uploaded with the application. 
• Applicants should apply by March 05, 2025.
• The hiring team will invite successful semi-finalists to participate in virtual interviews and skill evaluation on March 27-28,2025. Candidates are encouraged to reserve these dates for virtual meetings should they be invited to participate. 
• Direct inquiries to hiring@developmentalassociates.com.

The City of Fayetteville is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

To learn more about our selection process, visit https://developmentalassociates.com/client-openings/, select “Client Openings," and scroll down to “Important Information for Applicants.”