IT Innovation Strategist

This position provides strategic leadership for innovation, emerging technology adoption, and smart city initiatives for the City. This position is responsible for identifying, evaluating, and implementing emerging technologies and innovative solutions that enhance operational efficiency, service delivery, sustainability, and data‑driven decision‑making across City departments.

This position collaborates with City leadership, departments, external partners, vendors, and community members to ensure that innovation and emerging technology initiatives are well coordinated, comply with City policies and standards, and are designed and implemented to meet the City’s business needs and goals. The primary function of this position is to provide leadership, direction, analysis, and engagement for effective performance in these areas.

Additionally, this position will drive innovation, develop and integrate road maps, and build synergies across the City’s departments to ensure the timely adoption and long‑term success of innovation and emerging technology programs. Working conditions are primarily in an office environment.

PLEASE NOTE THIS POSTING IS "CONTINUOUS" AND CAN CLOSE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE.

• Manages and facilitates interns.
• Creates and executes a strategic plan for the City’s innovation, emerging technology, and smart city programs and initiatives.
• Provides organizational thought leadership on emerging technologies and innovative new ideas and concepts to meet the demands of an ever‑changing industry landscape.
• Identifies, evaluates, and develops a mechanism to track the City’s current smart city, innovation, and emerging technology initiatives.
• Conceptualizes, defines, designs, and manages the development of new innovations and emerging technology products to provide exceptional customer experience.
• Acts as liaison with other City departments, partner agencies, and vendors to ensure the coordinated delivery of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies that meet City standards.
• Facilitates planning processes and develops a framework for innovation and emerging technology efforts in collaboration with community, internal, and external stakeholders.
• Collaborates with other staff on developing a technology innovation roadmap, a cross‑departmental team, and a process for soliciting, testing, and evaluating creative approaches to government and community challenges.
• Represents and promotes the City’s innovation approach at various external venues to facilitate collaboration.
• Contributes expertise and support for other special initiatives as assigned.
• Ensures innovation, emerging technology, and smart city programs, projects, and initiatives comply with federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
• May be required to participate in and/or facilitate training to support departmental or City initiatives and requirements.
• May be required to work alternate hours as necessary for the efficient operation of the department.
• Position is designated as Mission Critical.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Business Administration, Information Technology, Data Science, Innovation, AI, Urban Planning, or a related field.
• Four years of progressively responsible experience in an organizational or municipal environment in emerging or innovative technologies, including technology planning, management, or implementation, including collaborating with departments, vendors, community stakeholders, and/or technical teams to move emerging technology, smart city, or innovation initiatives forward.

• Must possess and maintain City driving privileges/a valid driver’s license.
• Must possess and maintain a valid telephone number.

• Knowledge of artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, data platforms, cloud technologies, Internet of Things (IoT), and software lifecycle management best practices.
• Knowledge of pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
• Knowledge of city government functions, processes, and operations.
• Knowledge of quality principles and tools, especially root cause analysis and problem solving.
• Knowledge of…