GIS Innovation Manager (Info Tech Program Manager II)

Fairfax County’s Innovation Division within the Department of Information Technology is seeking an experienced, forward-thinking technical leader to serve as the GIS Innovation Program Manager. In this pivotal role, you will become the chief strategist and driving force behind county-wide geospatial adoption, directing the outreach initiatives, workforce training programs, application support, and technical services that empower our dynamic community. This is an opportunity to lead high-impact agency engagement initiatives, research and pilot cutting-edge geospatial applications, and pioneer next-generation training strategies that maximize the value of spatial tools across every county division.

We are looking for an ambitious, future-focused collaborator who is excited to cultivate and expand Fairfax County's robust GIS ecosystem. If you are passionate about mentoring a diverse community of analysts and developers, driving enterprise governance, and orchestrating premier technical forums and public events like GIS Day, this position offers the platform to truly make your mark. Join us to champion next-generation spatial literacy and lead Fairfax County’s geospatial community into a more resilient, connected, and innovative future.

Key Responsibilities

• Formulate and drive the strategic roadmap for enterprise application adoption, outreach programs, and innovative GIS services to ensure long-term alignment with evolving county technology initiatives.
• Oversee and provide comprehensive leadership in the selection, procurement, pilot testing, and integration of cutting-edge, user-facing GIS technology and services county-wide.
• Supervise, mentor, and manage a team of professional GIS data and application specialists, guiding their daily operational goals, contractor staff augmentation, and professional development opportunities.
• Develop the enterprise-wide GIS program to support the evolving spatial needs of county agencies by continuously researching, prototyping, and piloting emerging software applications and spatial solutions.
• Build strong relationships with county agencies to collaborate on the modern application of GIS, directly consulting departments on advanced mapping, low-code app development, and interactive dashboards.
• Promote the adoption and value of geospatial technology by executing comprehensive training programs for county employees and directing premier community engagement events like the annual GIS Day.
• Stay abreast of emerging GIS industry trends and actively represent Fairfax County at various professional venues, user groups, and geospatial conferences.
• Plan, prepare, and manage operational budgets for innovation projects, research and development (R&D) initiatives, and governance compliance workflows.
• Perform other duties as required to support GIS and Innovation Division related efforts.

Note: This role operates on a hybrid model requiring at least 40% onsite work at the Fairfax County Government Center.MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following:
(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to") Possession of a bachelor's degree in computer science, or closely related field; plus six years' experience in systems design, development, and maintenance in a large information systems environment, including considerable supervisory experience.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a Criminal Background Check  to the satisfaction of the employer.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Five years of experience leading GIS program outreach, modern application deployments, and technical team management within an enterprise IT environment.
• Advanced proficiency with the ESRI ArcGIS Enterprise suite (including ArcGIS Online/Portal, Hub, and Dashboards), open-source GIS software, and cloud-hosted application environments.
• Deep technical knowledge of web-based GIS solutions and low-code application development frameworks.
• Proven experience collaborating with diverse agencies to align spatial solutions with the business needs of distinct county programs like Human Services, Zoning, Parks, and Land Development.
• Demonstrated experience establishing GIS data governance policies and representing an organization across regional committees, technical user forums, or professional industry venues.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Work is generally sedentary, performed in a normal office environment.  All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodation.      

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include exercise.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others.) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity. 

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. [email protected] EEO/AA/TTY.

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