Application Development Team Manager (Hybrid)

The State of Connecticut Department of Administrative Services, Bureau of Information Technology Solutions (DAS/BITS) is currently hiring for an Application Development Team Manager (Information Technology Manager 1) in service of the Office of Early Childhood (OEC).

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• A competitive starting salary.
• NEW: A Platinum Healthcare Plan, the nation’s best for state employees and dependents, according to a report by Georgetown’s Center on Health Insurance Reform an article by Ellen Andrews, Ph.D., along with comprehensive benefit offerings.
• Learn more about what sets us apart as an employer with our Employer Value Proposition.
• Generous paid time off, including 13 holidays per calendar year.
• Retirement plan options.
• A culture that encourages work-life balance.
• Working for a Forbes top company: State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.
• State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service.  Click here for more information.

THE ROLE

The Application Development Team Manager (IT Manager 1) will manage the application development of the Office of Early Childhood's data systems. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in managing a team of approximately 10-15 application development staff members and contractors, ensuring the timely delivery of effective solutions for around 15 data systems. Some key responsibilities include:

• Supervising and managing a team of application development staff members and contractors.
• Holding team members accountable for delivering effective solutions within specified timelines.
• Working closely with the Customer Success Manager, agency leadership, and business directors.
• Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the early childhood business segment and specific requirements of the data systems.
• Making informed technical decisions based on a deep understanding of the overall landscape and specific needs of the early childhood business segment.
• Incorporating appropriate project management practices.
• Assisting business teams in adopting continuous improvement and agile project models.
• Comprehending systems and associated community portals, including their designs and business rules and other relevant components.
• Providing support and conducting user acceptance testing and ongoing production checks for batch runs, reports including working with the team to communicate and troubleshoot deficiencies.
• Reviewing and collaborating on the build and implementation.
• Facilitating training and communication of system changes, incorporating requirement specifications and development of process flows.
• Reporting observations and make recommendations for evaluation, data, budgeting, and reporting for OEC administered programs.

This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute significantly to the advancement of the OEC's data systems and positively impact early childhood programs. If you are a forward-thinking IT professional with a passion for innovation and strategic leadership, we invite you to apply for this key role in our dynamic organization.

ABOUT US

The State of Connecticut is undergoing a strategic optimization of our Information Technology (IT) resources, to deliver enterprise-wide services, in more efficient and innovative ways. We are setting trends, not following them. As part of these efforts, the Department of Administrative Services Bureau of Enterprise Systems and Technology (DAS BEST) is joining forces with the majority of Executive Branch, Agency IT organizations, to form a new, centralized team under the Bureau of Information Technology Solutions (BITS).

The OEC is a unique state agency in CT that helps families with young children achieve better outcomes. As a relatively new state agency, the OEC is mandated in its enabling to be data-driven, human-centered, and results-focused. We touch the lives of over 200,000 young children, parents, and caregivers annually through our integrated focus on early care, education programs, safety supports, home visiting programs, and other critical early childhood services. By scale of funding, OEC is one of the largest departments of CT State Government, deploying and leveraging approximately half of a billion dollars each year in service of vulnerable families and communities. CT is a leader in the coordination of early childhood programs throughout the country, whereas early childhood programming in most states is fragmented across multiple programs that families must navigate. Only a handful of states have created agencies dedicated to integrating support for families with young children, and only CT has a clear data-driven mandate. New parenthood and early childhood are extremely important moments in a person's life and experiences during this time can have significant and long lasting impacts. 

• In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on this job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
• The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
• For current State employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from branch to branch, but it does not impact your State service credit.
• Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
• In order to receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the recruiter listed on this job posting.
  
• Please select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
• All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AFTER YOU APPLY

Within a state agency information technology division this class is accountable for the management and direction of information systems, applications development, systems maintenance, and similar information technology functions as well as technical and support staff.

• Plans, organizes and manages all operations and activities of an information technology services unit, division, function or location;
• Responsible for meeting all data processing or information technology needs of the respective unit, division, function or location;
• Establishes priorities for systems development and information technology projects in accordance with agency requirements;
• Coordinates, plans and manages solution architecture projects;
• Directs the planning, design and implementation of complex storage solution configuration;
• Develops plans for future utilization information technology services in the overall agency program;
• Within the financial resources of the agency ensuring the development of high quality, low-cost technology solutions aligned with the needs of the State and its agencies;
• Aligns information technology planning with the business strategy;
• Leads and influences the development of standards and decisions regarding changes to systems/applications;
• Manages information systems activities within areas such as IT infrastructure and architecture, applications development, networks, computer operations and support;
• Oversees information technology projects from conception to completion;
• Works with leadership team to maximize cross-team contributions;
• Leads information technology operations to ensure exceptional quality and timely response to all customer service issues;
• Interfaces regularly with clients/customers;
• Stays abreast of local, regional and national industry trends;
• Understands the major economic, political, technological and competitive trends affecting technology;
• To capture competitive advantages, searches out challenging opportunities to change, grow, innovate and improve;
• Compares information technology with those of significant competitors and makes appropriate adjustments;
• Coordinates the use of key people, resources, technologies, process, and capabilities to reach strategic goals;
• Sets an example by acting in ways that are consistent with shared department values;
• Fosters collaboration by promoting cooperative goals, building trust and enlisting others in a common vision;
• Strengthens staff by providing choice, developing competence and offering visible support;
• Focuses on continuous learning for self and staff;
• Actively acknowledges individual and team accomplishments;
• Leverages technological solutions to meet business needs;
• Leads the recruitment and hiring of staff, including outreach, interview and selection;
• Performs related duties as required.

• Plan and Deploy for Business Results, which includes the ability to develop and implement business plans, IT plans, budget plans, and human resource plans in order to maximize budget allocations, technology, personnel and other resources to achieve agency and program goals.
• Lead Change, which includes innovation, the ability to be a creative problem solver and a strategic thinker, and the ability to recognize and develop opportunities to grow and develop information technology services in response to customers and a changing work environment.
• Focus on Results and Quality, including exercising and promoting accountability, and the ability to analyze surveys, financial and other data, and use strategic planning and performance measurement techniques to continuously improve performance and maintain competitiveness.
• Understand Customers and Markets, which includes the ability to establish customer satisfaction and loyalty, forecast and conduct market analyses, keep ahead of industry trends and incorporate “best practices” into information technology operations.
• Lead People, including the ability to resolve conflict, communicate effectively, coach and train employees, recognize performance, and foster diversity and teamwork.
• Build Coalitions, including the ability to explain and advocate facts and ideas in a convincing manner, to negotiate with individuals and groups internally and externally, to gain cooperation from others, and to identify the internal and external politics that impact the work of the organization.
• Business Knowledge, including knowledge of the technical, professional, procedural and legal requirements of the specific information technology area.

Ten (10) years of experience in computer or network administration, architecture, operations, production control, systems development, information technology analysis and planning.

Three (3) years of the General Experience must have been in a lead capacity.

• College training in computer science, management information systems or a closely related field may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor’s degree.
• A Master’s degree in computer science, management information systems or a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.
• For state employees four (4) years of experience as a Computer Operations Supervisor may be substituted for the Special Experience.

• Experience leading a team of application developers and project managers.
• Experience with system upgrades.
• Experience leading Information Technology (IT) application and modernization initiatives.
• Experience recruiting and developing staff.
• Experience in managing and resolving system outages for technology applications.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.