State of Maryland

An Information Technology (IT) Staff Specialist is the full performance level of work reviewing, evaluating and preparing technical assessments of information technology issues in support of information technology organizations or in support of a user organization as the primary information technology resource.  Employees in this classification do not supervise.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from an IT Staff Specialist Supervisor or other information technology administrator.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The IT Staff Specialist is differentiated from the IT Staff Specialist Supervisor in that the IT Staff Specialist performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision while the IT Staff Specialist Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for IT Staff Specialists.

Provides technical staff support in areas such as feasibility studies, budgeting, planning, contract administration and security requiring application of technical information technology knowledge;

Meets with information technology staff, management, users, vendors and other agency and State government staff to discuss and resolve information technology problems and issues;

Performs research and analysis of technical information technology issues;

Prepares position papers and narrative reports documenting findings and proposed solutions of information technology issues;

Reviews journals, catalogues and other technical literature and attends workshops, seminars and trade shows to keep abreast of the latest developments in computer technology;

May develop and modify information technology policies, procedures and standards;

May coordinate long and short range planning for information technology resources;

May prepare plans covering user needs, software systems and hardware;

May provide technical justification for information technology budget requests and may coordinate the information technology budget process;

May prepare technical specifications in requests for proposals for information technology hardware, software and services;

May evaluate proposals from vendors and recommend selection as a member of a technical evaluation committee;

May monitor information technology contract performance, verify that completion and quality criteria have been met and authorize payment of vendor invoices;

May establish and maintain security policies, procedures and standards for access to computer facilities, hardware, software and stored data and implement and manage computerized information technology security systems;

May develop and administer information technology training programs;

Performs other related duties.

Class Descriptions are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies.  Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

Class Descriptions provide information about the Nature of Work, Examples of Work, General Requirements and Acknowledgements.  The Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities; Minimum Education and Experience Requirements; Special Requirements; and recruitment and testing procedures are set by the using agency.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.