Assistant Chief Information Officer

Our diverse and inclusive workforce of more than 7,000 employees play a key role in the success of San José, the heart of the Silicon Valley. All City of San José employees work together as one team to make San José a vibrant, innovative, and desirable place to live and work. Visit here to learn more about our One Team Leadership Values and Expectations, including quality and excellent customer service and here to learn more about San José.

The City of San José is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of San José is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at 408-535-1285, 711 (TTY) , or via email at CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov .

About the Department

The Opportunity
At the center of one of the most dynamic technology ecosystems in the world, the City of San José offers a rare opportunity for a forward thinking technology executive to shape the future of public service delivery at scale. As the Assistant Chief Information Officer, you will help lead a nationally recognized municipal IT organization that is redefining how local government leverages innovation, data, and emerging technologies - including artificial intelligence - to better serve a diverse and rapidly evolving community. This role sits at the intersection of strategy, operations, and impact, partnering closely with executive leadership to modernize systems, strengthen cybersecurity, and build a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement across the enterprise.

The City of San José
Known as the “Capital of Silicon Valley,” the City of San José plays a vital economic and cultural role anchoring the world’s leading region of innovation. Spanning 178 square miles at the southern tip of the San Francisco Bay, San José is the largest city in Northern California and the 12th largest city in the nation. With approximately one million residents and 80,000 businesses, San José is one of the most diverse large cities in the United States. San José’s transformation into a global innovation center has resulted in one of the largest concentrations of technology companies and expertise in the world, including major tech headquarters like Cisco, Adobe, Zoom, Roku, and eBay as well as startups and advanced manufacturing.

San José’s quality of life is unsurpassed. Surrounded by the Diablo and Santa Cruz mountain ranges and enjoying an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, residents have easy access to the beaches along the California coast including Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Carmel; Yosemite and Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains; local and Napa Valley wine country; and the rich cultural and recreational life of the entire Bay region.

San José is known as one of the safest major cities in the country with low crime rates and strong public safety services and has received accolades for its vibrant neighborhoods, healthy lifestyle, and diverse attractions from national media including Business Week and Money magazines. The downtown area is home to high-rise residential projects, theaters, museums, and diverse entertainment attractions such as live music and theater, cafes, restaurants, and professional sports. Inquiring minds are served by the Tech Interactive museum, the San José Museum of Art, and many local cultural and entertainment venues. Nineteen public school districts and over 300 private and parochial schools provide residents with a range of educational choices. Universities in and near the city includeSan José State University, Santa Clara University, Stanford University, and three University of California campuses.

In 2011, the City adopted Envision San José 2040, along-term growth plan that sets forth a vision and a comprehensive road map to guide the City’s anticipated growth through the year 2040. The Plan proactively directs significant anticipated growth in new homes and workplaces into transit-accessible, infill growth areas, supporting evolution toward a more urban landscape and lifestyle. The San José area is powered by one of the most highly educated and productive populations in America. More than 40% of the workforce has a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared with 25% nationally, while 40% of San José residents are foreign born and 50% speak a language other than English at home. San José is proud of its rich cultural diversity and global connections, as well as the essential role the City plays in connecting residents and businesses to the nation and the world.

The City Government
The City of San José is a full-service Charter City and currently operates under a hybrid Council-Manager form of government. The City Council consists of 10 Council Members elected by district and a Mayor elected at-large. The City Manager, who reports to the Council, and the executive team provide strategic leadership that supports the policy-making role of the Mayor and the City Council and ensures the organization delivers high quality services that meet the community’s needs. The City actively engages with the community throughCouncil-appointed boards, commissions, and project specific engagement opportunities.

In addition to providing a full range of municipal services including police and fire, San José operates an international airport, a municipal water system, a regional wastewater treatment facility, over 200 neighborhood and regional parks, an accredited zoo, and a library system with 24 branches. The City also oversees convention, cultural, and hospitality facilities that include the San José McEnery Convention Center, Center for the Performing Arts, California Theatre, Mexican Heritage Plaza, and the SAP Center San José - home of the National Hockey League’s San José Sharks.

City operations are supported by approximately 7,000 full time equivalent positions and a total fiscal year 2025-2026 budget of approximately $6.2 billion. San José is dedicated to maintaining the highest fiscal integrity and earning high credit ratings to ensure the consistent delivery of quality services to the community. Extensive information regarding San José can be found on the City’s website at www.sanjoseca.gov.

The Information Technology Department
The Information Technology Department’s (ITD) mission is to enrich the quality of life in San José through innovation, collaboration, and engagement. ITD advances this mission by delivering reliable business and infrastructure systems, strengthening cybersecurity resilience, enabling data management and business intelligence, promoting responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and supporting productivity and collaboration solutions. The department also oversees the San José 311 resident experience platform, supports data equity and privacy programs, and drives effective strategic planning. San José is powered by truly great people, a robust technology environment, and a strong sense of purpose.

ITD is a leader in innovation, embracing cutting-edge technologies and pioneering solutions to enhance efficiency and quality of life in San José. As part of this effort, the City leads a national initiative for AI through theGovAI Coalition, which was established to give local governments a voice in shaping the future of AI, ensuring it is developed responsibly and for the public good.

In alignment with the City’s commitment to equity and inclusion, we strive to ensure that all members of the community, regardless of background, have access to the tools and resources needed to thrive in the digital age. San José is in the heart of Silicon Valley, which boasts a rich history in technology, education, and agriculture. Over half of San José residents speak a language other than English at home, highlighting the importance of language accessibility in all City services. By fostering inclusivity, promoting digital literacy, and building accessible platforms, we are advancing technology while creating a more equitable future for everyone.

ITD operates four primary service portfolios: Business Solutions: Responsible for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, database administration, software development and enhancements, integration, and maintenance of enterprise information systems and associated reporting systems that are critical to the City’s efficient and effective operations.Cybersecurity: Responsible for ensuring the security and operational resilience of the City’s information and communication technology environment. Works in close coordination with City departments to embed a security-first culture across all technology operations and community facing services.Infrastructure and Operations: Responsible for delivering superior municipal services through resilient, high-performance, and secure technology infrastructure. This division ensures the stability, continuity, and scalability of City systems, including endpoints, data centers, networks, and communications, while providing technical architecture that guides long-term infrastructure plans and investment.Administration and Strategic Support: Responsible for the planning, execution, and management of technology resources. These units ensure that ITD operates efficiently, equitably, and transparently and supports the City by providing product and project management, the San José 311 Customer Call Center, digital privacy, ethical and responsible AI, equity through data, digital empowerment, audit management, and technology, fiscal, billing, budget and personnel management services.

Position Duties

The Position
The Assistant Chief Information Officer (ACIO) is the second highest technology leadership position for the City's ITD organization. The person selected will team with the ChiefInformation Officer (CIO) to lead and sustain an exceptional innovation and technology team, enabling the City to provide superior municipal services through advanced solutions and processes.

The City of San José is seeking a strong leader and mentor with expertise in solving business challenges, managing technology, and advancing a culture of innovation. This role requires a leader who can develop employees within a collaborative, team-oriented environment to address complex, multi-department challenges as One Team. The ACIO is expected to provide inspirational leadership, fostering confidence, empathy, and respect, while guiding and strengthening a high-performing innovation and technology team that enables the City to deliver exceptional civic services. The Assistant CIO is responsible for the Business Solutions, Data & Business Intelligence functions as well as the Customer Contact Center - with a total staff size of 51.

The City’s priorities are guided by the City Council Focus Areas and a 2023-2026 IT Strategic Plan crafted to support those outcomes.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Experience
The following are the minimum qualifications for the Assistant Chief Information Officer position:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field is required. A Master’s degree in a relevant discipline is preferred.
• Experience: Seven years of progressive, senior-level experience in information technology, business management and/or administration, or operations with demonstrated growth in scope, responsibility, and organizational impact; including at least three years of direct supervisory and managerial experience leading multi-disciplinary technology teams, including hiring, performance management, professional development, and labor relations in a complex organizational environment.
• Certifications: Advanced professional certifications such asPMP, ITIL, CISSP, CISM or equivalent are preferred.

Other Qualifications

The Ideal Candidate
Executive success in the City of San José culture is defined by the ability to advance meaningful work that delivers on the City’s core values: Quality and Excellent Customer Service; Empowerment and Accountability; Collaboration and Communication; Racial Equity; Community and Employee Engagement; and Championing Our Employees. The ideal candidate is a seasoned executive with a solid track record in staff development, mentorship, solving business challenges, project and program management, innovative solutions, service delivery excellence, and succession planning. The candidate is expected to lead with purpose, invest in the people, and build teams that are empowered to grow, innovate, adapt, and deliver.

The successful candidate will bring exceptional communication and interpersonal skills that forge genuine, lasting working relationships with staff, executive leadership, elected officials, and other key stakeholders. This role requires a strategic leader with political awareness and professionalism and the ability to navigate complex organizational dynamics while keeping the focus on outcomes that matter to the community; the ability to build cross-departmental partnerships and drive trust and partnerships across the organization; and experience creating process improvements, efficiencies, and instilling best practices is required. Equally important is a commitment to advancing racial equity and digital inclusion as foundational elements of a modern municipal IT organization.

The City of San José seeks an experienced and passionate executive with the following characteristics:

• A great communicator who is passionate about the City’s vision and ITD’s mission.
• Proven ability in managing the strategic, tactical, and day-to-day needs of a complex organization.
• Experience leading complex enterprise technology projects to deliver mission-critical solutions.
• A proven leader with a passion for working in a fast-paced, high-profile, and progressive environment.
• Strong leadership style in collaboration and integrity of the highest levels.
• A passionate leader who believes in mentoring and developing a strong team.
• Exhibit proven resourcefulness and creativity in resource-constrained environments.
• Anticipate problems and proactively prevent and resolve challenges.
• Willingly assume responsibilities for outcomes, taking on initiatives as needed by the organization.
• Develop deep trust by communicating honestly, collaborating, and delivering equitable outcomes with all levels of the organization and with stakeholders in the community.
• Engage diverse teams and communities in a culturally competent manner.
• Build confidence and trust in the IT Department, nourishing and fostering relationships with other City departments, and with the community and key stakeholders.

Salary & Benefits
The annual salary range for this position is $184,968.42 - $298,804.74, which includes an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable compensation. The final candidate’s qualifications and experience will determine the actual salary. In addition, the City provides an excellent array of benefits, including:

• Retirement: The City of San José operates its own competitive defined benefit retirement plan, with full reciprocity with CalPERS. A defined contribution plan is available as an option.
• Health Insurance: The City contributes 85% towards the premium of the lowest cost non-deductible plan. There are several plan options.
• Dental Insurance: The City contributes 100% of the premium of the lowest priced plan for dental coverage.
• Personal Time: Vacation is accrued initially at the rate of three weeks per year, with amounts increasing up to five weeks after 15 years of service. Executive Leave of 48 hours is granted annually, and depending upon success in the Management Performance Program, could increase to up to 80 hours.
• Sick Leave: Sick Leave is accrued at the rate of approximately 8 hours per month.
• Holidays: The City observes 15 paid holidays annually.
• Life Insurance: The City provides a term life policy equal to two times annual salary.

For more information on employee benefits, visit the City’s Human Resources Benefits website.

Application & Selection Process
Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to apply immediately. A first review of candidates will be on Monday, May 11, 2026, but the City can close the recruitment at any time once a sufficiently strong pool of candidates has been established. To submit your interest, upload a cover letter and comprehensive résumé at: https://www.mosaicpublic.com/career/2620-assistant-chief-information-officer.

This recruitment will be handled with strict confidentiality. References will not be contacted until mutual interest has been established.

Greg Nelson | greg@mosaicpublic.com | (916) 581-1426

The City of San José is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of San José is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities.

Additional Information:

Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses.

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov and we will research the status of your application.

AI and the Hiring Process

We recognize that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of daily life and can be a valuable tool for learning, research, and professional growth. We encourage candidates to use AI responsibly as a support in preparing application materials, live assessments, and interviews. However, we value authenticity, accuracy and truthfulness. Application responses and interview answers must reflect your own knowledge, skills, and experiences. While AI can supplement preparation, it cannot replace the originality and judgment we look for in our employees. This ensures fairness, transparency, and equity for all applicants in the hiring process.

The City of San Jose offers a wide range of core health benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Disability, and Savings Plans. Please visit the City's benefits pagefor detailed information on coverage, cost, and dependent coverage.

For information on the City’s Retirement Plan(pension for full-time employees), please visit the Office of Retirement Services website. You will be able to view information based on different Sworn/Federated job classification.

In additional to the benefits above, there is an additional perks siteto explore further benefits of working for the City of San Jose like paid leave, educational reimbursements, and holiday pay are specific to the job classification and union membership.

Closing Date/Time: Continuous

• 

• City of San Jose

• 408-535-1285

Show more