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IT Data Manager

Description

IT Data Manager
At the Department of Commerce, we’re reimagining what’s possible in government. We’re builders, thinkers, and change-makers, working at the intersection of innovation, community, and impact. From unlocking critical funding to fueling inclusive economic growth, we’re turning big ideas into real-world solutions that uplift people and places.

Our agency’s strength lies in the diversity of our workforce and the breadth of the lived experiences and perspectives employees bring to the work. We believe equity is not just a value but a practice, which is reflected in how we design programs, engage communities, and deliver outcomes. We foster a workplace culture where curiosity is encouraged, bold thinking is welcomed, and collaboration drives our impact.

This job is a commitment to reshape systems so they work better for everyone. If you’re ready to challenge the status quo and build meaningful connections, we want to meet you.

Let’s build what’s next, together.

The Innovation and Technology Division (ITD) at the Department of Commerce supports the agency’s mission by delivering secure, modern, and innovative technology services that drive operational efficiency and digital transformation across all divisions. The division is responsible for maintaining core information technology (IT) infrastructure, supporting enterprise applications, and aligning technical solutions with strategic agency goals.

This position serves as the Information Technology (IT) Data Manager within ITD, reporting directly to the Deputy Chief Information Officer. As an IT Data Manager, this role provides strategic leadership and expert consultation to the CIO, ITD leadership, and agency executives to ensure that enterprise data systems, governance, and analytics capabilities are aligned with Commerce’s strategic priorities and statewide data initiatives.

The IT Division supports the entire agency through three primary sections:

Digital Innovation & Enterprise Cloud Platforms
IT Operations
Enterprise IT Governance and Risk

The IT Data Manager is responsible for leading the planning, development, and administration of enterprise data platforms and services. This includes setting data management policies and standards, overseeing data architecture and integration, and directing professional IT staff to deliver secure, scalable, and high-impact data solutions that support agency operations, external partnerships, and public-facing services.

This position plays a critical role in shaping the agency’s data strategy by coordinating cross-functional data initiatives, aligning data investments with business needs, and ensuring compliance with legislative, regulatory, and privacy requirements. The IT Data Manager also leads the agency’s data governance efforts, ensuring data quality, accessibility, and integrity across systems.

In addition, this position provides oversight and leadership for the data engineering and analytics teams, ensuring consistent application of data management methodologies, resource planning, and performance reporting across all data initiatives. The IT Data Manager supervises a team of data professionals responsible for delivering complex, high-risk, and cross-agency data solutions in alignment with the agency’s strategic plan and enterprise data architecture.

The IT Data Manager is responsible for overseeing the planning, development, implementation, and administration of enterprise data systems that support the acquisition, storage, integration, and retrieval of data across the organization. This position ensures data integrity, availability, and security while aligning data strategies with organizational goals. The role requires advanced technical knowledge, strategic planning, and supervisory responsibilities over professional IT staff.

Duties

Direct the strategic planning, governance, and enterprise-wide coordination of IT data systems by managing teams, resources, and policies that ensure secure, high-quality, and accessible data to support agency-wide decision-making, compliance, and operational effectiveness.
Tasks include:

Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the agency’s data governance framework for all IT business systems.
Oversee the definition and documentation of enterprise data requirements ensuring alignment with Washington State policies and standards.
Supervise and coordinate cross-divisional collaboration to establish and maintain consistent data governance practices, including data categorization, storage, and classification.
Manage the development and maintenance of the agency’s enterprise data catalog, including metadata, storage locations, Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech) security classifications, and governance documentation.
Direct the planning and implementation of metadata standards, data dictionaries, and data mapping for the agency’s data warehouse and core administrative systems.
Review and approve data sharing agreements and ensure legal compliance, risk mitigation, and appropriate protections for sensitive data.
Collaborate with the Chief Data Privacy Officer on privacy reviews and guide program staff in defining data collection strategies that align with the Washington State Agency Privacy Principles.

• Design and manage internal data workflows and procedures that support integrated data use across collection, storage, release, and reporting functions. • Enforce and monitor compliance with digital product and data standards across all agency-approved tools and platforms.

Lead the development and maintenance of agency-wide data governance and access policies in collaboration with division leadership.
Manage the technical assistance request process, including staff assignment, workload balancing, and performance monitoring to ensure timely and effective resolution.

Direct data strategy and governance, including data architecture, integration standards, master/metadata management, and BI/reporting capabilities; collaborate with the Application Development Manager to align APIs, schemas, and overall software development practices with the agency’s data strategy.
Tasks include:

Oversee the design, maintenance, and enhancement of the agency’s data strategy and governance in collaboration with the Application Development Manager.
Manage the preparation, cleaning, transformation, loading, and storage of data across multiple platforms, including enterprise databases, GIS, and business intelligence tools.
Direct the use of Structured Query Language (SQL), Python, and other data tools to extract, analyze, and report on data from systems such as ESRI ArcGIS, Tableau, Power BI, and Dataverse.
Lead the development and integration of datasets and dashboards for internal and external reporting, ensuring alignment with business requirements and data governance standards.
Evaluate and resolve complex data integrity issues, determine appropriate data cleansing strategies, and implement solutions to improve data quality.
Analyze the impact of changes to data structures, application logic, and design patterns, and document technical recommendations and implementation plans.
Serve as a liaison between business users and technical teams to translate business needs into functional data solutions.
Collaborate with program owners, business analysts, and IT developers to ensure that proposed data solutions meet business and technical requirements.
Provide leadership in planning and designing application enhancements that support efficient data workflows and reporting capabilities.

Provide strategic leadership in the design, implementation, and modernization of enterprise data architecture by aligning data systems, platforms, and standards with agency-wide business goals, emerging technologies, and evolving data needs.
Tasks include:

Lead the development and execution of long-term data architecture strategies that support scalable, secure, and interoperable data systems across the agency.
Evaluate and recommend new technologies and platforms, such as cloud-based data services, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and data lakes, to enhance data capabilities and performance.
Oversee the integration of disparate data systems, ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture, cybersecurity, and privacy frameworks.
Collaborate with IT leadership, business units, and external partners to ensure that data architecture supports current and future business needs.
Establish and maintain data architecture standards, models, and documentation to guide system development, integration, and modernization efforts.
Monitor industry trends, regulatory changes, and statewide IT policy to proactively adapt the agency’s data architecture and governance practices.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:
Eight (8) years of combined professional IT experience in the following IT disciplines:
1. Enterprise data management – Designing, implementing, and overseeing organization-wide data systems and platforms, ensuring data is acquired, stored, integrated, and retrieved securely and efficiently to support business operations and decision-making.
2. Data governance – Establishing and enforcing data policies, standards, and practices that ensure data quality, integrity, privacy, and compliance across all IT systems, while leading cross-functional initiatives to align data management with regulatory and strategic requirements.
3. Data architecture – Planning, designing, and modernizing the structural framework for enterprise data systems, integrating emerging technologies and aligning platforms with organizational goals to enable scalable, interoperable, and future-ready data solutions.
OR
Associate’s degree in IT program or closely related field and six (6) years of recent professional experience listed above.
OR
Bachelor’s degree or higher in Information Technology program or closely related field and four (4) years of recent professional experience listed above.

Experience must include one (1) year of leading IT professionals or consulting as a technical lead, and can be obtained concurrently to other professional experience listed above. Experience in effectively communicating and aiding a diverse set of information technology peers.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience working in or with Washington State government agencies, with knowledge of statewide IT policies, WaTech standards, and legislative data mandates.
Valid IT Data Certifications (DAMA-DMBOK, CDMP, etc.)
Valid IT Certifications (ITIL, MCSE, etc.)
Azure Trainings/Certifications

To be considered for this position the following are needed:

A complete and detailed online application.
A cover letter (enter online) - that details how your skills and experience make you an ideal candidate for this position
At least three professional references (enter online).

For questions about this recruitment, please contact our recruitment team via email: comrecruitment@commerce.wa.gov - please reference the job number in your message.

Supplemental Information

This position may be located anywhere within Washington State though occasional travel to Commerce’s Olympia or Seattle office buildings or in-state travel to attend events or meetings may be required. If selected, you will need to travel to pick up equipment and receive instruction. Many Commerce employees work remotely or have a hybrid schedule.

This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies over the next 60 days.

Technical support is provided by NEOGOV, 855-524-5627 (can't log in, password or email issues, error messages). DES job seeker support may answer general questions regarding the recruiting system at careershelp@des.wa.gov.

Our Commitment to Equal Opportunity
The Washington State Department of Commerce is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application, testing, or interview process or this job announcement in an alternative format may email Human Resources at Human.Resources@commerce.wa.gov. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

Department of Commerce also offers a competitive benefits package including: medical and dental insurance benefits, retirement and deferred compensation plans, 11 paid holidays each year, 14-25 vacation days per year (depending on length of employment), 8 hours of sick leave per month (if full time employed), bereavement leave, an employee assistance program, as well as other benefits. Please see the Benefits Tab for more details.

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