In a job announcement posted Friday, the state outlined what it’s looking for in its next IT leader, who will serve under the direction of newly elected Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Tricia L. Foster, the director of the Department of Technology, Management and Budget.
Under the previous administration, Michigan’s CIO and director of the DTMB were the same person — David DeVries, who stepped down Jan. 1 as Whitmer took office. Over the course of 16 months in the dual role, DeVries launched a statewide enterprise resource planning system, moved most of the state’s 57,000 computers to Microsoft Windows 10, moved the state’s treasury systems to the SAP HANA cloud, created an award-winning mobile portal for citizens and families to get benefits through the Department of Health and Human Services, and set the stage for a new online system for obtaining motor vehicle titles.
Under the direct supervision of Foster heading the DTMB, Michigan’s next CIO will be responsible for implementing IT projects and strategies throughout the state, representing the department and state in IT matters at meetings, and generally being proactive about solving IT problems and advancing Michigan’s technology goals.
The job description said Michigan policymakers continue to recognize the need for upgrading legacy technology, appropriating more than $40 million for it in 2019.
By some industry measures, the next CIO will have a high bar to clear to maintain the state’s progress. Along with Utah, Michigan is one of two states to receive five consecutive “A” ratings from Government Technology’s biennial Digital States Survey. Recently appointed Chief Security Officer Chris DeRusha also credited Michigan as being ahead of the curve with the organization of its centralized IT department, as well as its collaboration on cybersecurity with private partners.
For anyone with extensive experience leading large IT organizations, the job is located in Lansing and open to qualified applicants here.
