City Of New York

Director of Geographic Data and Engineering (GDE)

City Of New York$125K — $150K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 6 years in computer operations supervision, including 18 months in a managerial or executive role.
  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, or equivalent credits, may substitute for up to 2 years of experience.
  • Master's degree in relevant fields can substitute for 1 year of experience, or equivalent graduate credits.
  • Experience with large-scale mainframe or multi-tier computer environments is essential.
  • Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing teams in a technology setting.

Responsibilities

  • Lead a team of GIS Specialists and Data Engineers to meet geospatial needs.
  • Develop and implement a geospatial data strategy aligned with agency goals.
  • Define product roadmaps for geospatial data delivery throughout lifecycles.
  • Oversee the design and maintenance of GIS databases and services.
  • Ensure compliance with Open Data Law while maintaining data governance standards.
  • Collaborate with IT architects to optimize GIS and data pipeline infrastructure.
  • Manage vendor relationships and ensure technical quality in service delivery.

Benefits

  • Eligibility for remote work up to 2 days per week under the Remote Work Pilot Program.
  • Opportunities for professional development and coaching.
  • Inclusive and supportive workplace culture focused on collaboration and continuous learning.
  • Defined performance expectations with feedback mechanisms to enhance team capabilities.
Full Job Description
DISCLAIMER: Only candidates with permanent Civil Service status in the Computer Operations Manager civil service title, those reachable on the Computer Operations Manager civil service list, or those serving in a comparable civil service title can be considered for this position.

THE ROLE
ITD is seeking a Director of Geographic Data and Engineering (GDE) unit to provide strategic leadership and oversight of the Division's Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Data Engineering (DE) portfolios and teams. This technology leadership role is responsible for the management, modernization, and delivery of critical geospatial and data services that support the collection, integration, processing, analysis, and dissemination of tabular and spatial data across the agency and to external stakeholders. The Director will oversee the platforms, technologies, and services that enable the delivery of authoritative data to internal and external applications, decision-support systems, and the City's Open Data Portal. These capabilities support essential citywide operations, planning initiatives, policy development, and analytical functions that shape the future of New York City. Reporting directly to the Chief Information Officer (CIO), the Director will serve as a key member of the ITD leadership team. The position will be responsible for establishing and advancing enterprise data and geospatial strategies, ensuring architectural and data governance standards, promoting secure and scalable GIS solutions, and driving the successful delivery of innovative, reliable, and high-performing systems that support DCP's mission and strategic objectives.

Under general direction, with wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment, the responsibilities of the Director of GDE include, but are not limited to, the following:

- Lead a highly motivated team of GIS Specialists and Data Engineers to support the geospatial needs of agency staff and provide timely updates of the agency datasets for use by other city agencies and the public.
- Develop and implement a comprehensive geospatial data and service strategy that supports the agency's mission and business objectives.
- Define data product roadmaps and ensure delivery throughout product lifecycles.
- Manage design, development, and maintenance of GIS databases, services, applications, and maps.
- Manage, maintain, and upgrade the agency's GIS and Data Engineering infrastructure, on-premise and in the cloud.
- Provide technical support and expert advice to the agency staff and external clients for GIS software, geospatial analyses, and spatial datasets.
- Provide internal and external users with up-to-date, accurate geospatial data and accompanying metadata.
- Coordinate and ensure the agency's compliance with Local Law 11 of 2012 (Open Data Law).
- Develop geospatial data, applications, and tools to serve information to DCP, other City agencies, and the public.
- Plan and implement data classification and data governance strategies.
- Publish and distribute agency datasets routinely and on demand.
- Collaborate with IT architects and developers to design, maintain, and optimize GIS and data pipeline infrastructure.
- Manage special projects and initiatives.
- Collaborate with ITD Project Management Office (PMO), other ITD Directors, and Team Leads to align systems and service delivery with established standards, governance frameworks, and portfolio reporting practices.
- Manage vendor relationships, service-level agreements (SLAs), contracts, and associated budgets to ensure technical quality and cost-effective delivery.
- Support capital and expense plan development for product builds, platform subscriptions, professional services engagements, and infrastructure investments.
- Allocate resources strategically across competing project priorities, balancing maintenance and operations commitments with new development initiatives.
- Establish clear performance expectations, allocate resources effectively, provide constructive feedback, and develop individualized professional growth plans to enhance team capabilities.
- Foster a high-performance culture rooted in accountability, inclusivity, collaboration, continuous learning, innovation, and knowledge sharing aligned with DCP's organizational values.
- Conduct formal performance evaluations in accordance with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies and Human Capital (HC) processes within designated timeframes.
- Drive recruitment, onboarding, and retention of high-performing GDE staff talent in a competitive market.
- Provide coaching, mentoring, and professional development guidance to GDE staff.
- Identify future agency leaders and provide the support and training needed to support succession planning.
- Comply with all NYC and DCP rules and regulations and standards of conduct.
- Observe regulations and agency guidelines concerning work hours, leave, mandatory training, hiring, vendor engagement, and procurement process.
- Team effectively with other ITD directors, managers, supervisors, and staff.
- Provide timely and updated contributions for weekly/monthly/on-demand status reports.

DCP MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
A well-organized workplace leads to a productive and happy workforce. DCP leaders are responsible for setting the tone and ensuring everyone works together towards a common goal, which includes, but is not limited to, developing staff and teams and advancing division and agency work plans.

Developing staff and teams:
- Building strong and cohesive teams, including integrating new staff into division and team structure
- Supervising and tracking the progress of staff projects and assignments and ensuring that employees are meeting their work goals and objectives
- Providing guidance and constructive criticism to employees and helping them develop as professionals, including but not limited to completing mid-year and year-end performance appraisals within designated timeframes
- Ensuring that staff are following citywide and agency policies
Advancing division and agency work plans:
- Managing and outlining the work program for teams and staff
- Overseeing internal and external stakeholder engagement and outreach
- Supporting internal and external communications
- Providing strategic and policy direction
- Planning through the use of robust analytics, research and analysis

TO APPLY:
Please visit: https://www1.nyc.gov/jobs/ and follow the steps below:
1.Search for job ID number: 794153
2.Click on the job business title: Director of Geographic Data and Engineering (GDE)
3.Click on "Apply Now" at the bottom of the posting

Note: Only candidates with permanent Civil Service status in the Computer Operations Manager civil service title, those reachable on the Computer Operations Manager civil service list, or those serving in a comparable civil service title can be considered for this position.

All interested candidates must submit their applications via https://cityjobs.nyc.gov/. Applications via regular mail, fax or e-mail will not be accepted.

Authorization to work in the United States is required for this position. The NYC Department of City Planning does not offer sponsorship, of any kind, for any type of employment opportunity. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that they meet all minimum qualifying requirements for this position at the time of application.

Only applicants under consideration will be contacted. Appointments are subject to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval.

This position may be eligible for remote work up to 2 days per week, pursuant to the Remote Work Pilot Program agreed to between the City and labor unions.

NOTE: If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation during your visit or have questions regarding the accessibility of our facilities, please reach out to [redacted] or call [redacted] at least three business days prior to your arrival.

COMPUTER OPERATIONS MANAGER (S - 10074

Qualifications

1. Six (6) years of progressively responsible full-time paid experience supervising or administering computer operations involving a large-scale mainframe, network, or multi-tier computer environment at least 18 months of which shall have been in an administrative, managerial or executive capacity.

2. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university may be substituted for a maximum of two (2) years of general experience described above. In the absence of a baccalaureate degree, undergraduate credits may be substituted for a maximum of two (2) years of general experience described above on the basis of 30 semester credits for six (6) months of experience.

3. A master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Business Administration, Public Administration or Management of Administration may be substituted for a maximum of one (1) year of general experience described above. In the absence of a master's degree, graduate credits in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Business Administration, Public Administration or Management of Administration may be substituted for a maximum of one (1) year of the general experience on the basis of 30 graduate semester credits for one (1) year of experience. However, undergraduate and/or graduate credits may not be substituted for the eighteen (18) months of experience in an administrative, managerial, or executive capacity.

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