Salary: $95,000.00 - $146,784.00 Annually
Location : Thurston County - Olympia, WA
Job Type: Exempt
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 2025-WaTech-6282-04969
Department: Washington Technology Solutions
Division: SMD ESO
Opening Date: 07/17/2025
Closing Date: 8/6/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

Description
Enterprise Strategy Manager (EMS 3)
WaTech: Join an exciting team!

Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech) is a national leader in adopting new, innovative technologies that transform the way Washingtonians receive state services. We provide information technology oversight and central services for Washington state government, all of which makes this an exciting time to join our team of experienced IT professionals. As a part of this agency, you will have a unique opportunity to help advance the latest IT technologies and practices used by state government to meet the needs of Washingtonians.
About the position

WaTech's Strategy & Management Division (SMD) is responsible for the development and implementation of the state's information technology (IT) strategic vision and planning. This includes establishing IT policies and direction, managing the IT portfolio, analyzing statewide IT investments, and enabling the successful execution of IT discipline frameworks (e.g., ITSM, ITIL, OCM, Lean, TBM, etc.). SMD also evaluates and contributes to the success of major IT projects for the state of Washington through an engaged project oversight model. This position is also responsible for developing and reporting on the state's enterprise IT strategic goals to the governor's office as well as WaTech strategic goal progress to WaTech executive leadership and various governance bodies. This position is part of the Business Relationship Management team of WaTech. and the IT Enterprise Governance team. This position reports to the Assistant Director for Enterprise Strategy & Oversight and contributes to statewide success by directing strategic planning, governance, performance accountability and continuous improvement in alignment with WaTech's mission and the state's technology priorities.

As the Enterprise Strategy Manager, you will supervise staff supporting the Technology Business Management (TBM) program, Business Relationship Management, and statewide IT governance boards and committees. This position also serves as a Business Relationship Manager (BRM), providing customer relationship management for Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech). BRMs serve as strategic liaisons between WaTech and its customers to ensure a clear understanding of customer business needs, promote alignment with statewide strategies and advocate for solutions that deliver business value.

Duties
Some of what to expect with this role:

• Set the direction for Washington's IT strategic plan and related statewide strategies.
• Lead and govern a statewide strategic planning process that engages agency executives, enterprise governance bodies, and WaTech leaders to define, validate and adopt shared enterprise priorities.
• Develop and enforce strategic objectives across cybersecurity, data, enterprise architecture and other statewide strategy domains, ensuring coherence and accountability across initiatives.
• Define and oversee implementation of enterprise IT goals.
• Evaluate statewide performance against enterprise strategic objectives and make formal recommendations to adjust policy, investments or strategy.
• Serve as the state's primary advisor to executive leadership and authorize bodies on the status, evolution and impact of enterprise IT strategy and related efforts.
• Oversee enterprise engagement with agencies whose annual IT expenditures exceed $10 million to identify savings opportunities, monitor financial performance, and ensure alignment with statewide financial management standards.
• Provide subject matter expertise and authoritative input on TBM policies, ensuring standards and practices align with statutory requirements.
• Integrate performance metrics, portfolio data and financial insights into enterprise-level strategic decision-making.

• Provide strategic direction for enterprise governance structures, ensuring that statewide IT governance bodies operate in accordance with enterprise policies, strategies, and statutory responsibilities.

• Primary customer liaison: The main point of contact for assigned customers, building and sustaining strategic relationships with CIOs, deputy directors, and senior IT and business leaders.
• Proactive Engagement: Initiate and lead regular engagements with customer leadership to shape technology roadmaps, promote enterprise solutions, and ensure WaTech services are positioned to support statewide and agency goals.
• Statewide initiative alignment: Lead coordination efforts with customer leadership on statewide IT initiatives.
• Champion customer needs and agency business drivers in enterprise planning processes, while directing and reinforcing compliance with statewide policy and promoting adoption of standard services.

• CRM strategy and oversight: Direct the management of CRM data and engagement history, ensuring accurate documentation that informs agency strategy, improves continuity of engagement, and supports long-term relationship management.
• KPI development and goal setting: Design, track, and refine scalable KPIs tied to customer engagement, decision package alignment and service adoption, to ensure measurable progress toward statewide IT strategic goals.

Qualifications
Here's what we're looking for:

• Demonstrated experience in enterprise IT strategy, investment governance, customer relationship management and cross-agency engagement. This includes:
  • Experience leading statewide or enterprise-level IT strategic planning efforts, including cross-agency collaboration, alignment with legal requirements, and translating business and IT priorities into measurable strategies.
  • Experience leading performance and accountability frameworks such as Technology Business Management (TBM), IT Portfolio Management (ITPM), or similar approaches that support executive decision making on IT investments.
  • Experience with IT budgeting, financial transparency, or investment governance in a government setting.
  • Experience supervising professional staff and leading teams responsible for customer engagement, governance operations or enterprise performance.
  • Information technology experience that includes one or more of the following: IT consulting, IT marketing, IT sales, or providing customer or technical IT support.
  • Experience working directly with executive-level leadership in large, complex and customer-focused organizations to support strategy development, service innovation or enterprise change.
  • Proven ability to explain complex technical or policy concepts in clear, persuasive and audience-appropriate language-both in writing and in conversation.
  • Ability to guide strategic customer engagement and drive enterprise alignment, using influence and facilitation to advance shared priorities.
  • Demonstrated strategic and systems thinking with experience managing complex projects or programs that cross organizational boundaries.
• Applicants must demonstrate the competencies required to perform the role. Relevant education, professional certifications, or equivalent work experience will be considered. A degree is not required.

Preference may be granted to applicants with the following:

• Experience co-authoring or leading the development of statewide or multi-agency IT strategic plans.
• Experience working in or with executive branch state government, including experience supporting governance bodies or advising authorizing environments such as the Legislature or governor's office.
• Experience managing or contributing to statewide reporting efforts related to IT portfolio health, service adoption, or strategic performance outcomes.
• Formal training or certification in organizational change management (e.g., Prosci, ACMP) or project/program management (e.g., PMP, PgMP).
• Experience implementing or maintaining strategic frameworks such as Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies (COBIT), or (National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the context of enterprise IT strategy or governance.
• Demonstrated thought leadership in aligning technology with public-sector outcomes, service equity, or resident access.
• Experience representing an agency or division in cross-sector collaborations, advisory groups, or innovation-focused initiatives.

Supplemental Information
Telework:

This position is eligible for telework. Occasional in-person presence in Olympia is required, on average one to two times per month.
We value diversity and different perspectives:

WaTech is committed to providing equal access and opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees. We seek to attract and retain a diverse staff and welcome your experiences, perspectives and unique identity.
What WaTech offers:

As an employee of WaTech, you'll have access to an outstanding that includes medical and dental plan options for you and your family, paid leave and holidays, retirement plan options and more.
While WaTech is headquartered in Olympia, Washington, which is near some of the country's most , we are able to offer many of our positions telework and flexible schedule options to help support a healthy work life balance.
To learn more about WaTech, and what our employees enjoy about working here, please .
How to apply:

Applications for this recruitment will be accepted electronically. Please select the large "apply" button at the top of this announcement. You may need to create a profile and account in Washington state's automated application system. We invite you to include your name and pronouns in your material to ensure we address you correctly throughout the application process.
To be considered for this position you will need to:

• Submit a complete Online Application.
• Answer all required Supplemental Questions.
• Attach a Letter of Interest that addresses how your experience qualifies you for this role.
• Attach a Resume that clearly documents the work history, training, and education that makes you a viable and competitive candidate for this position.
• Attach a separate document with at least Three Professional References. This should include: Reference name, nature of the relationship (i.e. company and supervisor, coworker, etc.), phone number, and email. References should be individuals you have worked with in the past five years, if possible, and include at least one current, or most recent supervisor. *We will not conduct reference checks without your signed release.

Note:Applications without the requested information identified above or containing supplemental question responses with comments such as "see resume" may lead to your application being disqualified from consideration.

Applicants wishing to claim Veterans Preference should attach a copy of their DD-214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22, or signed verification of service letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to their application. (Please redact any personally identifiable data such as social security number prior to submittal.)
Conditions of employment:

This position requires a background check. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position and is a continued condition of employment.
Recruitment process:

First round of application assessments will be conducted seven days after the initial job posting date. The hiring authority reserves the right to offer the position at any time after the initial seven-day job posting date during the recruitment process. It is to the applicant's advantage to apply as early as possible. This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions.
Contact us: For inquiries about this position, please contact Rebekah Wilkes at (360) 407-8646 or email to
Persons requiring accommodation in the application process or for an alternative format may contact Human Resources at (360) 407-8242 or .Persons of disability or those who are deaf or hard of hearing can call the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388. WaTech complies with the employment eligibility verification requirements of the federal Form I-9. The selected candidate must be able to provide proof of identity and eligibility to work in the United States consistent with the requirements of that form on the first day of employment.
More than Just a Paycheck!
Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.

We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career. Like everyone, your first priority is ensuring that you and your family will maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.

Read about our benefits:
The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work (e.g. part-time); view the job posting for benefits details for job types other than full-time.

Note: If the position offers benefits which differ from the following, the job posting should include the specific benefits.

Insurance Benefits
Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state.

Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care expenses. Employees are also covered by basic life and long-term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.

To view premium rates, coverage choice in your area and how to enroll, please visit the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) website. The Washington Wellness program from the Health Care Authority works with PEBB to support our workplace wellness programs.

Dependent care assistance allows the employee to save pre-tax dollars for a child or elder care expenses.

Other insurance coverage for auto, boat, home, and renter insurance is available through payroll deduction.

The Washington State Employee Assistance Program promotes the health and well-being of employees.

Retirement and Deferred Compensation
State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs. For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.

Employees also have the ability to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP). This is a supplemental retirement savings program (similar to an IRA) that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.

Social Security
All state employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The state and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness
If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, and meet the qualifying criteria, you may be eligible to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Holidays
Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.

Note: Employees who are members of certain Unions may be entitled to additional personal leave day(s), please refer to position specific Collective Bargaining Agreements for more information.

Full-time employees who work full monthly schedules qualify for holiday compensation if they are employed before the holiday and are in pay status for at least 80 nonovertime hours during the month of the holiday; or for the entire work shift preceding the holiday.

Part-time employees who are in pay status during the month of the holiday qualify for the holiday on a pro-rata basis. Compensation for holidays (including personal holiday) will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status in the month to that required for full-time employment, excluding all holiday hours. Pay status includes hours worked and time on paid leave.

Sick Leave
Full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month. Overtime eligible employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month, earn a monthly proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Overtime exempt employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month do not earn a monthly accrual of sick leave.

Sick leave accruals for part-time employees will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

Vacation (Annual Leave)
Full-time employees accrue vacation leave at the rates specified in (1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Full-time employees who are in pay status for less than 80 nonovertime hours in a month do not earn a monthly accrual of vacation leave.

Part-time employees accrue vacation leave hours in accordance with (1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on a pro rata basis. Vacation leave accrual will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment.

Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

As provided in , an employer may authorize a lump-sum accrual of vacation leave or accelerate the vacation leave accrual rate to support the recruitment and/or retention of a candidate or employee for a Washington Management Service position. Vacation leave accrual rates may only be accelerated using the rates established WAC 357-31-165.

Note: Most agencies follow the civil service rules covering leave and holidays for exempt employees even though there is no requirement for them to do so. However, agencies are required to adhere to the applicable RCWs pertaining holidays and leave.

Military Leave
Washington State supports members of the armed forces with 21 days paid military leave per year.

Bereavement Leave
Most employees whose family member or household member dies, are entitled to three (3) days of paid bereavement leave. In addition, the employer may approve other available leave types for the purpose of bereavement leave.

Additional Leave
Leave Sharing

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Leave Without Pay

Please visit the State HR Website for more detailed information regarding benefits.

Updated 12-31-2022
01

Do you have demonstrated experience in enterprise IT strategy, investment governance, customer relationship management and cross agency engagement?

• Yes
• No

02

Please explain in detail where and how you gained the experience in question #1, If this does not apply, type N/A.
03

Please list any relevant education and/or professional certifications that you have.
04

Which of the following do you have experience with? (Select all that apply)

• Leading statewide or enterprise-level IT strategic planning efforts, including cross-agency collaboration, alignment with legal requirements and translating business and IT priorities into measurable strategies
• Leading performance and accountability frameworks such as Technology Business Management (TBM), IT Portfolio Management (ITPM) or similar approaches that support executive decision-making on IT investments.
• IT budgeting, financial transparency or investment governance in a government setting.
• Supervising professional staff and leading teams responsible for customer engagement, governance operations or enterprise performance
• Working directly with executive-level leadership in large, complex and customer-focused organizations to support strategy development, service innovation or enterprise change.
• Demonstrated strategic and systems thinking with experience managing complex projects or programs that cross organizational boundaries.
• I do not have experience with any of these, but I am willing to learn.

05

For each of the areas you selected in question #4, explain in detail where and how you gained the experience. If this does not apply, type N/A.
06

Which of the following do you have Information Technology experience with? (Select all that apply)

• IT consulting
• IT marketing
• IT sales
• Providing customer or technical IT support
• I do not have experience with any of these, but I am willing to learn.

07

For each of the areas you selected in question #6, explain in detail where and how you gained the experience. If this does not apply, type N/A.
08

Which of the following do you have experience with? (Select all that apply)

• Explaining complex technical or policy concepts in clear, persuasive and audience-appropriate language in both writing and in conversation.
• Guiding strategic customer engagement and driving enterprise alignment while using influence and facilitation to advance shared priorities.
• I do not have experience with any of these, but I am willing to learn.

09

For each of the areas you seletectd in question #8, explain in detail where and how you gained the experience. If this does not apply, type N/A
10

Will you now or in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g. H-1B visa status or F1 OPT etc.)?

• Yes
• No

11

How did you learn about this WaTech opportunity? Select all that apply.

• Business Resource Group (BRG)
• Careers.wa.gov
• Governmentjobs.com
• Public job sites (e.g., Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, Monster, etc.)
• Job Fair
• LinkedIn
• WaTech employee
• WaTech website
• WorkSource
• Other

Required Question