Director of Information Technology – Public Safety and Justice

Job Description

Director, Information Technology | County of Santa Clara

The Tone:
This is a full-time role at the County of Santa Clara, located in Santa Clara County, CA. The County of Santa Clara is a public service organization supporting millions of residents in one of the nation’s most vibrant regions. This role is central to shaping the digital foundation for public safety and justice, directly enhancing services for law enforcement, corrections, emergency response, and community protection. It involves building a secure, resilient, and integrated technology environment to support these critical functions.

The TL;DR
• Role: Full Time
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person, Santa Clara County, CA

• Team: Reports directly to the Chief Information Officer.
• Mission: Lead the development and execution of a cohesive technology vision that strengthens the County’s public safety and justice ecosystem.

What You’ll Actually Do
• Vision: Guide the development and execution of a cohesive technology vision that strengthens the County’s public safety and justice ecosystem.
• Oversight: Oversee complex, mission-critical technology platforms and coordinate enterprise-wide systems integrations to elevate operational efficiency and excellence in service.
• Modernization: Drive the modernization of public safety and justice agency systems, covering data interoperability, digital evidence, field mobility, emergency communications, and case management platforms.
• Leadership: Serve on IT governance boards to shape Countywide technology direction, focusing on mission-critical systems, cross-department workflows, and connecting public safety operations with broader County services.
• Equity: Ensure technology systems are transparent, ethical, and designed to support fair outcomes for all residents, fostering community trust.

The Must-Haves
• Background: A bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Systems, Business/Public Administration, or a related field.
• Experience: Ten to fifteen years of IT leadership experience in complex organizations, including at least five years in senior-level IT management overseeing high-risk, high-impact technology environments. Expertise in public safety or justice systems, or sensitive, mission-critical technology domains is required.
• Skills: Strong communication and relationship-building skills with executive leaders, sworn personnel, justice partners, and community stakeholders; proven ability to modernize systems, enhance interoperability, and lead change across multidisciplinary environments; deep understanding of cybersecurity, compliance, continuity of operations, and technology strategies supporting public safety and justice systems.