Salary : $124,205.41 - $162,059.88 Annually Location : 1 Civic Center Drive San Marcos, CA Job Type: Full Time Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid Job Number: 2025 - 10 Department: Information Technology Opening Date: 02/06/2025 Closing Date: 2/21/2025 4:00 PM Pacific FLSA: Exempt SUMMARY DESCRIPTION Lead Innovation & Drive Impact in the City of San Marcos! Are you a seasoned IT professional ready to take on a leadership role that blends technology strategy, operational efficiency, & hands-on project work? The City of San Marcos is looking for an Information Technology Manager to support & elevate our IT operations. This role is a great opportunity to shape the city's technology landscape, oversee our dynamic help desk team and spearhead critical IT projects that directly impact our city operations. In this position, you will:
- Oversee & optimize our help desk operations, ensuring outstanding customer service and streamlined IT support.
- Lead strategic technology projects related to Operations, driving innovation and efficiency across city departments.
- Collaborate with citywide departments, helping to shape the future of IT in local government.
At the City of San Marcos, we embrace technology as a force for good, enhancing service delivery & community engagement. If you're passionate about making a tangible impact, enjoy working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and have a vision for how technology can improve government services, this is the perfect role for you. Join us in shaping a smarter, more connected San Marcos-where IT isn't just support, but a strategic partner in driving innovation & excellence! RECRUITMENT TIMELINE:
- Applications accepted through 4:00pm, February 21, 2025
- Qualified and invited applicants will be invited to a first-round technical panel interview, tentatively scheduled for the week of March 3rd.
- Second interviews, held with the hiring team, are tentatively scheduled for the week of March 10th.
SUMMARY DESCRIPTION: The Information Technology Manager is responsible for the daily operations of the Help Desk, ensuring the effective governance and management of the users, devices, and services it supports. This role serves as a hands-on leader, optimizing IT service delivery, streamlining incident response, and fostering a high-performing support environment. They will oversee the Help Desk Technicians and collaborate closely with the DevOps Team, ensuring operational efficiency and seamless user support. This position reports to the IT Director and has several direct reports, including part-time Help Desk Technicians and full-time DevOps Engineers. Additionally, this position plays a key role in IT procurement, participating in the evaluation and acquisition of hardware, software, and services necessary for city operations. The Information Technology Manager is deeply integrated into the DevOps Team, fostering collaboration across IT disciplines. REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices. Help Desk Operations & User Support
- Manage and lead the Help Desk Team to provide outstanding technical support and customer service.
- Ensure timely resolution of IT service requests and incidents, with a focus on minimizing downtime.
- Develop and maintain performance metrics, SLAs, and KPIs to monitor service effectiveness.
- Establish clear incident response protocols and escalation procedures for technical issues.
- Implement and refine knowledge management resources (FAQs, internal documentation, training materials).
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement and learning within the Help Desk.
Technical Governance & IT Service Management
- Ensure IT policies, standards, and governance frameworks align with best practices (e.g., NIST CSF, Zero Trust).
- Manage user account lifecycles (onboarding, access control, deprovisioning, etc.) in collaboration with Security and Infrastructure teams.
- Oversee device management, software deployment, and endpoint security in alignment with citywide IT security policies.
- Monitor IT service trends, proactively identifying areas for optimization and automation.
DevOps & Cross-Team Collaboration
- Work closely with DevOps Engineers and IT Project Team members to enhance IT infrastructure and service delivery.
- Assist in the design and implementation of automated workflows, self-service portals, and cloud solutions to improve IT operations.
- Coordinate with cybersecurity efforts to enforce endpoint security policies and mitigate IT risks.
- Serve as a bridge between technical teams and end-users, ensuring a frictionless experience.
Procurement & Asset Management
- Oversee the procurement lifecycle of IT assets, including hardware, software, and service contracts.
- Work with vendors and suppliers to ensure cost-effective solutions that align with the City's strategic IT goals.
- Maintain inventory and asset management systems to track and optimize IT resources.
- Ensure compliance with budgetary constraints and fiscal responsibility in all IT expenditures.
Leadership & Team Development
- Provide mentorship, training, and professional development opportunities for Help Desk Technicians and DevOps Engineers.
- Cultivate a customer-centric mindset among staff, emphasizing collaboration, problem-solving, and accountability.
- Foster a diverse, inclusive, and high-performance culture within the IT operations team.
Additional Roles & Responsibilities
- In coordination with IT Director, plan, manage and oversee the daily functions, operations and activities of the Information Technology Program.
- Direct and coordinates the work plan of the Information Technology Program: meet with staff to identify and resolve problems, assign work activities, projects and programs, monitors workflow, reviews and evaluations work products, methods and procedures.
- Participates in the selection of, trains, motivates and evaluates assigned personnel; works with employees on performance issues in coordination with Human Resources; implements discipline in consultation with Human Resources; responds to staff questions and concerns.
- Provides consulting advice and technical recommendations to Citywide departments in identify approved solutions that align with the IT Strategic Plan.
- Attends and participates in professional group meetings; stays abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of public agency information technology systems; research emerging products and enhancements and their applicability to City needs.
- Other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties. Knowledge of: Administrative principles and practices, including goal setting, program development, implementation, and evaluation, project management, and supervision of staff, either directly or through subordinate levels of supervision; Hardware and software characteristics of various computer systems and a general understanding of system features and their integration capabilities; systems design and development processes, including needs analysis, feasibility studies, software design, programming, beta testing, installation, evaluation, and operational management; basic principles and practices of budget administration; contract administration and evaluation; and employee supervision, including work planning, assignment, review, and evaluation, and the training of staff in work procedures; Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, codes, and regulations concerning the operation of the assigned program; organization and management practices as applied to the development, analysis, and evaluation of programs and operational needs of the assigned program; recent and ongoing developments, current literature, and sources of information related to the operations of the assigned program; recordkeeping principles and procedures; modern office practices, methods, computer equipment, and computer applications related to the work; English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation; techniques for effectively representing the City in contacts with governmental agencies, community groups, and various business, professional, educational, regulatory, and legislative organizations; and techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and City staff. Ability to: Recommend and implement goals, objectives, and practices for providing effective and efficient services; manage and monitor complex projects, on time and within budget; train staff in work procedures; plan, organize, schedule, assign, review, and evaluate the work of staff; evaluate and develop improvements in operations, procedures, policies, or methods; research, analyze, and evaluate new service delivery methods, procedures, and techniques; prepare clear and concise reports, correspondence, policies, procedures, and other written materials; analyze, interpret, summarize, and present administrative and technical information and data in an effective manner; interpret, explain, and ensure compliance with City policies and procedures, complex laws, codes, regulations, and ordinances; conduct complex research projects, evaluate alternatives, make sound recommendations, and prepare effective technical staff reports; effectively represent the department and the City in meetings with governmental agencies, community groups, and various businesses, professional, and regulatory organizations, and in meetings with individuals; establish and maintain a variety of filing, recordkeeping, and tracking systems; organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner; organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines; operate modern office equipment including computer equipment and specializes software applications programs; communicate and express ideas clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; organize work to meet deadlines; perform all duties under pressure with composure; establish and maintain effective relationships with City employees and the members of the public; and demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity of the community. Core Values: This role is built upon the San Marcos Core Values:
- Be Problem Solvers: Lead the Help Desk with a proactive approach, resolving technical challenges efficiently.
- Be Good Partners: Foster collaboration across IT teams, city departments, and external vendors to enhance IT service delivery.
- Fiscal Responsibility: Ensure cost-effective IT procurement and operational decisions, maximizing taxpayer value.
- Build to Last: Implement scalable, future-proof IT solutions that enhance the City's long-term technological resilience.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be: Education/Training A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field is preferred, though not requirement. Significant experience and mastery of core duties may be accepted in lieu of degree. Experience 5+ years of IT experience required, with at least 3 years in a leadership role managing IT support or service desk operations. Required experience / knowledge
- Strong knowledge of IT service management (ITSM) frameworks such as ITIL.
- Experience managing Help Desk operations, user support, and ticketing systems
- Familiarity with Microsoft 365 administration, Azure, endpoint management, and device governance
- Experience in hardware and software procurement, vendor management, and IT budgeting
- Knowledge of cybersecurity best practices, compliance, and Zero Trust security principles
Preferred experience / knowledge
- ITIL, CompTIA, or Microsoft certifications (e.g., ITIL Foundation, Microsoft 365 Certified, Security+).
- Experience with **enterprise ITSM tools (ServiceNow, Freshservice, etc.)
- Hands-on experience in PowerShell scripting, automation, or DevOps workflows
- Knowledge of Tyler Technologies ERP (MUNIS) and CentralSquare EAM (Lucity) is a plus
Click here to learn more about the benefits at the City of San Marcos. Holidays - The City observes fourteen (14) paid holidays that include eleven (11) specifically designated days and three (3) floating holidays. Vacation Leave - A new employee will accrue eighty (80) hours of vacation per calendar year for the first five years of service (one hundred, twenty (120) hours for years five through ten, one hundred, sixty (160) hours for years eleven through fifteen and two hundred (200) hours after fifteen years). Vacation accrual begins immediately; however, a new employee is not eligible to take vacation leave until the completion of six (6) months of service with the City. Sick Leave - A new employee will earn ninety-six (96) hours of sick leave each year. Bereavement Leave - Employees are eligible to use up to 40 hours of bereavement leave per fiscal year. Executive Leave - As a Management Exempt At Will employee, you will receive forty (40) hours of Executive Leave per fiscal year. This leave cannot roll over, has no cash value, and any leave not used by June 30th of each year will be lost. Group Health Insurance Program - A new employee will become a member of one of the City's group health plans (Aetna HMO, Aetna AVN HMO, Aetna PPO, or Kaiser HMO) effective the first day of the month following their date of hire. The City will pay 90% of the health care premium and employees will pick up 10% of the premiums of the plan they select. Voluntary Dental/Vision Insurance Programs - The City offers two voluntary dental insurance programs, an HMO program and a PPO Program, as well as a voluntary vision insurance program. Section 125 Flexible Spending Account - All employees are eligible to participate in the City's Section 125 Flexible Spending Account plan administered by Benefit Coordinators Corporation (BCC). This is an IRS-approved plan which enables you to have withheld from your paycheck an amount to cover eligible dependent care, and certain eligible medical expenses without being subject to federal income or social security tax on the income used to pay for these benefits. Retirement - The City participates in both the Social Security (FICA) and the California Public Employees' Retirement Systems (CalPERS). The City currently contracts with CalPERS for the 2% at 55 benefit formula, Post-Retirement Survivor Allowance, and 3 year average final pay for CLASSIC members and 2% at 62, Post-Retirement Survivor Allowance, and 3 year average final pay for PEPRA (new) members. Employees will contribute 7% or 6.5% towards CalPERS, depending whether a classic or new member. Retiree Health Savings (RHS) - All employees participate in a Retiree Health Savings plan through the ICMA Retirement Corporation. Additional Benefits - The City offers additional benefits such as short and long-term disability, group life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, employee benefit allocation program and workers' compensation insurance. 01 Below is list of preferred experience / knowledge, as outlined in the job description. Please select all that you currently possess.
- ITIL, CompTIA, or Microsoft certifications (e.g., ITIL Foundation, Microsoft 365 Certified, Security+)
- Experience with enterprise ITSM tools (ServiceNow, Freshservice, etc.)
- Hands-on experience in PowerShell scripting, automation, or DevOps workflows
- Knowledge of Tyler Technologies ERP (MUNIS) and CentralSquare EAM (Lucity) is a plus
- None of the above
02 Describe your approach to managing an IT Help Desk team to ensure high-quality user support and operational efficiency. What strategies do you use to monitor and improve service delivery performance? 03 In your experience, what are the key elements of an effective IT governance model for managing users, devices, and services? How do you ensure compliance with industry security standards? 04 How do you manage IT operations and project work across your team? Can you give an example of a time when you implemented a new process or tool to improve workflow efficiency? Required Question
