Transformation Manager

The Transformation Manager leads enterprise-wide modernization projects aligned with the Mayor’s and Chief Administrative Officer’s (CAO) strategic priorities to deliver more efficient, customer-oriented, and technology-enabled services.

This position will drive innovation, process improvement, and digital transformation across City operations. The incumbent will design and execute initiatives that simplify resident interactions, strengthen cross-departmental collaboration, and embed a culture of continuous improvement and transparency.

The Transformation Manager serves as a key internal consultant, leveraging data, technology, and best-practice change management to implement solutions that make Richmond’s government more agile, equitable, and responsive to its residents.

The position reports to the Chief Administrative Officer or designee and provides frequent updates to senior leadership, with regular engagement with the CAO and Mayor on enterprise transformation priorities.

1. Strategic Transformation Leadership

• Lead transformative projects that improve customer experience, streamline business processes, and strengthen operational performance.
• Identify high-impact opportunities for improvement across City departments and drive implementation from concept to completion.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership, ensuring alignment with the Mayor’s strategic priorities.

• Advance modernization of City services through technology solutions — including new digital platforms, data dashboards, and service design improvements.
• Partner with IT and departmental teams to identify, procure, or build technology solutions that enhance service delivery and transparency.
• Promote a culture of innovation and experimentation through pilot programs and partnerships.

3. Data & Performance Management

• Lead process-improvement and interagency transformation projects aligned with the Mayor’s strategic priorities.
• Track departmental performance and coordinate improvement interventions when key metrics or audit results indicate underperformance.
• Support citywide performance-measurement systems that evaluate agency effectiveness and government impact, in collaboration with Budget, CAO, and the Mayor’s Office.
• Provide real-time performance reporting and cross-agency analytics to senior leadership, City Council, and the public, reinforcing transparency and accountability.
• Collaborate with Budget leadership to integrate performance analytics and strategic goals into annual financial reporting and the City’s transparency dashboards.
• Facilitate knowledge-sharing to build internal capacity for transformation efforts.

4. Cross-Departmental Collaboration

• Convene and facilitate interagency teams to solve operational challenges.
• Build internal capacity and project management discipline across departments to sustain transformation efforts.
• Provide consultation and coaching to department leaders managing change.
• Recommend organizational-design improvements to support more efficient service delivery.

5. Program Governance & Accountability

• Ensure transformation initiatives are scoped, resourced, and measured against defined success metrics.
• Deliver clear, concise reports and presentations on progress and outcomes.
• Ensure all transformation initiatives are evidence-based, data-informed, and aligned with community priorities.
• Transition completed projects to operational teams for ongoing management.

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in public administration, business, organizational development, information systems, or a related field.
• Seven years of progressively responsible in public sector, consulting, or digital technology strategy roles supporting organizational transformation.
• An equivalent combination of training and experience (as approved by the department) may be used to meet the minimum qualifications of the classification

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING:

• Advanced degree such as MBA, MPA, or related field.
• Experience in management consulting, digital transformation, or public-sector modernization projects.
• Demonstrated ability to lead enterprise initiatives that combine technology, analytics, and process redesign.

LICENSING, CERTIFICATIONS, and/or OTHER SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• None required

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge (some combination of the following):

• Digital transformation and customer-experience design.
• Strategic planning, change management, and process improvement.
• Public sector operations and governance frameworks (preferred but not required).
• Quantitative data analysis (intermediate or higher level preferred)

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS: Working conditions may include exposure to travel to other locations within the City of Richmond as well as outside of the City of Richmond; exposure to hazardous physical conditions such as mechanical parts, electrical currents, vibrations, etc.; atmospheric conditions such as fumes, odors, dusts, gases, and poor ventilation; inadequate lighting; intense noise; and environmental hazards such as disruptive people, imminent danger, and a threatening environment. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT: Due to the nature of work assignments, incumbents must be able to perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks, with frequent interruptions and under time constraint. The essential duties of this classification may require the ability to regularly talk; frequently finger, hear, see, and perform repetitive motions; and occasionally climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, reach, stand, walk, push, pull, lift, feel, and grasp. The working conditions may include environmental hazards. In terms of the physical strength to perform the essential duties, this classification is considered to be sedentary, exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects.

Salary : $98,790 - $164,976