Innovation & Infrastructure Manager

Are you looking for a rewarding career with an organization that values their staff? The Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT) is seeking a seasoned technical leader to serve as the Innovation & Infrastructure Manager, supporting the Department of Early Childhood (IDEC).

Serving as a key member of the DoIT/IDEC IT leadership team, you will be the primary owner of the agency’s technical blueprint, responsible for designing a cloud-native architecture that is simple, sustainable, and performant.

This role requires a unique balance of high-level architectural vision and disciplined oversight.

You will lead the DoIT/IDEC Architectural Review Board, ensuring that every solution—whether built in-house or delivered by a vendor—aligns with the agency’s long-term innovation roadmap and DoIT enterprise standards. We are looking for a professional who can bridge the gap between business product strategy and technical feasibility.

This role will be instrumental in leading DoIT/IDEC towards innovative solutions that improve access to high quality early childhood services for families across the state of Illinois.

If you possess these knowledges, skills, abilities, and experience, we invite you to apply for this position to join the DoIT Team!

As a State of Illinois employee, you receive a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Competitive Group Insurance benefits including health, life, dental and vision plans
• Flexible work schedules (when available and dependent upon position)
• 10 -25 days of paid vacation time annually (10 days for first year of state employment)
• 12 days of paid sick time annually which carry over year to year
• 3 paid personal business days per year
• 13-14 paid holidays per year dependent on election years
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• Pension plan through the State Employees Retirement System
• Deferred Compensation Program – voluntary supplemental retirement plan
• Optional pre-tax programs -Medical Care Assistance Plan (MCAP) & Dependent Care Assistant Plan (DCAP)
• Tuition Reimbursement Program and Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program eligibility

Why Work for Illinois?

Working with the State of Illinois is a testament to the values of compassion, equity, and dedication that define our state. Whether you’re helping to improve schools, protect our natural resources, or support families in need, you’re part of something bigger—something that touches the lives of every person who calls Illinois home.

No matter what state career you’re looking for, we offer jobs that fit your life and your schedule—flexible jobs that provide the gold standard of benefits. Our employees can take advantage of various avenues to advance their careers and realize their dreams. Our top-tier benefits and great retirement packages can help you build a rewarding career and lasting future with the State of Illinois.

Essential Functions

• Under general direction, serves as the Innovation & Infrastructure Manager for Innovation and Infrastructure for the Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) supporting the Department of Early Childhood (IDEC) managing the architectural landscape and innovation roadmap in collaboration with DoIT Enterprise Architecture and overseeing the design of cloud-native architectures.
• Provides technical oversight of DoIT/IDEC applications and infrastructure, ensuring secure, scalable, and high performing environments align with DoIT/IDEC’s technology strategy and architectural standards.
• Collaborates with DoIT Enterprise Architecture and IDEC product management to guide the selection of applications, platforms, and digital services.
• Provides strategic leadership for cloud and innovation management, ensuring cost-effective scalability, optimal performance, and alignment with IDEC’s technology strategy and budget priorities.
• Supervises Contractual Staff.
• Keeps abreast of new developments in digital services, cloud infrastructure, and artificial intelligence through online training platforms, meetings, training sessions, seminars, vendor demos, and conferences to increase familiarity with and remain current on products, vendors, techniques, and procedures.
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires knowledge, skill and mental development equivalent to completion of four (4) years of college with coursework in software engineering, cloud computing, network engineering, computer science, or directly related fields.
• Requires prior experience equivalent to three (3) years of progressively responsible administrative experience in the management of services designed with modern data and cloud infrastructures.

Preferred Qualifications (In Order Of Significance)

• Three (3) years of professional experience leading the design and implementation of cloud-native infrastructure and data-driven solutions, with measurable outcomes in performance, reliability, and cost optimization.
• Three (3) years of professional experience setting up a Microsoft Azure cloud environment for capacity planning, configuration, and FinOpsaligned cost management.
• Three (3) years of professional experience establishing and chairing Architectural Review Boards (ARB), conducting design reviews, approving vendor deliverables, and ensuring coherence with long term digital roadmaps.
• Three (3) years of professional experience supervising technical teams or vendor contractors—assigning work, coaching, conducting evaluations—and building a culture of creativity, simplicity, and coherence.
• Four (4) years of professional experience defining and enforcing rigorous standards for security, scalability, performance, and architectural adherence across product lifecycles.
• Extensive knowledge of enterprise architecture frameworks (TOGAF or equivalent) with demonstrated experience defining standards, roadmaps, and governance mechanisms in a matrixed environment with Enterprise Architecture and Cloud Operations.
• Ability to translate complex technical strategies into clear business value for executive stakeholders and to own a business-aligned innovation agenda that advances agency objectives.
• Ability to concurrently manage multiple initiatives, conduct feasibility studies, and deliver scope, schedule, and budget commitments in a high stakes public sector environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous learning through ongoing coursework, certifications, conferences, and vendor demos to stay current on digital services, cloud infrastructure, and AI.
• Certification(s) in one or more of the following: TOGAF or equivalent, DevOps, or Cloud Solution Architecture

Conditions of Employment

NOTE: Applicants must possess the ability to meet ALL of the following conditions of employment, with or without reasonable accommodation, to be considered for this position.

• Requires the ability to verify identity.
• Requires employment authorization to accept permanent full-time position with the State of Illinois.
• Requires the ability to pass a position specific, agency required background check and requires self-disclosure of criminal history.
• Requires the ability to lift and carry objects or equipment weighing up to 10 pounds. This is considered sedentary work as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor (20 CFR 404.1567(a)). Sedentary work involves lifting no more than 10 pounds at a time and requires occasional lifting, carrying, walking, and standing.
• Requires the ability to travel in performance of duties with occasional overnight stays.
• Requires the ability to work overtime including scheduled, unscheduled, short notice, evening, weekends, and holidays.
• Requires the ability to serve in an on-call capacity and work outside of normal hours to meet deadlines.
• Requires adherence to the revolving door restrictions outlined in 5 ILCS 430/5-45. Consequently, employees should be aware that in the event of receiving a non-State employment offer during state employment or within one year immediately following the termination of State employment, they are required to inform the Office of the Executive Inspector General for the Agencies (OEIG) of the Illinois Governor before accepting such non-State employment. Failure to notify the OEIG may result in the imposition of a fine.
• Requires compliance with the provisions outlined in section 4A-101 of the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act, necessitating the occupant of this position to file of a Statement of Economic Interest. Pursuant to the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act (5 ILCS 420/4A et seq.), specific state officials and employees are required to annually submit Statements of Economic Interest to the Office of the Secretary of State, which will be accessible to the public for examination and copying. Employees subject to this requirement must also file a Supplemental Statement of Economic Interest with the Executive Ethics Commission, as specified in Executive Order 15-09. Failure to submit these statements in a timely manner may result in fines and penalties.
• The conditions of employment listed are incorporated and/or related to any duties included in the position description.

Work Hours: 8:30 - 5:00 PM Monday - Friday (work hours may vary)

Headquarter Location: 555 W Monroe St, Chicago, Illinois, 60661