BUSINESS/TECH APPLICATIONS SPECIALIST - 40007000

Durham County Government employs approximately 1,900 employees that work towards providing needed services throughout the community. With a wide array of services, Durham County Government is at the heart of a rapidly growing and diverse area offering residents, employees and visitors exciting opportunities to live, work, grow and play. For more information about Durham County Government, visit www.dconc.gov.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The Business and Technology Applications Specialist is responsible for providing the technical management and oversight of all customer facing Microsoft, Service Now, commercial-off-the-shelf applications and all in-house custom developed applications. This position will ensure the integrity and stability of the Microsoft development environment for the Application Development Team as well as drive the Microsoft roadmap and technical leadership for SharePoint, Teams, Planner, Automate, PowerApps, e-Forms, digital signatures, PowerBi, and integration points as well as working with the Platform Team to address back-office configurations specific to the Microsoft platform and custom application development. The Business and Technology Applications Specialist will also be responsible for managing the development and maintenance of system documentation, change management, procedures and standards as well as valadating data backup and recovery.  

Under the direction of the Deputy Director, this position will provide leadership, technical guidance and direction to other team members in the Application Development and Platform Teams. This position is expected to recommend information technology solutions that offer sound design theory and bring forward system principles and best practices that will enhance performance of the Microsoft/Service Now platforms, applications and services.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Specific duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Top-level technical expert in the Microsoft and Service Now landscapes and underlying software architectures.
• Designs architectures for new and emerging technologies.
• Provides technical direction to technical staff that is related to technical, substantive, and methodological issues and theories for applications deployment.
• Produces comprehensive technical, user and operations documentation.
• Collaborates with project teams to deliver solution against time and budget objectives.
• Cooperates with DCo Leadership to provide benefits realization evaluations against project and business case objectives.
• Develops highly complex information technology systems. Recommends information technology solutions of a complex nature.
• Designs, configures/customizes the Microsoft and Service Now platforms based on DCo strategic direction.
• Plans, installs, and configures a variety of business enterprise wide systems at the highest level within the County.
• Develops solutions that impact multiple customers/applications or are used at the enterprise level and requires data design and architecture.
• Identifies, develops, and initiates innovations and solutions where precedents and procedures may not exist.
• Coordinates with PMO, ERP, Applications and Platform Teams to implement enterprise solutions and monitors outcomes.
• Represents team leadership for advanced application development and technology services for IS&T.
• Plans, develops, enhances and oversees the most technically complex computer applications.
• Represents team leadership for advanced application development and technology services for IS&T.
• Performs the most complex designs and programming activities associated with the development of new systems or specialized assignments requiring the highest level of analytical and programming knowledge and skills.
• Manages complex projects that have high impact.  Projects often involve significant changes to infrastructure or involve the implementation of emerging technologies.
• Ensures complex projects are fully documented using industry-standard methodologies, processes and diagrams.
• Provides consulting for new development and application purchases to help guide the technical/development and functional teams roadmaps.
• Acts as an active participant in providing advanced consultation skills to committee and other leaders and technical analyst/specialists within IS&T and DCo.
• Utilizes a network of relationships to collect and disseminate information, build support, and secure buy-in for desired objectives.
• Demonstrates superior inter-personal skills, conflict resolution and negotiating skills.
   

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Extensive knowledge to provide system administration duties, system analysis and programming, and extensive knowledge of relational databases and business enterprise systems.
• Extensive knowledge of operating systems and system hardware.
• Extensive knowledge of specific computer environments and a broad range of programming languages with the ability to learn emerging programing languages.
• A demonstrated technical understanding of the business process mandated by administrative applications and their interfacing software and systems.
• Extensive knowledge of principles and concepts behind applications analysis, design analysis, project planning, resource estimates, thorough testing and debugging, implementation and documentation.
• Demonstrates substantial knowledge of other work specialties with the ability to integrate this knowledge base to achieve solutions to problems of high complexity.
• Extensive knowledge to serve as a technical resource in solving problems of high complexity.
• Ability to lead others, providing technical guidance and direction as well as long-term planning efforts.
• Ability to manage complex project with high impact and to react and reorganize work assignments of technical staff on projects.
• Ability to provide expertise and consulting to committees, boards, department heads and lower level technical staff.
• Extensive knowledge and skill of the Microsoft platform, Service Now platform, application and data architectures, custom application development, and their integration points.
• Excellent technical skills, analytical skills, detail oriented and process focused.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Selects appropriate information and best method or format for presenting it either written or verbally.
• Ability to lead and direct meetings and discussions.
• Ability to determine applicability in controversial or precedent setting situations.
• Ability to evaluate organizational readiness and capacity for change and adjusts accordingly.
• Ability to communicate plans with current and potential project stakeholders, county wide.
• Ability to prepare comprehensive project plans that encompass the entire software development life cycle.
• Ability to create and maintain collegial working relationships with customers and co-workers, contribute to a positive and inclusive work environment, and serve as a productive team member is expected in all positions.
• Ability to adapt to changing business conditions and break down barriers with innovation.
• Ability to work effectively in a high demand and fast paced environment.
• Ability to work independently and as a team player.
• Ability to work in a telework environment due to the pandemic.

MINUMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, Computer Engineering, Math, or Engineering or related technical degree from an appropriately accredited institution and four years of experience in business application consulting or development; or Bachelor’s degree with some computer coursework from an appropriately accredited institution and five years of experience in business applications consulting or development; or Associate’s degree in computer programming and five years of experience in application consulting or development; or an equivalent combination of education and experience

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated experience with Microsoft O365 including SharePoint, Teams, Automate, Planner, Stream, Live-Events Project On-line and Power BI.
• Demonstrated experience writing Standard Operating Procedures, Operation Procedures and User Procedures.
• Demonstrated experience working with data, developing progress indicators and learning outcomes
• Self-directed with the ability to work in a fast-paced environment with multiple accountabilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to acquire technical and business process knowledge and skills quickly.
• Excellent and concise analytical and problem-solving skills; must be able to learn new concepts quickly
• Experience managing multi-faceted assignments to defined objectives and deadlines.
• Project management certificate desired.
• Microsoft Certified (MCSA, MCSE) desired.
• Service Now Certified (CSA, CIS, CAD) desired.

Durham County Government is an Equal Opportunity Employer