Title: Sr. Director, Utilities Business Technology (UBT)
Location: Fort Collins, CO
Client: City of Fort Collins
Job Summary
Work related to strategic leadership for the planning, modernization and integration of technology systems that directly enable the Utility’s business operations, customer engagement and enterprise performance.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership:
• Define and set the Utilities’ Business Technology vision and long-term strategy, shaping organizational priorities and investment direction.
• Develop and implement the Utilities’ multi-year Business Technology roadmap aligned with organizational strategy.
• Define, monitor, and report on Utility-wide technology-enabled performance metrics and KPIs, ensuring that business platforms and digital initiatives deliver measurable operational, financial, and customer experience improvements.
• Drive digital transformation initiatives that enhance efficiency, customer experience and data-driven decision-making with clear accountability for achieving enterprise performance targets.
• Champion innovation and modernization of business systems, data platforms and analytics capabilities
• Identify and evaluate emerging technologies that improve reliability, resilience, sustainability and business performance.
• Serve as the primary liaison between Utility leadership and IT regarding business system priorities and needs.
• Establish the strategic framework for IT/OT convergence to improve data visibility, operational efficiency, and decision-making across the Utility.
• Owns the Utility Business Technology capital and operating budget portfolio, establishing investment priorities and approving major initiatives in partnership with other Utility leaders.
• Influence City-wide technology policies that impact Utility operations and customer experience, ensuring Utility needs are represented in enterprise decisions.
• Provide ownership, governance, and strategic direction for core business technology platforms which support core utility functional capabilities including Enterprise Asset Management systems, Advanced Distribution Management Systems, Customer Information Systems, Geographic Information Systems and cloud-based applications supporting customer service, operations and data management.
Governance & Integration:
• Establish governance structures for business technologies - including data ownership, lifecycle management and integration strategy.
• Oversee portfolio governance and execution of technology projects supporting utility operations, managing large-scale projects, ensuring successful project delivery and driving operational efficiencies across technical and business functions.
• Lead enterprise integration of operational platforms such as GIS, network management systems, asset systems, field technologies and customer-facing tools.
• Ensure interoperability between BT systems and IT infrastructure and OT environments (in coordination with Operations and Engineering).
• Lead vendor management, contract oversight, and system performance monitoring.
• Drive Utility data management, advanced analytics and reporting frameworks to support transparency and performance tracking.
Organizational Leadership:
• Provide strategic leadership to managers and teams overseeing technology delivery and product management, while building and scaling a multidisciplinary Business Technology organization that includes a senior level technology architect, product owners, technology project delivery specialists, and GIS professionals. • Promote a culture of innovation, accountability, and cross-department collaboration.
• Support change management and user adoption initiatives.
• Develop workforce capabilities through mentoring, skill development and succession planning
Innovation & Modernization:
• Lead digital transformation programs focused on automation, analytics and intelligent system integration
• Partner with cross-functional leaders to explore the application of AI, machine learning and predictive technologies to core Utility operations.
• Cultivate an organizational culture that embraces modernization and continuous improvement.
Stakeholder Engagement:
• Partner with utility operations leaders, engineering, finance, and executive leadership to align technology priorities.
• Communicate complex technology strategies in business terms to diverse audiences
Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities
City Competencies
• Demonstrated cultural competence to effectively interact, work, and develop meaningful relationships with people of diverse identities, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds.
• Strong learning orientation. Leverages all resources and is creative in ways of learning for self to continue adapting to changing issues and trends.
• A desire and ability to understand the diverse needs of internal and external customers, and to create experiences and deliver services that exceed their expectations.
• A desire and ability to utilize digital tools for organizational information, individual, and teamwork.
Knowledge Skills and Abilities
• Demonstrated experience implementing and managing enterprise business platforms such as EAM, CIS, ADMS, GIS, or related systems.
• Strong understanding of the distinction between IT, OT, and Business Technology environments.
• Experience leading digital transformation initiatives.
• Strategic thinking and roadmap development
• Enterprise systems governance and integration
• Substantial knowledge of Utility operations
• Ability to serve in a cross-functional leadership environment
• Experience in financial and capital planning and the ability to align those with strategic goals
• Ability to translate business needs into technical requirements
• Ability to successfully navigate change management and stakeholder engagement
• Innovation and continuous improvement mindset
Required Education and Experience
"A bachelor's degree is required, or in lieu thereof, 10+ years of relevant professional experience."
Experience Requirements
Residency Requirements
This job description is a living document and may not be all-inclusive. Employees are responsible for all other duties as assigned. Employees must be able to perform the essential duties of this job with or without a reasonable accommodation.