Director, Information Technology & Metering
This is a newly expanded, senior management position that will be responsible for the communications and computing infrastructure to link together the administrative and operational systems throughout the organization. OPU has operating revenue of $60M, serving 11,300 Electric customers along with water and natural gas.
Working with four direct reports and 12 indirect reports, this is a highly visible and influential position for an IT professional seeking to grow their career to include broader management duties along with strategic planning. Responsibilities will include planning and organization of the Meter Services team, to ensure good operations of the municipal’s AMI system, and its data. This person will be responsible for network security for the entire operation, including workstations, databases and networked IT systems for all critical utility infrastructure. Duties include planning for disaster contingency and recovery, systems integration, and future planning. This person will support all three utilities.
Owatonna is an inviting, stable and healthy community in south central Minnesota. OPU is a trusted partner with loyal customers, solid community engagement and a healthy internal culture.
The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor of Science or Masters degree in a computer related field, such as Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Computer Information Systems, Management Information Systems, or a substantially similar discipline. Experience required: Five (5) years of demonstrated administrative and supervisory experience in an increasingly responsible role involving professional work directly related to computer network administration. This will include resource allocation, staff evaluation, selection, training and discipline, planning and project scheduling. Experience in building and maintaining secure computer networks is essential. Project management experience is required, as is experience in developing staff. As a senior management role, clear communication ability is required, paired with interpersonal skill and proven leadership. The utility will rely on this person for aptitude and experience with necessary software applications, and for recommendations and integration of new applications. Electric or Natural Gas utility experience, or other municipal experience would be beneficial but is not required.
Computer Skills Required: Working knowledge of Microsoft Operating Systems, and ability to troubleshoot/repair a wide variety of networking hardware components. Desired Skills: Experience with NISC Financial, Customer Management, and Service Order Management systems, or similar. Also desired: Experience with EMC or similar Storage Area Networks. Enterprise-level virtualization experience.
Certificates and Licenses: Desired certifications: Certified Government Chief Information Officer (CGCIO); Cisco (CCENT, CCNA, CCNP); CompTIA (Server+, Network+, Security+, A+); Microsoft (Azure AD). Cybersecurity (CISO, CISSP/ISSMP, GSLC). Valid State of Minnesota Class “D” Driver’s license is required or have the ability to obtain one within 31 days of employment.
This position reports directly to the General Manager. OPU’s compensation and benefits are highly competitive with a target annual salary for the role of $130,000, dependent upon qualifications and experience.
For more information, or to submit a confidential resume and cover letter, contact the search hotline and OPU’s search partner, Tom Jackson, of IdeaBuilder Search at (612) 474-4343 or at IBSearch2020@gmail.com.
See Tom Jackson for a complete job description or for more information regarding OPU, the community and the role.