Chief Data Officer - 61166733

State of South Carolina; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plan

Vacation leave 15 days/year

Sick leave 15 days/year

13 paid holidays

Parental Leave

Deferred Compensation Program

Retirement plan options

Job summary

State of South Carolina seeks a visionary Chief Data Officer to guide enterprise data governance, analytics, and responsible data use across state government. You will establish statewide data vision, lead governance, and partner with agencies to improve data quality, security, and accessibility.

This executive role reports to the Deputy Chief of Staff and drives data-driven decision-making, transparency, and improved public services for residents of South Carolina.

Qualifications

• Executive leadership experience managing complex, multi-agency initiatives.
• Deep knowledge of data governance, architecture, and analytics.
• Ability to translate data strategy into policy and practice.

Responsibilities

• Lead statewide data governance, analytics, and data-sharing initiatives.
• Develop and champion enterprise data strategy, policies, and standards.
• Collaborate with agencies to improve data quality, security, and access.
• Build partnerships with executives, CIOs, and legal/privacy teams.
• Guide adoption of AI and advanced analytics in public services.

Skills

Executive leadership

Data governance

Strategic planning

Stakeholder management

Analytics leadership

Job description

Join Our Team as South Carolina's Chief Data Officer!

The South Carolina Department of Administration is seeking an experienced, visionary, and strategic leader to serve as our Chief Data Officer (CDO). This newly established executive leadership position offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of data strategy, governance, and innovation across South Carolina state government.

As the central administrative agency for state government, the Department of Administration is committed to our mission: Lead to identify efficiencies. Collaborate to provide services that enhance security and trust. Innovate to increase effectiveness.

This is an exciting time to join our team! The Department is embracing growth, innovation, and new opportunities to strengthen the way we serve state agencies and the people of South Carolina. As a newly created position reporting to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, the Chief Data Officer will play a pivotal role in advancing the Department's strategic priorities and driving meaningful, statewide improvements.

In this role, you will lead the Office of State Data and provide executive leadership and strategic direction for South Carolina's enterprise-wide approach to data governance, management, sharing, analytics, and responsible data use. You will establish and champion a statewide vision, strategy, policies, and governance framework that position data as a valuable strategic asset. Working collaboratively with state agencies and key stakeholders, you will lead efforts to improve the quality, accessibility, security, and effective use of government data. Your leadership will help strengthen government operations, support informed decision-making, enhance public services, promote transparency, and deliver better outcomes for South Carolina residents.

If you are a forward-thinking leader who is passionate about innovation, collaboration, and using data to drive meaningful change, we invite you to be part of this exciting new chapter at the Department of Administration!

Responsibilities of the Chief Data Officer:

• Manage and provide technical leadership to Statewide Data Office. Lead and support staff through coaching, training, and performance development. Streamline workflows while implementing management policies and organizational initiatives.
• Establish and lead the State’s enterprise data vision, strategy, priorities, and roadmap. Advise executive leadership on data governance, analytics, emerging technologies, and opportunities to use data to improve government operations, policy, and service delivery. Develop statewide policies, standards, frameworks, and initiatives and align Office of State Data priorities with statewide strategic and operational objectives.
• Build partnerships with agency executives, chief information officers, data and program leaders, legal counsel, privacy and security professionals, and other stakeholders. Lead or support statewide governance councils, working groups, and communities of practice to establish priorities, resolve enterprise issues, and share effective practices. Represent the State with governmental and external partners on data-related matters.
• Establish and lead statewide governance for state data assets, including roles, responsibilities, standards, and decision-making processes. Partner with agencies to strengthen data quality, stewardship, documentation, interoperability, lifecycle management, integration, and responsible data sharing. Promote appropriate access and use while addressing privacy, security, confidentiality, records management, and applicable legal requirements.
• Advance statewide use of analytics, data science, visualization, and related capabilities to support executive decision-making, policy development, program evaluation, resource allocation, and operational improvement. Build agency capacity to translate data into actionable information and promotes responsible adoption of artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, and emerging data and data sharing capabilities.

Additional Requirements:

• Knowledge of enterprise data strategy, governance, management, analytics, architecture, data sharing, interoperability, data quality, metadata, information lifecycle management, and emerging data technologies, including artificial intelligence and cloud data platforms.
• Knowledge of strategic planning, policy development, performance and change management, government operations, legal, privacy, security, confidentiality, and public-sector data records-management.
• Ability to establish enterprise strategies, governance frameworks, policies, standards, operating models, and measurable objectives.
• Ability to lead complex initiatives involving multiple agencies and stakeholders.
• Ability to build consensus and effective partnerships; and translate complex data, technical, and policy issues into clear recommendations for executive and nontechnical audiences.
• Establish priorities, manage resources and organizational performance, exercise sound judgment, lead, supervise, and develop professional staff.
• Position may require overnight travel.
• Position may require employee to work evenings and weekends.
• Position may be required to report to work during emergency situations.
• Executive or senior leadership experience involving multiple organizations or diverse stakeholders is preferred.

The Department of Administration is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions including, but not limited, to lactation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.

Supplemental questions are considered part of your official application. Any misrepresentation will result in your disqualification from employment. Please complete the state application to include all current and previous work history and education. A resume will not be accepted nor reviewed to determine if an applicant has met the qualifications for the position.

Benefits:

The South Carolina Department of Administration offers an exceptional benefits package for full time (FTE) employees:

• Health, dental, vision, long-term disability, and life insurance for employees, spouse, and children. Click here for additional information.
• 15 days annual (vacation) leave per year
• 15 days sick leave per year
• 13 paid holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• S.C. Deferred Compensation Program available
• Retirement benefit choices
  • State Retirement Plan (SCRS)
  • State Optional Retirement Program (State ORP)

*Enrollment in one of the listed plans is required for all FTE employees; please refer to the contribution section of hyperlinked retirement sites for the current contribution rate of gross pay.