Information Systems Director

City of Rochester Hills; Rochester (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Job summary

City of Rochester Hills seeks an experienced leader to oversee the IT department, shaping technical strategy and governance for current and future information technology needs. You will supervise department staff, manage budgets, and direct procurement, contracts, and major technology initiatives including AI implementations.

The role requires a strong background in MIS/CS, at least ten years of applicable experience, and five years of supervisory responsibility within public sector or complex

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Management Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible professional experience in systems administration, network security architecture, or enterprise technology management.
• Five (5) years supervisory experience.

Responsibilities

• Foster a culture of innovation across municipal operations with high-level technology leadership and strategic vision.
• Direct overall operations and governance of the department, establish priorities, monitor performance, and approve personnel actions.
• Develop, recommend, and implement annual departmental budget and Capital Improvement Projects (CIP); allocate resources for personnel, infrastructure, equipment, and contracted services.
• Review, approve, and execute high-level service agreements, vendor contracts, and RFPs for citywide technology services and solutions; serve as escalation point.
• Provide strategic direction for citywide technology initiatives including emerging technologies, cloud services, and AI; approve major technology integrations.
• Ensure protection and responsible management of City data and systems per laws (HIPAA, FOIA, etc.).
• Represent the MIS Department to the Mayor, City Council, department leadership, and external organizations; provide executive briefings and reports.
• Work extended hours as required for department needs, including evenings or weekends.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic vision

Budgeting

Vendor management

Policy development

Procurement

Project management

Public sector IT experience

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in MIS/CS or related field

Master’s Degree (preferred)

Job description

Position Summary

This position is responsible for the overall administrative oversight, visioning, leadership, planning, coordinating and control of the development of technical strategy for the present and future management of the City’s information technology needs. Manages and directs the operations of the department, including policy development, budgeting, procurement of technology assets and services, and serves as the principal staff advisor to City Council and the Mayor on information technology matters. Supervision is exercised over the Deputy Information Systems Director, with executive authority over all department personnel.

Essential Functions

The following duties are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each duty satisfactorily. Other duties may be required and assigned.

• Responsible for fostering a culture of innovation across municipal operations. Provides high-level technology leadership and strategic vision to deliver superior services to City residents and businesses.
• Directs the overall operations and governance of the department. Establishes department-wide priorities, monitors strategic performance, sets organizational goals, and authorizes final personnel actions, including selections, promotions, and disciplinary matters.
• Develops, recommends, and implements annual departmental budget and Capital Improvement Projects (CIP). Directs the allocation of resources for personnel, technology infrastructure, equipment, and contracted services to support current operations and long-term City needs.
• Reviews, approves, and executes high-level service agreements, vendor contracts, and Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for citywide technology services and solutions. Serves as the final point of escalation for significant vendor issues, contract changes, and technology-related business matters.
• Provides strategic direction for citywide technology initiatives, including emerging technologies, cloud services, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Approves major technology integrations and automated solutions that improve efficiency, service delivery, and operational effectiveness.
• Ensures the protection and responsible management of City data and technology systems in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and public records and privacy requirements, including HIPAA and FOIA provisions.
• Serves as the primary executive representative for the MIS Department to the Mayor, City Council, department leadership, and external governmental organizations. Provides executive briefings, communicates major project developments, and reports on the City’s long‑term technology infrastructure and system needs.
• Works extended hours as required to accommodate needs of the department or organization, including attending or facilitating evening or weekend meetings.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Management Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field;
• Minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible professional experience in systems administration, network security architecture, or enterprise technology management,
• Five (5) years supervisory experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Professional certifications such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Project Management Professional (PMP), or specialized credentials in enterprise cloud administration and emerging Artificial Intelligence auditing are highly desirable.
• Master’s Degree with minimum of five years directly related experience.
• Proven experience leading the procurement, architecture, implementation, or lifecycle management of enterprise‑tier Enterprise Asset Management Systems (EAMS) or complex Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) frameworks within a public sector or multi‑departmental corporate environment.
• Public sector Information Systems experience.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

• This work requires the occasional exertion exceeding 25 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, frequently requires standing, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel and repetitive motions and occasionally requires walking, climbing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling and reaching with hands and arms.
• Work has standard vision requirements.
• Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word.
• Hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels.
• Work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data and observing general surroundings and activities.
• Work has limited exposure to adverse environmental conditions when accessing systems and equipment, such as dirty, dusty building environments and non-climate controlled settings.
• Work is generally in a moderately noisy office setting (e.g. business office, light traffic).

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Note Regarding Starting Wage: Each position at the City of Rochester Hills has an assigned Pay Grade consisting of 6 steps. New employees generally start at Step 1 to allow for growth and wage progression, aligned with the City’s annual review process. However, the City will evaluate the applicant’s skills and experience to determine whether a higher Step placement is appropriate.

We value diversity, equity and inclusion as a foundation for innovation and seek candidates who represent a variety of backgrounds and perspectives.

Health & Wellness Benefits

• Medical Insurance (HAP - Health Alliance Plan): Effective the 1st of the month following hire date.
• CORE: HMO High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with 100% City-paid premiums.
• Options: HMO Buy-up, HDHP PPO, and Standard PPO options available with biweekly employee contributions.
• Dental Insurance (Delta Dental of Michigan):
• CORE: 100% City-paid premium.
• Buy-Up: Option available with biweekly employee contribution.
• Vision Insurance (NVA - National Vision Administrators):
• CORE: 100% City-paid premium.
• Opt-Out Buy-Out Bonus: Employees opting out of medical and/or dental coverage receive $275/month for Medical and $25/month for Dental paid biweekly.
• Health Savings Account (HSA via HealthEquity):
• Requires enrollment in a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP).
• City Contribution: Up to $1,500/year (Single) or $3,000/year (Family), prorated based on start date.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA via TASC): Medical FSA and Dependent Care FSA options available for pre‑tax contributions up to IRS limits.
• Wellness & EAP:
• Wellness Allowance: Up to $300 / $200 annually based on participation.
• EAP (CARE): Free 24/7 confidential counseling and support services.

Retirement & Financial Security

• 401A Pension Plan (Transamerica):
• Effective after the probationary period (6 months).
• City Contribution: 15% of gross wages (Vesting: 50% at 3 yrs, 75% at 4 yrs, 100% at 5 yrs).
• Employee Mandatory Contribution: 4% of gross wages (Immediately 100% vested).
• Retiree Health Savings (RHS via Transamerica):
• Effective after probation.
• City Contribution: 4% of gross wages (Vesting: 50% at 3 yrs, 75% at 4 yrs, 100% at 5 yrs).
• Employee Mandatory Contribution: 1% of gross wages (Immediately 100% vested).
• Deferred Compensation (457 & Roth 457 via Transamerica): Voluntary pre‑tax or Roth post‑tax retirement savings available starting on the hire date up to annual IRS maximums.

Life, Disability & Protection Plans

• Basic Life & AD&D Insurance (New York Life / CIGNA):
• 100% City-paid premium.
• Life: Base salary rounded to nearest $1,000 up to $60,000 max.
• AD&D: Base salary rounded to nearest $1,000 up to $50,000 max.
• Short-Term Disability (STD): 100% City-paid premium; pays 66.67% of weekly base pay (up to $1,250/week max).
• Long-Term Disability (LTD): 100% City-paid premium; pays 60% of monthly base pay (up to $4,000/month max).

Time Off & Professional Development

• Vacation Leave: Starts accruing at 3.08 hours per pay period (10 working days/year) and scales up to 25 working days/year based on years of service.
• Annual Leave: Accrues 4 hours per pay period (13 working days/year). Unused balances above 56 hours are paid out in cash each October.
• Paid Holidays: Observed according to the official City schedule (2026 - 12 days).
• Tuition & Books Reimbursement: Up to $2,500 for tuition and $300 for books per year for qualified coursework following the probationary period.
• Paid Military Leave: City pays differential pay for active duty (up to 24 weeks per 24-month period) or training (up to 2 weeks per 12-month period).