Engaged California Program Director (C. E. A.)

Job Description and Duties The Office of Data and Innovation is looking for an experienced leader to serve as the Engaged California Program Director. This role will lead the strategy, operations, and delivery of Engaged California, ODI's statewide civic engagement program. You will turn high-priority topics into public engagement initiatives that can be delivered across state government, bring together teams and partners from different organizations, and help create meaningful ways for Californians to participate in government decisions. This is an opportunity to build a statewide program at scale, shape how it works, and lead work that is inclusive, accessible, data-informed, and centered on the people we serve. What you'll do: • Lead the strategy, priorities, operations, and delivery of Engaged California. • Lead multidisciplinary teams across program, design, data, technology, communications, legal, policy, and administrative functions. • Establish and document the program's governance model, including topic-intake process, agency-coordination mechanics, decision-making structure, and funding and data rules. • Operate the program consistent with its authorizing legislation, and coordinate with the executive and legislative leaders designated to select engagement topics. • Secure and sustain program funding through the state budget process, including budget change proposals, sponsored partnerships, and appropriations. • Turn selected engagement topics into clear plans, timelines, roles, and measurable outcomes. • Use participant feedback, data, and program results to measure impact and improve future engagements. • Bring together state agencies and community partners to deliver inclusive and accessible public engagement. • Advise executive leaders on engagement strategy, opportunities, risks, and policy considerations. • Represent Engaged California with state leaders, community organizations, researchers, and other partners. Need help understanding the hiring process or have questions about ODI? We'd love to talk to you! Before applying, contact us at odi-talent-team@innovation.ca.gov Please include the position title in the subject line. You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement. Special Requirements To be considered for the position, candidates must submit an SOQ as part of their application package. The SOQ is a narrative discussion of how your education, training, experience, and skills qualify you for the position. The SOQ serves as documentation of each candidate's ability to present information clearly and concisely in writing. SOQs must be no more than three (3) pages in length and typed using no less than 12-point Arial font. The SOQ must address the following questions in the order listed below: 1. Describe your experience leading a complex program or initiative from strategy through implementation. Include your role, the size and scope of the effort, how you translated broad goals or policy direction into an operating plan, and the results you achieved. 2. Describe a time you led a multidisciplinary initiative that required coordination across teams, agencies, organizations, or partners that did not all report to you. How did you establish roles, make decisions, resolve competing priorities, and keep the work moving toward a shared outcome? 3. Describe your experience designing or leading a public, community, customer, or stakeholder engagement effort. How did you make sure the approach was inclusive, accessible, and informed by the people affected by the work? When completing your SOQ, do not provide a single, narrative response. Each question above must be addressed one at a time (i.e.: first provide a complete and independent response to Question #1, then a complete and independent response to Question #2, etc.) for consideration. Additionally, each response must be numbered and include the full text of the question being answered prior to each individual response to clearly indicate which question you are responding to. Write your responses carefully. Initial evaluation of each candidate will be based on the content of the answers and written communication skills demonstrated on their submitted SOQ. Resumes do not take the place of the SOQ. Candidates who fail to follow these requirements or who do not provide responses to the specific questions in the order listed may be disqualified from the selection process. The SOQ, application serves as the examination for this CEA recruitment. The SOQ identifies the critical factors required in job success for this CEA position. Desirable Qualifications In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate: We encourage you to apply regardless of whether you think you meet 100% of the desirable qualifications. Knowledge • Principles and practices of deliberative democracy, civic engagement, public participation, human-centered design, user research, or community-centered program design. • Program governance, policy development, strategic planning, and performance measurement. • How government organizations operate and how to deliver programs across organizational or jurisdictional boundaries. • Inclusive and accessible engagement practices, including approaches for reaching diverse communities. • Program operations, budgeting, contracting, procurement, privacy, accessibility, or data governance. • Working within legislative mandates, statutory requirements, and formal executive direction. Skills • Leading large, complex programs from strategy through implementation. Turning broad executive, legislative, or policy direction into clear plans, decisions, and deliverables. • Leading multidisciplinary or matrix teams where team members may not directly report to you. • Building partnerships and aligning people with different priorities or responsibilities. • Facilitating public meetings, workshops, executive discussions, or other high-visibility engagements. • Using data, participant feedback, and performance measures to evaluate and improve programs. • Communicating complex information clearly to executive, government, community, and public audiences. Abilities • Work through ambiguity and establish structure where processes may not yet exist. • Balance strategy with hands-on program delivery. • Build trust and establish accountability across teams and organizations. Identify risks, dependencies, and barriers and determine when issues need executive attention. • Make sound recommendations using evidence, operational realities, and stakeholder needs. • Lead inclusive programs while maintaining clear scope, timelines, and outcomes.