Job Description

Reporting to the Deputy Chief of the Administration Bureau, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) serves as the San Francisco Police Department’s senior technology executive and strategic leader for digital transformation. This position is responsible for modernizing the Department’s technology, operational systems, data practices, and privacy and surveillance governance.

The CIO is responsible for stewarding the Department’s full technology stack and enterprise architecture, ensuring systems are modern, secure, efficient, and cost-effective while supporting high-stakes public-safety operations and exercising final technology authority over major system, vendor, architecture, and deployment decisions.

This role oversees a portfolio of complex, mission-critical systems including the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System, records and property management, case and investigations systems, human resource and recruitment platforms, cellular and radio communications, body-worn camera programs, e-citations, mobile data computers, and all other operationally essential public-safety applications. The CIO ensures these systems are integrated, reliable, secure, future-facing, and aligned with Citywide standards and law enforcement best practices.

Key Responsibilities

1. Lead Department-Wide Digital Transformation

• Develop and execute a multi-year technology modernization roadmap that improves daily operational workflows and reduces administrative burden for officers and civilian personnel.
• Redesign and enhance core operational systems, focusing on automation, user-centered design, and removal of bottlenecks in reporting, investigative workflows, and recruitment/hiring processes.
• Establish enterprise architecture and long-term technology standards that support scalability, interoperability, and resilience across the department and enforce compliance with those standards across all technology initiatives.

2. Oversee Privacy, Surveillance Technology, and Responsible Innovation

• Lead the strategy and governance approach for privacy-sensitive and surveillance technologies, partnering with the Department of Technology, the City Attorney, civilian oversight entities, and community stakeholders.
• Ensure all surveillance tools, including ALPR, body-worn cameras, drones, fixed and mobile public-safety cameras, and real-time intelligence systems are deployed responsibly, with appropriate safeguards, transparency, and compliance.
• Develop policies, procedures, and review processes that balance innovation with civil liberties, cybersecurity, and public trust.

3. Own and Advance the Department’s Data Strategy

• Develop a comprehensive data strategy that improves data quality, accessibility, and analytical capability across the Department in coordination with the city’s Chief Data Officer / DataSF and the city’s data standards.
• Expand the use of real-time and operational analytics, dashboards, and predictive tools to support command staff, investigative teams, field operations, and administrative decision-making.
• Partner with City leadership to expand transparency initiatives and strengthen the Department’s role in citywide data governance and reporting.

4. Oversee the Real-Time Investigation Center (RTIC) and Operational Technology Ecosystem

• Provide executive direction and strategic oversight for the expanding Real-Time Investigation Center, ensuring responsible, effective use of cutting-edge tools such as drones, ALPR, public-safety cameras, LiveView Technologies, and integrated intelligence platforms.
• Ensure continuity of operations, security, and compliance for all systems supporting 24/7 real-time operations.

5. Executive Leadership, Governance, and Stakeholder Engagement

• Advise the Chief of Police, Assistant Chief, and Deputy Chiefs on technology policy, strategic risks, opportunities, and resource needs.
• Represent the Department before legislative bodies, oversight commissions, the Mayor’s Office, partner agencies, and the media on technology, data, and privacy matters.
• Serve as a key participant in cross-departmental strategy, procurement, and technology governance efforts including leading outcomes-based contracting and vendor performance to ensure technology investments deliver measurable operational value.
• Build strong working relationships with internal divisions, city departments, and regional partners.

6. Organizational Management and Budget Leadership

• Prepare and oversee the annual IT Division budget; allocate resources according to Department priorities, operational needs, and emerging threats or opportunities.
• Lead, mentor, and develop technical teams; establish clear performance expectations and promote a culture of innovation, service, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Resolve competing project demands by prioritizing work that delivers the greatest operational and public-safety impact.

7. Manage and Modernize the Department’s Technology Architecture and Systems Portfolio

• Oversee the full technology stack for the Department, ensuring systems are secure, scalable, integrated, and aligned with operational needs.
• Maintain a clear, current understanding of the Department’s enterprise architecture, including legacy systems, cloud environments, data integrations, and mission-critical applications.
• Develop and execute a modernization plan that optimizes system performance, reduces technical debt, and supports future innovation.
• Evaluate and rationalize the application portfolio to reduce redundant tools, improve usability, and optimize total cost of ownership.
• Implement architecture standards, lifecycle management practices, and security controls that improve system resilience and reduce risk.
• Partner with the Department of Technology and external vendors to ensure infrastructure, network, and application environments adhere to best practices in security, privacy, and performance.
• Leverage data and usage analytics to continuously improve system reliability, adoption, and operational value.

Performs other related executive duties as required.

Qualifications

This is not a routine IT administrative position. The CIO is responsible for mission-critical systems central to public safety and law enforcement operations, with a high consequence of error. Strategic judgment, discretion, and an advanced understanding of the intersection between technology, privacy, operations, and community trust are essential.

1. Education: Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, preferably in Computer Science, Information Systems, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related field.
2. Experience: Ten (10) years of progressively responsible full-time professional Information Technology experience, including six (6) years within a large IT organization performing major management duties. * Experience must include significant responsibility in:
   • Designing, implementing, or modernizing complex information systems and infrastructure
   • Leading large-scale IT projects and establishing division-wide goals, priorities, policies, and service levels
   • Managing resource allocation and developing new programs
   • Advising senior executives or department heads on technology strategy, risks, and policy implications
   • Representing an organization before oversight authorities or governance bodies

Desired Qualifications:

• Deep expertise managing and optimizing a complex technology stack, including modernizing legacy applications, integrating systems across multiple platforms, and designing secure, efficient enterprise architectures that reduce cost and risk.
• Ability to evaluate current-state architecture, define future-state vision, and guide the organization through the transition.
• Demonstrated success leading digital transformation or modernization initiatives in complex, high-stakes environments (public safety, government, healthcare, or similar sectors).
• Strong understanding of privacy, surveillance technology governance, and emerging technologies such as real-time analytics, AI/ML applications, and mobile workforce tools.
• Experience navigating procurement, system conversions, RFQ/RFP processes, and vendor management at an enterprise level.
• Exceptional leadership skills, with an ability to manage, mentor, and inspire technical teams and drive cultural change.
• Ability to forecast technological needs, anticipate risks, and make strategic and tactical decisions that advance organizational goals.

Note : One year of full-time employment is equivalent to 2000 hours. (2000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40-hour work week.) Any overtime hours that you work above forty (40) hours per week are not included in the calculation to determine full-time employment.

Verification of Education and Experience: Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements

Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

All work experience, education, training and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility or disqualification.

Background Investigation: Prior to employment with the San Francisco Police Department, a thorough background investigation will be conducted to determine the candidate’s suitability for employment. The investigation may include, but not be limited to: criminal history records, driving records, drug/alcohol screening, and other related employment and personal history records. Reasons for rejection may include use of controlled substances and alcohol, felony conviction, repeated or serious violations of the law, inability to work with co-workers, inability to accept supervision, inability to follow rules and regulations or other relevant factors. Candidates may be required to undergo drug/alcohol screening, and must clear Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation fingerprinting. Criminal records will be carefully reviewed; candidates who do not report their complete criminal records on their applications will be disqualified. Applicants will be fingerprinted.

Additional Information

Recruiter Information : If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the Recruitment Analyst, Danny Wan, at danny.wan@sfgov.org

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

• Information About The Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

SFPD Recruitment: https://www.joinsfpd.com/

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.