The Chief Strategist plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of how California delivers digital and data services to the public. This executive leader serves as a trusted advisor to the Director and Chief Deputy Director, guiding enterprise strategy, innovation, and policy to ensure that technology investments and service design truly meet the needs of Californians. The ideal candidate combines strategic foresight, policy acumen, and a deep understanding of technology’s potential to transform government. This is an opportunity to drive lasting systems change, helping California lead the nation in equitable, human-centered digital government.
Location: This position requires the selected candidate to reside and report to ODI headquarters, which is located in Sacramento, CA. This position provides telework opportunities in accordance with agency telework policies
Annual salary: $168,012-$188,172 based on experience and qualifications
Benefits: The state offers many benefits, including pension, health benefits (including after retirement), life insurance, employee assistance program, and much more.
Appointment: This position is appointed by the Governor of California.
Last day to apply: Until filled.
Note: Effective July 1, 2025, state employees are subject to temporary salary reductions in exchange for Personal Leave Program (PLP) accruals. For additional information, please visit https://hrmanual.calhr.ca.gov/Home/ManualItem/1/2113.
What you’ll do
- Serve as an advisor to executive leadership on strategic initiatives, emerging technologies, innovation opportunities, and data and digital policy.
- Build and maintain trusted relationships with leaders across state government, local agencies, and the private sector to align strategies and advance statewide priorities.
- Lead the development of a forward-looking strategic roadmap for technology, data, and service delivery that drives innovation and measurable public value.
- Represent the organization in high-level engagements with the Governor’s Office, Legislature, and control agencies to advocate for digital transformation and innovation policies.
You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.
Desirable qualifications
- Demonstrated experience developing and executing enterprise-level strategies that align with organizational goals and statewide priorities.
- Proven success leading large, cross-departmental or multi-stakeholder initiatives in technology, data, or digital transformation.
- Strong systems-thinking and analytical skills with the ability to translate complex problems into actionable, measurable strategies.
- Deep understanding of public-sector policy, governance, and innovation frameworks, including experience advising executive or legislative leaders.
- Exceptional communication and relationship-management skills with the ability to influence and align diverse stakeholders at all levels of government.
- Ability to evaluate risk, set priorities, and make data-driven decisions in complex or ambiguous environments.
- Demonstrated leadership in fostering collaboration, inclusion, and a culture of continuous improvement.
- Experience mentoring senior leaders and building organizational capacity for strategic execution and innovation.
- Broad knowledge of emerging technologies, data governance, and human-centered design principles, and how they can be applied to improve government services.
- Commitment to public service, equity, and accessibility, with the ability to balance long-term strategic vision and near-term operational needs.
About ODI
We deliver better services to Californians through technology and design. We do so through close partnership with other state departments. Our goal is to create programs and products that are more equitable and effective. We listen to Californians who use a program now or may do so tomorrow and learn about what they need.
We:
- Build tools and products
- Create and enhance digital services
- Conduct research
- Identify data solutions
- Offer training
We are a cross-discipline staff with blended backgrounds in:
- Design
- Engineering
- Product
- Operations
- Data
- Research
- Policy
- Strategy
Learn more about ODI’s vision and mission.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion at ODI
Diversity, equity, and inclusion help us deliver better government services to Californians.
- Fostering diversity inspires better ideas and more innovative thinking.
- Feeling included nurtures a shared sense of community. This drives us to take collective action on challenging problems.
- Prioritizing equity ensures we build solutions for people whose needs are often overlooked.
We acknowledge our history and present of implicit and structural injustice, bias, and discrimination. We see, hear, and accept each other and the lived experiences we bring to our work. We support each other in learning and developing so we can help all Californians thrive.
We understand this work is never done. That’s why we commit to constant improvement.