The Office of Data and Innovation is looking for an experienced leader to serve as the Engaged California Program Director (CEA-B). 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.
Location: The employee’s workstation is located in Sacramento, Oakland, Los Angeles, or San Diego, and is equipped with standard or ergonomic office equipment. Based on departmental or operational needs, the employee may have a teleworking option. Occasional travel may be required to attend meetings in Sacramento, field offices, off-sites, conferences, and/or training classes.
Annual salary: $145,572 – $173,436 based on experience and qualifications
Benefits: The state offers many benefits (opens in new window), including pension, health benefits (including after retirement), life insurance, employee assistance program, and much more.
Last day to apply: Final filing date is 11/9/2026
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.
You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement (opens in new window).
We have a guide to the career executive assignment application process. It covers
- How to apply
- Interviews
Desirable qualifications
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.
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.