Food and Ag Recruiting for Portfolio, Project Management Section Chief

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is recruiting for a chief (IT Manager I) to oversee the department’s Portfolio and Project Management Section.

The manager will be responsible for “the most complex and critical management functions of staff in support of general Project Management, Business Analysis, Governance and Outreach, and Customer and Business Relationship Management,” according to the job posting and duty statement. The incumbent manages planning and execution of IT projects; ensures that resources are allocated, estimates are validated and state processes are adhered to; and ensures that business needs and objectives are understood and recommendations developed.

“I’m thrilled to announce an exceptional opportunity for the PMO Section Chief within our ITSD team," CDFA's Agency Information Officer Fredrick Gomez told Industry Insider — California in an email. "This role is vital for advancing our most impactful and strategic initiatives. The ITSD is seeking a motivated, detail-oriented individual with a passion for leading cross-functional teams, managing complex technology projects, and achieving results that resonate with our mission and goals."

Gomez is seeking candidates with "project management experience, strong communication and leadership skills, and a passion for driving change through innovative IT solutions."

IT Manager I (Portfolio and Project Management Section)
Monthly salary range: $9,114 to $12,213
Application deadline: May 6, 2025

Duties include:

• Leading and facilitating departmentwide IT governance efforts and various workgroups, ensuring that stakeholders are engaged effectively.
• Interfacing with control agencies, including the California Department of Technology, the Department of Finance and the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
• Building and maintaining positive relationships with a wide variety of CDFA programs and customers.

The Portfolio and Project Management Section is part of the IT Services Division, which encompasses technology governance, application development, customer support, IT infrastructure operations, enterprise architecture, procurement and information security.

Desirable qualifications include:

• Experience with project management methodology (PMBOK), the state Project Approval Lifecycle (PAL) and business analysis methodology (BABOK).
• Experience with eliciting and refining multiple levels of software requirements.
• Knowledge of and experience with planning, organizing, and facilitating governance and change control processes.