[Hiring] Chief Information and Operations Officer @BizFirst

Role Description

This is a remote position.

• Location: Remote, U.S.-based (Eastern Time Zone preferred, with easy access to Washington, DC); approximately 20% travel
• Employment Type: Full-time, exempt
• Work Authorization: Must meet applicable U.S. citizenship or permanent residency requirements for federal security and access

BizFirst is assisting our client with the search for a Chief Information & Operations Officer (CIOO) who will own technology strategy and the end-to-end security, reliability, scalability, and continued evolution of its secure research and data platform. This leader will oversee:

• Platform architecture and development
• Cloud and production operations
• Cybersecurity and compliance
• Data infrastructure
• Researcher services
• Internal systems and technology support

A critical first-year priority is leading the organization toward FedRAMP High authorization.

This is a strategic and operational role. The CIOO sets long-term technology direction while ensuring the platform and other critical systems run securely, reliably, efficiently, and responsively. The role is accountable for the technology itself and for how successfully researchers, government agencies, and partners can use it.

As a member of the senior leadership team, the CIOO advises the CEO, Board of Directors, and Technology Advisory Board on:

• Technology strategy
• Investment
• Cybersecurity
• Operational readiness
• Risk

The organization is small and mission-driven, so this leader combines executive judgment with a readiness to work hands-on when the situation calls for it.

Our client is a nonprofit that helps government agencies use administrative data to make better-informed public decisions. It builds data infrastructure, analytical tools, and data skills across the public sector, and it operates a FedRAMP-authorized research platform in AWS GovCloud that lets agencies securely link longitudinal data with other states and agencies. The platform supports more than 20 state agencies, several federal agencies, and approved researchers, and the organization's work is backed by leading national foundations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• At least 12 years of progressively responsible technology experience, including leadership in a CIOO, CTO, vice president, senior director, or comparable role.
• Demonstrated experience leading or playing a significant leadership role in a FedRAMP Moderate or High authorization effort, with knowledge of FISMA, NIST, and federal security requirements.
• Experience building and operating secure cloud platforms that handle sensitive or regulated data, including FedRAMP-authorized or comparable NIST- or FISMA-aligned environments.
• Strong working knowledge of cloud architecture, cybersecurity, software and product development, data platforms, production operations, and disaster recovery.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams across engineering, cloud operations, cybersecurity, data engineering, product delivery, and internal IT.
• Clear executive communication, including the ability to explain technology priorities, risks, and tradeoffs to leadership, board members, partners, and staff.
• Pragmatic judgment that balances security, cost, usability, reliability, and organizational capacity, along with a willingness to work hands-on in a small, mission-driven organization.
• Ability to meet applicable U.S. citizenship or permanent residency requirements for federal security and access, and to travel approximately 20% of the time.

Requirements

• Technology leadership in or for federal government environments (strongly preferred), or broader public-sector or research-sector experience.
• Hands-on work with System Security Plans, control implementation, POA&M remediation, continuous monitoring, government sponsors, or third-party assessors.
• Architecture, security, and identity and access management decisions inside AWS GovCloud.
• Secure research data environments, data enclaves, or platforms that link sensitive administrative or longitudinal data.
• An advanced degree in a technical or related field.

Benefits

• Medical plan options with employer contributions toward premiums, plus dental and vision insurance; HSA available with eligible plans.
• 403(b) retirement plan with a 3% employer match and an additional 3% employer contribution that does not require an employee contribution.
• 15 to 25 days of paid time off based on years of full-time professional experience, 14 paid holidays, and paid sick, family, and bereavement leave.
• Additional benefits include short- and long-term disability insurance and potential eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
• $1,500 annual professional development reimbursement and $100 monthly reimbursement for eligible remote-work expenses.