Technical Project Lead (#9976)

Role Description:

As a Technical Product & Platform Lead for PermitSF, you will serve as the primary technical authority guiding the implementation of a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) permitting platform within a complex, multi-system government environment. This role sits at the intersection of product, architecture, and delivery.

You will be responsible for defining and governing system architecture, data models, and integration patterns across legacy systems, cloud platforms, and departmental applications. You will translate business and operational needs into scalable technical solutions, ensuring the permitting platform interoperates effectively within the City’s broader technology ecosystem.

This role requires strong systems thinking, fluency in modern cloud and integration architectures, and the ability to make pragmatic trade-offs in a COTS-driven environment.

Essential Functions

Technical Architecture & Platform Design

• Define and maintain the target-state architecture for PermitSF, including system boundaries, integration patterns, and data flows across platforms.
• Evaluate and design how the COTS permitting solution integrates with existing City systems (e.g., permitting, asset management, GIS, identity, and data platforms).
• Establish architectural principles and guardrails to balance scalability, maintainability, and vendor constraints.

Data Architecture & Governance

• Design and oversee data models, data flows, and data ownership across systems
• Ensure consistent handling of core entities (e.g., permits, addresses, contractors, inspections) across disparate systems
• Partner with data teams to enable downstream analytics, reporting, and data sharing (e.g., data warehouses, DataSF)

Systems Integration & Interoperability

• Lead the design and implementation of integrations across legacy systems, cloud services, and third-party platforms (APIs, webhooks, middleware)
• Define integration patterns (real-time vs. batch, system of record, synchronization logic) and ensure reliability and performance
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex cross-system issues related to data consistency, latency, and system behavior
• Guide decisions related to cloud architecture, environments, and deployment models across
• Evaluate performance, scalability, and cost implications of design decisions, especially in integration-heavy workflows

Technical Product Management

• Translate business requirements into technical specifications, including workflows, data schemas, and system interactions
• Partner with vendor teams (e.g., OpenGov) to shape configuration, extensions, and feature development within platform constraints
• Prioritize technical features, integrations, and enhancements based on impact, feasibility, and long-term maintainability

Technical Delivery Leadership

• Lead technical workstreams across multiple concurrent implementations, managing dependencies across systems and teams
• Identify and mitigate technical risks, including integration complexity, data quality issues, and platform limitations
• Establish and enforce best practices for technical documentation, configuration management, and release processes

Stakeholder Engagement & Technical Translation

• Act as the bridge between business stakeholders, engineering teams, and vendors
• Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to non-technical audiences and support informed decision-making
• Build strong relationships with departmental technical teams to align on standards, constraints, and integration approaches

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Technical & Architectural Strengths

• Strong understanding of system architecture, including distributed systems, APIs, and integration patterns
• Experience working with both legacy enterprise systems and modern cloud-based platforms
• Familiarity with data architecture concepts, including data modeling, data governance, and system of record design
• Experience with integration technologies (REST APIs, webhooks, middleware, ETL processes)
• Understanding of identity and access management, security considerations, and enterprise architecture standards

Product & Delivery Orientation

• Ability to operate as a technical product manager, balancing user needs, technical constraints, and platform capabilities
• Experience translating ambiguous business problems into structured technical solutions
• Strong prioritization skills across competing technical and operational demands

Systems Thinking & Problem Solving

• Ability to reason across multiple interconnected systems and anticipate downstream impacts of design decisions
• Strong troubleshooting skills in complex, integrated environments
• Comfort navigating ambiguity and making decisions with incomplete information

Communication & Collaboration

• Ability to communicate effectively with engineers, vendors, and non-technical stakeholders
• Strong facilitation skills to drive alignment on technical decisions and trade-offs
• Experience working across multiple agencies or teams with differing priorities and systems