Business Experience Director

Office of Innovation – Other/Cross-team | Full-time

The New Jersey State Office of Innovation

The New Jersey State Office of Innovation is looking for diverse and experienced team members to deploy world-class innovative and digital services that solve pressing public interest challenges for the people of New Jersey. Our work spans numerous issue and policy areas, and is focused on making an impact in the lives of the New Jerseyans that we serve. Our work has decreased the amount of time it takes to apply for Unemployment Insurance, made it easier to start, operate, and grow a business in the Garden State, and connected millions of New Jerseyans to government programs, services, and benefits.

Our team members wear many hats, contributing to both the execution of core projects and the evolution of the Office of Innovation (OOI). We use data and modern research, design, and development methods to inform our decision making, and we collaborate with stakeholders within and outside of government to understand and solve challenges. To learn more about the New Jersey State Office of Innovation, read our inaugural impact report here and visit our About Us page.

The Business Experience Initiative is a cross-agency effort launched under the Governor’s 2018 Stronger and Fairer Economic Plan to simplify starting, operating, and growing a business in New Jersey. Core products launched under the initiative include Business.NJ.gov, the Business.NJ.gov Account, and Business.NJ.gov Live Chat. As the leader of this initiative, the Business Experience Director plays a pivotal role, overseeing the visioning, development, and implementation of the Business Experience Initiative. This work will entail overseeing multiple teams and streams of work across a variety of issue areas to enhance and improve how businesses interact with State government. The Business Experience Director will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the initiative, as well as developing relationships with key government stakeholders and strategically building out the team’s portfolio of work. In doing so, this role will directly enable and empower business owners and entrepreneurs by decreasing the time, effort, and complexity required to create jobs and economic activity that can benefit New Jerseyans and the State’s economy.

We are seeking candidates with a minimum of ten years of relevant experience who can effectively integrate strategic vision with practical execution. Successful candidates will have developed innovative, user-centered products that seamlessly blend complex state policy, rules, and regulations, with excellent user experience, design, and content to enhance service delivery. Experience in employing agile and human-centered processes, particularly within government or civic technology domains, is essential.

This role will report directly to the Chief Innovation Officer, and work closely with the Chief of Staff, functional directors, and other Office of Innovation leaders. Responsibilities may include:

Strategic Planning, Product Development & Impact Reporting

• Develop and implement a strategic vision for projects through collaboration, data analysis, and stakeholder input.
• Scope, prioritize, and manage initiative resources to ensure sustainable operations and the efficient and impactful use of taxpayer funds.
• Develop and execute on processes to review and advise team strategy on a regular basis. Support teams in unblocking their work, navigate government bureaucracy, and remove obstacles that hinder progress.
• Cultivate agency engagement models to set clear expectations for type and length of engagement, handoff expectations etc.
• Facilitate opportunity assessments, and collaborate with OOI leadership to drive project intake and resource allocation.
• Highlight staffing needs for project teams, working closely with internal product, engineering, design directors, as well as agile contract partners to ensure appropriate staffing.
• Streamline processes and ensure clear communication across initiative project teams, set clear goals and work scope, identify dependencies, and support teams in unblocking their work.
• Guide the team in delivering quick, iterative results, prioritizing high-impact business solutions.
• Continuously develop and maintain expertise in regulatory requirements and value-adding resources for businesses across all State agencies.
• Gather and analyze qualitative and quantitative user data to inform and iterate on project delivery.
• Create standardized processes to evaluate and measure the impact of the initiative, and communicate insights to improve product delivery and gain stakeholder support.

User Experience Excellence

• Foster a culture of data-driven decision-making focused on end-user impact by gathering and analyzing qualitative and quantitative user data to continuously inform and refine project delivery.
• Develop a deep understanding of Business.NJ.gov, business requirements in the State, and business needs to inform UX.
• Coach staff on user research best practices, such as when to use different approaches, ask good questions, time-box discovery efforts, and work with designers to determine what UX needs user research.

Stakeholder Partnerships and Engagement

• Cultivate, build and maintain strong relationships with agencies to ensure the accuracy and prioritization of work on the Business Experience initiative.
• Ensure effective communication and coordination among teams and stakeholders; communicating progress, challenges, and successes to stakeholders in a clear, concise, and transparent manner.
• Develop and implement strategies to increase awareness of Business Experience initiative products to support New Jersey business owners.
• Initiate, cultivate, and expand organizational partnerships with an eye for expanding the portfolio of work.

Experience, Skills, and Abilities

• A minimum of 8 years of relevant work experience is required. Ideal candidates will have experience in the technology, government, or start-ups across various roles.
• At least 5 years of experience in civic-tech leadership roles, managing multiple projects and teams.
• Proficiency in product development through agile and human-centered processes.
• Proven ability to manage stakeholder relationships and expectations.
• Strong people management skills, including managing cross-functional teams, coaching staff, working with contractors, and overseeing staffing needs requirements across multiple teams.
• Experience working in a fast paced environment with a proven ability to triage requests and quickly make strategic decisions.
• Commitment to collaboration and creative problem-solving, fostering a work environment that embodies the values of the Office of Innovation.

Experience, Skills, and Abilities

• 10 years of relevant work experience, with at least 5 years of leadership experience overseeing multiple streams of work and staff.
• Professional experience leveraging agile and human-centered processes in a government or civic technology domain.
• Professional experience overseeing financial and talent resources and managing multiple cross-functional teams and contractors.
• Proven experience managing stakeholder relationships and expectations. 
• Deep experience collaborating with government agencies, understanding bureaucratic processes, and navigating complex regulatory environments.
• Expertise in leading organizations through the adoption of new tools, technologies, or methodologies, ensuring smooth transitions and sustained improvements.
• Demonstrated ability to efficiently triage requests and information to make effective decisions, in a rapidly changing environment.
• Demonstrated experience working in a fast paced environment with a proven ability to triage requests and quickly make data-driven, strategic decisions.
• Values collaboration, creative problem-solving and fosters a work environment that embodies the values of the Office of Innovation.

We welcome applicants from a broad range of backgrounds. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. If you have any questions, please contact heather@innovation.nj.gov.

Compensation:Up to approximately $155,952 + full benefits.

The New Jersey Office of Innovation is proud to be an equal opportunity employer

We are deeply committed to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusiveness and seek to create a pluralistic community for all. We strongly encourage people of color, members of racial and ethnic minority groups, women, LGBTQI+ people, those with disabilities, and Veterans to apply. We are committed to building a team that is reflective of New Jersey’s incredible diversity.

We do not discriminate against any candidate because of color, race, age, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, membership in an employee organization, pregnancy, marital status, status as a parent, ancestry, national origin, disability (physical or mental), family medical history or genetic information, political affiliation, military service, retaliation, or other non-merit based factors.

Eligibility

You must be authorized to work in the United States. Candidates may be required to pass a background check and complete additional steps as part of the application and onboarding process. You will be considered an “at-will” employee, meaning both employer and employee have the right to terminate employment with or without cause or notice.