Code for America believes government can work for the people, by the people, in the new digital age, and that government at all levels can and should work well for all people. For more than a decade, we’ve worked to show that with the mindful use of technology, we can break down barriers, meet community needs, and find real solutions.

Our employees build and transform government and community tools and services, making them so good they inspire change. We merge the best parts of technology, nonprofit, and government to help support the people who need it most.

With a focus on transparency and fairness, and deep empathy for partners in government and community organizations and the people that our partners serve, we’re building a movement of motivated change agents driven by meaningful results and lasting impact.

At Code for America, you contribute to exciting work while learning and developing in a supportive and flexible environment. Our compensation and benefits are holistic and thoughtfully curated to represent our employees and our mission. Help us drive real generational change that lasts.

Code for America is looking for a talented Chief Technology Officer who, in partnership with senior tech leadership and in collaboration with the executive team, will play a pivotal role in positioning Code for America as the leading civic technology organization, one that demonstrates how modern, responsible, and human-centered technology can transform public service delivery.

Specifically, this role will:

• Unify and elevate Code for America’s technical direction, bringing together Product Engineering, Solutions Engineering, DevOps, and data science under a clear architectural vision and long-term roadmap. This includes advancing cloud infrastructure management through automation, strengthening development practices, and making thoughtful technology choices across Code for America’s diverse projects and environments to drive efficient, reliable, usable, and secure deployments. 
• Build and empower high-performing technical teams, cultivating engineering leadership, clarity of roles, and strong pathways for professional growth and collaboration.
• Advance Code for America’s secure use of AI, ensuring our approach strengthens both the impact of our products and our credibility as a trusted partner to government.
• Drive excellence in execution, improving velocity, scalability, and reliability across Code for America’s software and data systems.
• Bridge disciplines by partnering closely with Product, UX, Programs, and Client Success to ensure our technology is responsive to user needs, policy realities, and strategic opportunities.
• Accelerate product development and deployment by strengthening the technical foundations and cross-disciplinary collaboration needed to move from concept to delivery quickly and effectively.
• Shape Code for America’s future technology leadership model, bringing curiosity and adaptability to how we organize and evolve our technical disciplines as the landscape and our mission evolve.

This is an opportunity for a systems thinker and organizational builder who can hold both vision and detail, technical depth, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, to help Code for America deliver on its mission at a national scale.

About the role: 

The Chief Technology Officer (CTO) will be Code for America’s senior technology executive, responsible for shaping and executing the organization’s technical and AI vision to advance how we build and scale products and technology to improve the delivery of government services. 

This leader will immediately oversee Product Engineering, Solutions Engineering, and Data Science (collectively known as “Engineering”) and will steward the evolution of Code for America’s technical architecture, delivery systems, and data capabilities to stay ahead of the pace and complexity of modern government technology.

In addition to leading our Engineering functions, the CTO will also oversee Code for America’s AI technical strategy and technical approach, ensuring that the organization leads from the front in the fast-changing landscape of artificial intelligence in the public sector. This includes guiding internal teams and partnering with AI-focused leadership to embed secure, effective AI approaches across our products, projects, and operations.

The CTO will play a key role in enabling the rapid development and deployment of products by Code for America’s technical systems, processes, and teams are aligned for speed, reliability, and learning. 

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer and serving as a member of the CxO team, the CTO will work in close partnership with the Chief Operating Officer and leaders across Product, UX, Programs, and Client Success to ensure that Code for America’s technology strategy and delivery model are deeply integrated across disciplines.

We are a remote-first organization with intentional gatherings and a headquarters office located in Oakland. Because Code for America’s leadership model is built on shared stewardship and adaptability, reporting relationships and leadership portfolios may evolve over time to reflect organizational needs. The Chief Technology Officer will be responsible for helping the CEO to develop the appropriate strategy and structure for engineering and product leadership in this new chapter of Code for America.

In this position you will:

• Technical Strategy and Vision
  • Develop and articulate a long-term technical, data, and AI strategy that positions Code for America at the forefront of modern, resilient, and human-centered civic technology.
  • Define and evolve Code for America’s core architecture across products and systems, ensuring scalability, security, and resilience.
  • Partner with senior leadership to align technology decisions with organizational strategy, funding priorities, and public sector needs.
  • Ensure Code for America’s technology practices anticipate and adapt to shifts in the civic tech and AI landscapes.
• Delivery and Execution Excellence
  • Oversee engineering delivery across Product Engineering, Solutions Engineering, and Data Science, ensuring consistent velocity, quality, and reliability.
  • Drive the development of common processes and tools that streamline delivery while supporting innovation across diverse project teams.
  • Clarify ownership and governance for technical infrastructure, security, and compliance, in coordination with IT leadership.
  • Ensure teams have the resources, systems, and clarity needed to deliver high-impact work on time and within budget.
  • Partner with Product, UX, and Delivery leaders to ensure Code for America’s technology systems and practices enable rapid, high-quality product development and deployment that meet user and government partner needs.
• Organizational and People Leadership
  • Lead, mentor, and inspire Code for America’s engineering leaders, cultivating a culture of curiosity, excellence, and collaboration.
  • Recruit and retain senior engineering, data, and AI talent with the values, technical skill, and mission commitment to thrive in civic technology.
  • Foster an environment that values curiosity, learning, experimentation, and shared accountability for results.
• AI Stewardship and Innovation
  • Ensure the right AI leadership and expertise are in place to 1) drive Code for America’s AI strategy across how we work internally, 2) ensure AI is embedded in our products and services, and 3) strengthen Code for America’s external positioning as a credible, responsible voice in public sector AI innovation.
  • Oversee Code for America’s AI work by providing executive-level guidance, resourcing, and integration with engineering and product strategies.
  • Partner with AI-focused leadership to develop Code for America’s external voice on responsible AI in government, and to guide internal adoption and experimentation.
  • Ensure Code for America’s use of AI enhances public trust and impact, both in our products and in how we support government partners.
  • Build systems and practices that balance innovation and efficiency with safety, responsibility, and transparency.
• Cross-Functional and Executive Leadership
  • Serve as a key member of the CxO team, helping steer organizational priorities, annual planning, and strategic decision-making.
  • Partner with the COO and discipline leads in Product, UX, Programs, and Client Success to ensure seamless coordination and shared stewardship across Code for America’s delivery ecosystem.
  • Model flexibility and adaptability in an evolving structure, helping to shape how technology, product, and design leadership are best aligned over time.
  • Collaborate with the executive team to ensure long-term strategic relationships with clients, partnerships, and the broader civic tech community.
• Other duties as assigned
  
  

About you:

• Experience & Expertise
  • 15+ years of experience in software engineering, data science, or related technical fields, with at least 5 years in senior technical leadership.
  • Demonstrated success leading multi-disciplinary technical teams at scale (100+ engineers, data scientists, or technologists).
  • Proven ability to define and execute cohesive technical and data strategies across diverse product and service portfolios.
  • Experience overseeing or partnering on AI strategy, data infrastructure, or applied machine learning programs preferred.
  • You have a track record of delivering impactful web products in an agile, AI environment, and leveraging technology creatively to improve the experience for partners and users.
  • You have experience managing those who manage others, and setting up systems or operations to support your team, such as career ladders or paths for professional development.
  • You are skilled at recruiting, networking, and hiring and believe our team needs to be representative of the communities we serve.
• Leadership and Collaboration
  • Track record of leading without ego, and a commitment to shared success across disciplines.
  • Skilled at bridging technical and non-technical teams, ensuring technology decisions serve strategic, policy, and user goals.
  • Adept at managing through complexity, balancing the need for structure with flexibility in a rapidly evolving environment.
  • Strong communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to represent Code for America internally and externally and build trusted partnerships across disciplines, departments, and sectors - including government. 
  • You approach your work with empathy, humility, care, and intention; and you're excited to grapple with extremely challenging problems.
• Values & Mindset
  • Belief that government at all levels cal and should work well for people. 
  • A deep interest and passion for how we can use human-centered technology to improve public service delivery and make government work well for everyone. 
  • Curious, adaptive, and comfortable operating in ambiguity.
  • Committed to building inclusive, resilient teams and developing the next generation of civic technologists.

It’s a bonus if you have:

• Background in product management or product leadership, with a strong understanding of how technical and product decisions intersect.
• Experience working in or with government, civic technology, or mission-driven organizations, ideally focused on public service delivery or digital transformation.
• Familiarity with human-centered design, UX, and service design principles.
• Track record of successfully leading matrixed, multidisciplinary teams in dynamic or evolving organizational structures.
• Experience managing or integrating data science, AI, or machine learning capabilities into real-world products or services.
• Ability to represent an organization externally through public speaking, thought leadership, or partnership development with public, private, or philanthropic stakeholders.

Equal Employment Opportunity: 

Code for America is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.

Code for America Workers United:

This position is not covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement between Code for America and Code for America Workers United, affiliated with OPEIU, Local 1010. The agreement was ratified on October 27, 2023, and is currently in effect.

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