Produced by:
Washington State Human Resources
Office of Financial Management
InformationTechnology(IT)
JobFamilyDescriptors
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Table of Contents
1. APPLICATIONDEVELOPMENT‐3‐
D
EFINITION ‐3‐
C
OMMONPOSITIONS‐3‐
F
UNCTIONALCOMPETENCIES‐4‐
2. ITARCHITECTURE‐6‐
D
EFINITION ‐6‐
C
OMMONPOSITIONS‐6‐
F
UNCTIONALCOMPETENCIES‐6‐
3. ITBUSINESSANALYSIS‐8‐
D
EFINITION ‐8‐
C
OMMONPOSITIONS‐8‐
F
UNCTIONALCOMPETENCIES‐9‐
4. CUSTOMERSUPPORT‐10‐
D
EFINITION ‐10‐
C
OMMONPOSITIONS‐10‐
FUNCTIONALCOMPETENCIES‐10‐
5. DATAMANAGEMENT‐12‐
D
EFINITION ‐12‐
C
OMMONPOSITIONS‐12‐
FUNCTIONALCOMPETENCIES‐12‐
6. ITPOLICYANDPLANNING‐14‐
D
EFINITION ‐14‐
C
OMMONPOSITIONS‐14‐
FUNCTIONALCOMPETENCIES‐15‐
7. NETWORKANDTELECOMMUNICATIONS‐16‐
D
EFINITION ‐16‐
C
OMMONPOSITIONS‐16‐
F
UNCTIONALCOMPETENCIES‐17‐
8. ITPROJECTMANAGEMENT‐18‐
D
EFINITION ‐18‐
C
OMMONPOSITIONS‐18‐
F
UNCTIONALCOMPETENCIES‐18‐
9. ITSECURITY ‐21‐
D
EFINITION ‐21‐
C
OMMONPOSITIONS‐21‐
F
UNCTIONALCOMPETENCIES‐22‐
10. SYSTEMSADMINISTRATION‐23‐
D
EFINITION ‐23‐
C
OMMONPOSITIONS‐23‐
F
UNCTIONALCOMPETENCIES‐24‐
11. ITVENDORMANAGEMENT‐25‐
D
EFINITION ‐25‐
C
OMMONPOSITIONS‐25‐
F
UNCTIONALCOMPETENCIES‐26‐
12. QUALITYASSURANCE(QA)‐27‐
D
EFINITION ‐27‐
C
OMMONPOSITIONS‐27‐
F
UNCTIONALCOMPETENCIES‐28‐
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Application Development
Definition
Work that involves the design, documentation, development, modification,
testing, installation, implementation, maintenance, and support of new or existing
applications software.
CommonPositions
Applications Developer
Software Developer
GIS Developer
Mobile App Developer
IT WORKER IT USER
Using software development methods and tools to
develop applications and databases for staff and/or
the public to consume to perform their daily work.
Uses specialized software to
perform their work (modeling
tools, excel macros,
PowerPoint, etc.)
Web Development: Develops user-interface (UI)
design, coding, test, and implementation of
application components and web services; writes
re-usable code using industry, and agency standard
development tools and framework.
Updates agency website
content, links documents, posts
pictures, monitors analytics.
Design and develop SQL databases systems for
large scale data tracking, reporting, and multi-user
access.
Create an Access database to
track data specific to them.
Using software development methods and tools to
integrate and support Custom-Off-the-Shelf (COTS)
software and services. Coordinates with vendor
technical staff on implementing and coordinating
system upgrades and enhancements.
Utilizes “off-the-shelf” tools to
perform individual tasks and
functions to perform work.
Develop, test, implement, and support custom
developed business application or development of
custom features within an off the shelf system or
proprietary application.
Implement and test
configurable functionality in a
business application.
Uses a combination of Geographic Information
System (GIS), web programming skills and
development tools to build GIS map and data
services that are created in a web map format. The
web maps are combined with other web tools that
allow the user to dynamically interact with the map
to search for and display the information.
Uses GIS as one of the tools in
their toolbox in order to conduct
the scientific or engineering
investigation.
Develop mockup / prototype interaction designs,
including users’ interaction models, information
architecture, wire frames and screen flows.
Participate as a subject matter
expert in functional and user
acceptance testing.
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Application Development – Functional Competencies
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Understands existing and emerging technologies and their applicability in the
software implementation environment [e.g., vendor or open source, Service
Oriented Architectures (SOA)].
• Knows and considers available off-the-shelf software to make ‘build or buy’
decisions.
• Knows Internet standards relative to web technology development.
• Considers web technology in relation to privacy standards and Federal regulations.
• Identifies and uses tools for information management and technology product design
and development.
• Ability to analyze and refine systems requirements.
• Analyzes and resolves complex problems, such as multiple product problems, dump
analysis or major conflicts caused by new software version.
• Applies expert system analysis skills to maintain, monitor and troubleshoot system
performance and environment.
Skilled in performing one or more of the following activities:
• Determines overall technical design and structure of Internet services.
• Identifies and uses modeling and simulation approaches/tools (e.g., dynamics
modeling, cost benefit analysis, costing, forecasting, sourcing models—build
or buy) to make decisions.
• Identifies criteria and integrates “go/no go” consideration stages into development life
cycle.
• Compares benefits and limitations of open source software with vendordeveloped
software.
• Adopts and applies systems engineering perspectives and processes to software
development.
• Evaluates software quality and applicability in testing software capabilities.
• Monitors software configuration changes to anticipate and address the impact of
data reliability and customer satisfaction issues.
• Tests, debugs and maintains detailed instructions (programs) for computers to
follow and ensure performance of their intended functions.
• Conceives, designs and tests logical structures for solving problems by computer.
• Evaluates current collaborative web technologies and the benefits/risks associated
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Application Development – Functional Competencies
with them.
• Assesses delivery strategies, web technologies, oversight and organizational
implications for web-based development.
• Monitors functionality, security and integrity of Internet services.
• Troubleshoots and resolves technical problems with the design and delivery of
Internet services.
• Translates systems requirements into applications prototypes; plans and
designs systems architecture; writes, debugs and maintains code; and
determines and designs application architecture.
• Designs user interfaces.
•
Works with customers to test applications.
• Writes and maintains program documentation.
• Designs user interfaces.
• Conducts unit testing on code changes prior to release.
• Develops and maintains functionality used by software applications, including
change management, security and authentication, application distribution,
disaster recovery planning, support for data access, email connections,
search routines, system wide configurations and reports.
• Writes and maintains computer code programs using any one of a number of
languages to fulfill a particular business function.
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IT Architecture
Definition
Work that involves the analysis, planning, design, implementation,
documentation, assessment, governance, and management of the structural and
decision making framework to align IT strategy, plans, and systems with the
mission, goals, structure, and processes of the organization.
CommonPositions
Chief or Senior Enterprise Architect
Enterprise Architect
Information Technology Architect
Solutions Architect
IT WORKER IT USER
Designs and develops a solution approach to:
1) integrating with other systems, 2) securing user
interactions with data, and 3) executing workflow and
triggers for a technology area based on Federal, State
and agency requirements.
Performs “super user” support
and training functions for an
agency line of business area.
This could be in the form of
SharePoint “super user”, Office
Products “super user”,
specialized software, “super
user”, etc.
IT Architecture – Functional Competencies
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Demonstrates understanding of basic architecture documentation (i.e., work
product) methodologies at each level of a commonly used framework.
• Able to identify opportunities for improving systems that support business processes.
• Able to provide guidance and support to customers and stakeholders on the use of
the enterprise system.
• Able to apply emerging and evolving technologies to current and future business
needs at the enterprise, operational and tactical levels.
• Able to identify opportunities to improve enterprise-level systems to
support business processes and utilize emerging technologies.
• Ensures rigorous application of information security/assurance policies,
principles and practices to all components of the enterprise architecture.
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IT Architecture – Functional Competencies
• Knowledge of key regulatory requirements and guidance relating to enterprise
architecture.
Skilled in performing one or more of the following activities:
• Provides enterprise architecture guidance, support and coordination to customers
and IT project teams.
• Documents the enterprise architecture infrastructure, including the business
units and key processes, using modeling techniques.
• Ensures technical integration is achieved across the enterprise by participating in test
planning, validation and reviews.
• Evaluates the impact of enterprise architecture products and services on IT
investments, business operations, stakeholder satisfaction and other outcomes.
• Defines the policies and principles to guide technology decisions for the enterprise
architecture.
• Coordinates and conducts governance and portfolio management activities
associated with ensuring compliance with the enterprise architecture
• Analyzes, designs and implements enterprisewide IT solutions (e.g.,
applications, platforms, security) that align with the organization’s structure,
goals and systems.
• Identifies and uses various criteria (e.g., time, budget, etc.) to determine IT
success and ensure alignment with stakeholder needs.
• Follows the enterprise architecture transition plan for moving from
baseline business and technology operating environment to the target
environment.
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1. ITBusinessAnalysis
Definition
Work that involves applying analytical processes to the planning, design, and
implementation of IT systems to meet the business requirements of customer
organizations. Also includes the work of translating business needs to technical
requirements. These activities apply to establishing new IT systems as well as
improving existing IT systems.
CommonPositions
Systems Analyst
Business Analyst
IT WORKER IT USER
Elicit business requirement from business stakeholders
and business subject matter experts. Translate
business requirements and function specs into
technical requirements, review functional specifications
and design documents for technical compliance
against business requirements, identify gaps between
functional spec and the capabilities of the technology,
manage small IT business project deliverables
coordinating IT resources with resource managers.
As a subject matter expert,
provides business
requirements, approve
functional specifications and
design documents, accept
deliverables for business
applications.
Work with product specialists, usability specialists and
interaction designers to develop and iterate user
interface designs based on research and usability test
results.
Participates as a business user
or subject matter expert on
agency business projects
involving the use of technology
to represent the business needs
of the organization. May have
technical knowledge regarding
the specific system or business
requirement but focus of job is
representing the business as
the subject matter expert.
Assist in defining functional interaction requirements
specifications. Also non-functional requirements
(performance, availability, etc.)
Surveys applicable technologies and reports on the
strengths and weaknesses of those technologies to
address the business process. Makes
recommendations on the technology approach to use
and identifies where new technology customizations
are necessary to adapt the technology to the business
needs of the organization.
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IT Business Analysis – Functional Competencies
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Able to identify stakeholders and select appropriate business analysis
techniques to manage requirements and assess the progress of the work.
• Able to ensure stakeholder’s actual underlying needs are understood and
captured.
• Able to understand and apply the usability engineering lifecycle, particularly user-centered
analysis and usability testing techniques.
• Able to assess proposed solutions to determine the best solution to meet business
needs,
• Able to identify gaps and shortcomings in solutions and determine necessary
workarounds or changes to the solution.
• Able to work with stakeholders to identify and understand their needs, concerns and
working environment.
Skilled in performing one or more of the following activities:
• Identifies business needs, refines and clarifies the definition of that need, and defines
a solution scope that can be feasibly implemented by the business.
• Prioritizes and progressively clarifies and validates stakeholder and solution requirements
in order to enable the project team to implement a solution that meets the needs of the
sponsoring organization and stakeholders.
• Analyzes stakeholder needs to define solutions, assesses the current state of the
business to identify and recommend improvements and the verification and validation of
the resulting requirements.
• Manages conflicts, issues and changes in order to ensure that stakeholders and the
project team remain in agreement on the solution scope, how requirements are
communicated to stakeholders and how knowledge gained by the business analyst is
maintained for future use.
• Ensures the solution delivered to stakeholders meets the business need(s) for which
the project was undertaken by planning and facilitating user acceptance testing.
• Uses Business Process Modeling (BPM) techniques for analyzing the 'as-is' business
processes and rules in scope and then the 'to-be' processes.
• Works with the organization's approved Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
methodology (waterfall, iterative, agile, scrum, etc.) that is applied to the project.
• Converts requirements into different types of 'models' or 'diagrams', uses Unified
Modeling Language (UML), each of which describes a particular aspect of the
requirements.
• Assesses deployed solutions to see how well they met the original need so the
sponsoring organization can assess the performance and effectiveness of the solution
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2. CustomerSupport
Definition
Work that involves the planning and delivery of customer support services,
including installation, configuration, troubleshooting, and customer assistance for
customer technology. For example: desktop computers, phone, laptops, email
accounts, and video conferencing.
CommonPositions
Technical Support Specialist
Customer Support Specialist
Help Desk Representative
Applications Administration
IT WORKER IT USER
Provide technical support for business applications
using IT tools such as remote desktop, configuring
automated systems to deploy software
updates/installations, troubleshoot application
connectivity issues, create and maintain technical
documentation of desktop management, create an
agency standard PC image.
Provide training and business
process support on business
applications.
Provides technical advice and guidance relative to
problems involving user interface, browser,
hardware and supporting software. Troubleshoots
and restores technical service and equipment
troubles by analyzing, identifying and diagnosing
faults and symptoms.
Initial point of contact for
customers regarding IT issues.
Responsible for triaging (help
tickets/requests) and based
upon specific criteria,
processes and procedures,
forwards to appropriate
technical expert.
Coordinates efforts with the Help Desk to ensure all
calls outside the customer environment are
effectively resolved. Similar to experienced Help
Desk professional, with the added responsibility of
interfacing directly with external customers to the
business.
IT Customer Support – Functional Competencies
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Uses knowledge of IT principles in the practical application of methods and practices to
plan, implement and coordinate services to diagnose and resolve problems, and
ensure continuous service.
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IT Customer Support – Functional Competencies
Skilled in performing one or more of the following activities:
• Performs Tier 2 or higher (complex) issue resolution for incoming help requests from
end users, including installing and upgrading software, installing hardware, configuring
systems and applications.
• Serves as designated application or system lead for complex problem resolution and vendor
interactions.
• Creates standard PC imaging for installation on computer workstations.
• Resolves application software issues within critical systems.
• Develops metrics, critical success factors and key indicators to monitor and assess results.
• Ensures continuous customer support and contact with customer.
• Provides guidance to, and monitors customer support services provided by,
paraprofessionals and/or professional staff.
• Tests and executes bug fixes in applications.
• Consults with vendors on resolutions to identified issues.
• Evaluates unusual circumstances; considering different approaches; and dealing with
incomplete and conflicting data.
• Plans the work and refines the methods and techniques being used.
• Researches and evaluates new customer service management systems.
• Recommends purchase of systems where it is determined they would enhance the
quality and effectiveness of the customer support program.
• Oversees implementation of new systems and services and develops training guides for
customer support employees.
• Develops performance metrics to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the
customer support center and to apply results in increasing productivity, professionalism
and improving service quality.
• Integrates metrics within existing performance measurement systems and guides
customer support supervisors and managers in their application.
• Develops resource reference materials for system users (user manuals, online help
pages, tutorial videos and web page content).
• Monitors system environment to identify availability and functionality issues.
• Provides system outage and status communication to users; escalates according to
established procedures.
• Develops system release documentation and communication.
• Performs End User application security access maintenance.
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3. DataManagement
Definition
Work that involves the planning, development, implementation, designing and
administration of IT systems for the acquisition, storage, and retrieval of data.
This does not include business users such as research and business analyst that
use data systems to compile data for analysis.
CommonPositions
Database Developer
Database Administrator
Business Intelligence Specialist
Data Architect
Data Warehouse Specialist
IT WORKER IT USER
Take business requirements and design, develop,
test, implement agency databases. Administer
agency databases to include schema development,
performance tuning and integration between
different business applications.
Using standard or off-the-shelf
COTS or SaaS data query
tools, write data query scripts
to extract business data from
the data warehouse. Use ad-
hoc data query tools to extract
business data from the data
warehouse.
Practices architectural techniques and tools for
achieving consistent access to and delivery of data
across the spectrum of data subject areas and data
structure types in the enterprise, to meet the data
consumption requirements of all applications and
business processes.
Use options presented by the
application to make
configuration changes to user-
oriented application behaviors.
Design, test and implement data retrieval methods
(including exports, proprietary reports, and database
views).
Uses MS Access, Excel or
other standard database tool
to manage data.
Interact with applications,
through the user interface to
accomplish business tasks.
IT Data Management – Functional Competencies
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Ensures rigorous application of information security/assurance policies, principles and
practices in the delivery of data management services.
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IT Data Management – Functional Competencies
• Ensures data recovery, maintenance, data integrity and space requirements are
met for physical database through formulations of policies, procedures and
standards to ensure effective data management enterprise wide.
Skilled in performing one or more of the following activities:
• Analyzes and defines data requirements and specifications to design, normalize,
develop, install and implement databases and data warehouses.
• Maintains, monitors, conducts performance tuning and backup and recovery of databases.
• Installs, configures and maintains database management systems software.
• Analyzes and plans for anticipated changes in data capacity requirements.
• Develops and administers data standards, policies and procedures.
• Develops and implements data mining and data warehousing programs.
• Evaluates and provides recommendations on new database technologies and
architectures.
• Conducts data modeling techniques and methodology development.
• Conducts physical schema design of table spaces, rollback segments and data files.
• Provides applications support, performance monitoring, maintaining database backup and
recovery environment.
• Performs capacity planning and reporting, configures and manages cloud data services for
data management and analytics.
• Provides tools and develops policies and procedures for creating and maintaining the entity
data enterprise model.
• Produces entity relationship diagrams, data flow diagrams, database normalization
schemata, logical to physical database mapping, data table parameters, etc.
• Supports the maintenance of metadata infrastructure.
• Coordinates database performance monitoring and tuning tasks including the design of
optimization and indexing schemes.
• Design, create, test, performance tune, maintain and monitor data extract, transform and
load jobs (ETL).
• Designs and documents ETL data structures, metadata and ETL routines.
• Reviews, tests and provides feedback to proposed data models and architecture relating to
ETL requirements.
• Creates, tests and maintains conceptual, logical and physical models for business
intelligence.
• Defines and implements enterprise information management strategy.
• Manages and maintains data model repository.
• Creates and maintains Data Definition Language used to create physical data objects.
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4. ITPolicyandPlanning
Definition
Work that involves a wide range of IT management activities that typically extend
and apply to an entire organization or major components of an organization. This
includes strategic planning, capital planning and investment control, workforce
planning, policy and standards development, resource management, knowledge
management and auditing.
CommonPositions
Enterprise Resource Planner
IT Policy and Planning Analyst
IT Auditor
IT WORKER IT USER
Plans, analyzes and leads strategic business
initiatives and legislative mandates that require the
development implementation and integration of
technology.
Support for executive IT staff
in researching, compiling data,
and drafting documents for
developing strategies for the
use of available resources,
defining departmental needs
and priorities, long-range
planning, and setting goals
and objectives.
Works with service owners and business owners to
develop approaches in network design, secure data
access, and data management to ensure operational
resilience and availability.
Recommend implementing new technology solution
to improve a business system; Provide
recommendations for IT funding priorities based on
organizational goals; Participate in an IT system
audit and provide recommendations for
improvement; Develop and implement a new policy
to mitigate system risks.
Participates as a business
user or subject matter expert
on agency business projects
involving the use of technology
to represent the business
needs of the organization.
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IT Policy and Planning – Functional Competencies
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Able to align IT investments with the organization’s mission (e.g., capital planning
and investment control, Enterprise Performance Life Cycle).
• Able to use established analysis, business cases and decision making
processes to evaluate capital investments in IT and IT-alternative
investments.
• Able to consider organizational strategic and performance plans to identify
specific requirements and capital planning processes to drive the
acquisition strategy (e.g., Enterprise performance life cycle).
• Applies knowledge of organization’s IT acquisition approach to compare, contrast
and evaluate acquisitions.
Skilled in performing one or more of the following activities:
• Evaluates current and emerging best practices in IT relative to the enterprise’s
strategic plan.
• Acquires feedback from external organizations and end users.
• Establishes and utilizes methodologies to compare and contrast cost, benefits and
risks.
• Analyzes cost and economic data to assess quality and communicate meaning to
others.
• Evaluates needs and a variety of potential ITbased solutions.
• Identifies and designs shared solutions between organizations to leverage
technology investments.
• Develops metrics, critical success factors and key indicators to monitor and assess
results.
• Develops security plans to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of
the organization's information, information systems and networks in accordance
with policies, procedures and control techniques and agency and federal
regulations.
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5. NetworkandTelecommunications
Definition
Work that involves the planning, analysis, design, development, testing,
configuration, installation, implementation, integration, maintenance, and/or
management of networked systems used for the transmission of information in
voice, data, and/or video formats.
CommonPositions
Network Administrator
Network Analyst
Network Architect
Telecommunications Specialist
Remote Access Administrator
IT WORKER IT USER
Using network engineering methods, works with
consultants and WaTech to design and support agency
LAN/WAN Infrastructure.
Performs end-user acceptance
testing for telecommunication
projects. Demonstrating new
products to customers. Gathering
new requirements for customers.
Using structured language and command line interfaces
to navigate, evaluate and design the state network.
Calls vendors to do cabling for
networks and phones. Ordering
and tracking vendor circuits
based on predesigned network
requirements.
Design and represent physical and logical network
topologies within a database.
Managing warranty and
maintenance contracts. Maintain
historical records, system support
documents, and technical
diagrams.
Install and configure physical and virtual network
components to implement a network design.
Data entry of predesigned
network topologies using
predefined network elements.
Maintain historical records,
system support documents, and
technical diagrams.
Research and evaluation of immerging network
equipment, technologies and trends for continual re-
alignment and improvement of state network.
Engineering and designing new telecommunications
systems.
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IT Network and Telecommunications – Functional Competencies
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Knowledge of capabilities and limitations of data transmission modes and media.
• Knowledge of data transmission concepts, functions and mechanisms.
• Applies network systems knowledge to plan, design and develop systems, and
properly deploy systems to support the organization.
• Uses network engineering knowledge in design, operations and security activities.
• Skilled in the Acquisition, technical acceptance, installation, testing, modification, or
replacement of telecommunications equipment, services and systems.
• Able to analyze missions, plans, organization structure, current and planned
infrastructures and other related factors affecting enterprise network requirements.
Skilled in performing one or more of the following activities:
• Evaluates the benefits and limitations of commonly used local wired and
wireless voice and data communication architectures, devices and protocols; as
well as wide-area voice and data architectures, devices and protocols.
• Coordinates installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and fine-tuning of the LAN
and WAN including all hardware, software, security, telecommunications and
networking components.
• Develops plans and designs for network modifications and enhancements.
• Reviews proposed applications for compatibility and interoperability.
• Analyzes LAN and WAN utilization statistics, performance measures and system
profiles to ensure network effectiveness and robustness.
• Identifies potential performance or capacity problems and plans for changes to avert
problems.
• Evaluates available enterprise network systems including performance, security,
capacity, scalability, cost and other relevant factors; recommends optimal network
solutions.
• Identifies and controls all LAN and WAN hardware and software configuration;
• Develops technical standards and procedures for LAN and WAN development,
implementation and management.
• Evaluates overall LAN and WAN performance against relevant standards.
• Identifies and implements required corrective actions; and devises solutions to prevent future
interruptions.
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6. ITProjectManagement
Definition
Work that involves the monitoring or management of technology projects using
standard project management techniques. Includes creating projects estimates,
reporting, resource, and capacity planning.
CommonPositions
IT Project Manager
IT Program Manager
IT Project Analyst
IT Program Analyst
Product Manager
IT Release Manager
IT WORKER IT USER
Leads in the development of strategic vision, roadmaps,
and release plans for technology projects. Coordinates
releases and sprints across different technology work
streams and identifies potential technology gaps or
collisions.
Supports IT Project in drafting
reports, communications and
other documentation for Project
Manager approval. Maintains
status reports and ensures timely
distribution.
Reports directly to Executive Sponsor / CIO on project
deliverables, resources, budget and overall performance.
Member of a project team
participating as a business
subject matter expert.
Manages the work of technical teams including project
and product backlogs, the tracking and resolution of
impediments, develops the key metrics required to
monitor implementation success, and triages issues in
team velocity. Work with business and product owners to
reprioritize backlog work items and adjustments in scope,
schedule, and budgets.
Compiles, monitors and analyzes
budget data for IT Project.
Reports regular status and
escalates identified issues.
Coordinates contracts and
purchasing.
IT Project Management – Functional Competencies
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Able to empower and inspire others to deliver successful change initiatives.
• Able to identify, address and resolve differences between individuals and/or interest
groups.
• Able to identify and/or develop frameworks and methodologies to ensure management of
change initiatives will be comprehensive and consistent across different initiatives. In this
context ‘framework’ means the parameters, constraints or rules established to
standardize delivery.
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IT Project Management – Functional Competencies
Skilled in performing one or more of the following activities:
• Selects, develops and manages IT teams.
• Secures necessary resources for change initiatives from internal and/or external providers.
• Manages contracts for the provision of goods and/or services, to monitor compliance,
and to manage variances.
• Prepares and maintains change initiative definitions and requirements.
• Determines the best means of satisfying requirements within the context of the change
initiative’s objectives and constraints.
• Prepares and maintains schedules for activities and events for change initiatives, taking
into account dependencies and resource requirements.
• Develops, implements and updates resource allocation plans (other than for finance)
for change initiatives, taking into account availabilities and scheduling.
• Develops budgets for change initiatives, control forecast and actual costs against the
budgets.
• Identifies and monitors risks (threats and opportunities), plans and implements
responses to risks and responds to other issues affecting change initiatives.
• Develops, maintains and applies quality management processes for change initiative
activities and outputs.
• Consolidates and documents the fundamental components, schedules, resource
requirements, budgets, risks, opportunities and issues, and quality requirements of
change initiatives.
• Integrates change initiative outputs into business operations, addresses readiness of
users, compatibility of work systems and the realization of benefits.
• Plans and controls the finances of programs or portfolios and their related change
initiatives as a means of driving performance and as part of the organization’s overall
financial management.
• Prepares and maintains overall schedules for resource use in related change initiatives to
avoid bottlenecks and conflicting demands, and determines sequences of outcomes to
enable efficient realization of benefits.
• Establishes and maintains governance structures that define clear roles, responsibilities
and accountabilities for governance and delivery of change initiatives that align with
organization practice.
• Manages stakeholders, taking account of their levels of influence and particular interests.
• Establishes and manages reviews at appropriate points, during and after change
initiatives, to inform governance and provide evaluations of progress,
methodologies and continuing relevance.
• Establishes protocols to alter the scope of change initiatives, implementing the
protocols when necessary, and updating configuration documentation including
contracts.
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IT Project Management – Functional Competencies
• Gathers independent evidence and validates change initiative is achieving its aims.
• Prepares, gains approval of, refines and updates business cases that justify the initiation
and/or continuation of change initiatives in terms of benefits, costs and risks.
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7. ITSecurity
Definition
Work that involves ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of
systems, networks, and data through the planning, analysis, development,
implementation, maintenance, and enhancement of information systems security
programs, policies, procedures, and tools.
CommonPositions
Information Systems Security Analyst/Specialist
Information Systems Security Officer
Network Security Officer
IT WORKER IT USER
Evaluate proposed system changes to maintain
security and data protection policies.
Administrative rights to grant
access to SharePoint,
websites; Outlook groups;
listservs.
Responsible for conducting security audits and
implementing corrective actions.
Reset passwords, manage
credentials. Report suspected
security compromise.
Develop and execute security policies, plans, and
procedures; design and implement data network
security measures; operate Network Intrusion
Detection and Forensics; conduct performance
analysis of Information Systems security incidents;
develop COOP/DR plans and support certification of
Information Systems and Networks.
Program SME assigned to
work with IT staff to ensure
program
requests/requirements can be
developed/designed and
implemented within IT security
and data protection
parameters.
Operate and manage all aspects of Information
Systems, data availability, integrity, authentication,
confidentiality, and non-repudiation. Implement and
monitor security measures for communication
systems, networks, and provide advice that systems
and personnel adhere to established security
standards and Governmental requirements for
security on these systems.
Performs “super-user”
functions for an agency line of
business area. Ensure data
being utilized and shared
complies with security
programs, policies,
procedures, and tools.
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IT Security – Functional Competencies
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Ability to promote awareness of security issues among management and
ensuring sound security principles are reflected in organizations’ visions
and goals.
• Skilled in the development and implementation of programs to ensure that systems,
network, and data users are aware of, understand, and adhere to systems security
policies and procedures.
Skilled in performing one or more of the following activities:
• Develops policies and procedures to ensure information systems reliability
and accessibility and to prevent and defend against unauthorized access to
systems, networks, and data.
• Conducts risk and vulnerability assessments of planned and installed
information systems to identify vulnerabilities, risks, and protection needs.
• Conducts systems security evaluations, audits, and reviews.
• Develops systems security contingency plans and disaster recovery procedures.
• Participates in network and systems design to ensure implementation of appropriate
systems security policies.
• Facilitates the gathering, analysis, and preservation of evidence used in the
prosecution of computer crimes.
• Assesses security events to determine impact and implementing corrective
actions; and/or ensures rigorous application of information security/ information
assurance policies, principles, and practices in the delivery of all IT services.
• Performs penetration testing exercises.
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8. SystemsAdministration
Definition
Work that involves planning and coordinating the installation, testing, operation,
troubleshooting, and maintenance of hardware, software systems, and systems
environment. Includes defining or coordinating common processes or procedures
to support IT operations.
CommonPositions
Systems Administrator
Operating System Administrator
Storage Administrator
Email Administrator
Enterprise Document Management Administrator
Identity / Access Management Administrator
Data Center Operations
Print Manager
Batch Scheduler
IT WORKER IT USER
Customizes, configures, and extends content
management tools used by web content producers.
Develops, publishes and updates
web content using content
publishing tools, templates, and
agency standards & best
practices for content publishing.
Analyze, plan, test, and implement application
configuration changes that include system control data
affecting application behaviors, including behaviors that
affect integration with other systems.
Participate in testing: as a subject
matter expert, functional testing,
and user acceptance testing.
Designs and prototypes application. Create, maintain and
implement source code for application or program.
Business area point of contact for
any upgrades or changes made
and works with IT technical
experts to evaluate potential
impacts.
Conduct testing: unit testing of application modules and
their changes, integration testing of interaction of
application modules and changes, as well as testing the
interfaces between systems. Load testing, Regression
tests. Respond to findings of tests (troubleshooting and
repairing bugs).
Provides technical training to end
users.
Develop, prepare, and deploy system changes into
technology environments (development, test, pre-
production, production).
As a SharePoint site owner,
maintains and administers the
SharePoint site assigned.
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IT WORKER IT USER
Develop system administration automation, monitoring,
and event handling to identify and rapidly resolve faults in
systems.
IT Systems Administration – Functional Competencies
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Ensures information security/assurance policies, principles, practices are an
integral element of the operating environment.
• Ability to anticipate and forecast hardware requirements when software needs change.
• Supports decisions to determine when hardware upgrades are required based on emerging
software requirements.
• Ensures system availability, functionality, integrity and efficiency, and maintains system
configuration.
• Ensures customers receive current versions of supported software as they become
available.
Skilled in performing one or more of the following activities:
• Evaluates, selects, and installs compilers, assemblers and utilities.
• Integrates hardware and software components within the systems environment.
• Evaluates new systems engineering technologies and their effect on the operating
environment.
• Monitors the systems environment to ensure effective performance.
• Manages hardware and software obsolescence.
• Plans and schedules the installation of new or modified hardware, operating systems and
software.
• Addresses opportunities and challenges of implementing transformational technology (e.g.,
virtualization, cloud computing) into the Federal environment.
• Manages accounts, network rights and access to systems and equipment.
• Implements security procedures and tools to ensure rigorous security measures are in place.
• Plans and schedules the installation of new or modified hardware and operating systems and
applications software.
• Manages accounts, network rights, and access to systems and equipment.
• Manages systems resources including performance, capacity, availability, serviceability, and
recoverability.
• Develops and documents systems administration standard operating procedures.
• Resolves hardware/software interface and interoperability problems.
• Maintains systems configuration.
• Monitors and troubleshoots systems availability.
• Recovers data in the event of hardware or software failure.
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9. ITVendorManagement
Definition
Work that manages IT vendors and ensures that all service level agreements
(SLAs) or underpinning contracts for information technology services across the
organization are delivered according to specifications. Work also includes
working with IT, business units, and contract managers in identifying and
evaluating technology services providers that are consistent with the
organizations business strategy and architecture.
CommonPositions
IT Vendor Manager
SLA Manager
Vendor Management Analysis
IT WORKER IT USER
Research different technology, assessing technology
for fit within the existing environment, identifying proper
technical criteria and requirements for selection.
Contracts specialist who
executes contracts in support of
IT procurement and purchasing
functions for a specialized area
(IT) for an agency or an area of
an agency. To include analysis
of bids for multi-commodity
purchase contracts and/or
procurement of products,
development of specifications
and analysis of bids for products
and services.
Serves as internal and external contact regarding
system and service requirements, coordinates issues
across multiple technology disciplines, and serves as
the domain expert and an information manager.
Submit standard maintenance
and operations work orders to
vendors via established
procedures, participates in user
acceptance testing and/or
verifies completion of work with
technical staff.
Develops and leads the implementation of all vendor
management strategic planning. Oversees contracts,
contract management, procurement, vendor
relationships, and asset management for the IT
function. Establishes the standards, procedures, and
guidelines that direct all aspects of IT vendor
management, consistent with procurement and
financial policies and controls.
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IT Vendor Management – Functional Competencies
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Establishes and formalize vendor relationship to create mutually beneficial partnerships.
• Brings about vendor performance and client expectations.
• Recognizes, monitors, and manages vendor risk to the organization.
• Coordinates and oversees vendor relationships, contracts, performance and risks.
• Balances contractual requirements against expectations to ensure both stakeholders
and vendors work toward a common understanding of outcomes.
• Partners in the evaluation and negotiation of vendor contracts.
Skilled in performing one or more of the following activities:
• Monitors and maintains vendor contracts and outcomes.
• Measures and reports vendor progress on deliverables to senior / executive staff or project
manager.
• Mediates disputes and differences of opinion.
• Leverages metrics, dashboards and scorecards; extracts data from each quadrant of the
life cycle, analyzes and uses data and uses it to oversee vendor performance.
• Establishes rules of engagement, guidelines and principles by which actions can be taken.
• Establishes the appropriate governance structures to drive vendors to deliver the
appropriate products and services to the required level of quality and risk, at the
required time, place and at the right price.
• Responsible for vendor performance, monitors and mitigates vendor risks, and maintains
vendor relationships.
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10. QualityAssurance(QA)
Definition
Work that involves monitoring the software engineering processes and methods
used to ensure quality. QA is a supporting process that has to provide the
independent assurance in which all the work products, activities and processes
comply with the predefined plans. The methods by which this is accomplished
are varied and may include ensuring conformance to one or more standards
such as ISO 9000 or a model such as CMMI. QA encompasses the entire
software development process, which includes process such as requirements
definition, software design, coding, source code control, code reviews, software
configuration management, testing, release management, and product
integration.
CommonPositions
Application Testing Analyst
Software Quality Assurance Tester
Software Quality Assurance Specialist
IT Project Quality Assurance Specialist
Quality Assurance Manager
Quality Assurance Analyst
Testing Analyst (Dev (Unit testing); Functional, non-functional, integration,
destructive); test automation
Test Manager
Configuration Manager
Release Manager
Information Assurance Analyst/Specialist
IT WORKER IT USER
Analyzes business requirements, design documents
for completeness and testability. Develops test
plans, test scenarios, test cases, test data and test
scripts for different types of testing activities.
Performs end-user acceptance
testing.
Develops quality assurance plans by conducting
hazard analyses; identifying critical control points
and preventive measures; establishing critical limits,
monitoring procedures, corrective actions, and
verification procedures; monitoring inventories.
Submits work requests for bug
fixes or system
enhancements.
Manage source code control and stored procedures
between development lifecycles utilizing TFS.
Manages application control through whitelisting,
SCCM packages, updates and version control.
Partners with test leads and architects to develop
and establish Quality Assurance standards and best
practices.
Provides business user
requirements for new or
enhanced applications.
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IT Quality Assurance (QA) – Functional Competencies
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Able to apply various assurance assessment methods (such as validation of security
requirements, risk analysis, threat analysis, vulnerability assessments and scans,
and assurance evidence) to determine if the software/system being assessed is
sufficiently secure within tolerances.
• Able to execute multiple phases of test, including system, regression and user acceptance
testing
• Able to establish and specify the required or desired level of assurance for a specific
software application, set of applications, or software-reliant system.
Skilled in performing one or more of the following activities:
• Provides quality assurance support to the development, maintenance or enhancement of
systems through testing, problem reporting and analysis, and participation in system
implementation.
• Analyzes system requirements and creates test data and test plans to ensure that
new and revised systems meet the customers' needs.
• Works with users, system analysts, designers and programmers to create and
analyze various required project documents.
• Participates in production implementation verification and validating system quality.
• Plans, documents, evaluates, and tracks testing results to ensure system applications are
free from defects.
• Communicates and interact with appropriate areas on problems, changes and
enhancements that may affect data, workflow and /or functionality within Information
Technology software.
• Complies with standards of the software development life cycle and follow
strategies, plans and procedures within information technology software.
• Plans, prioritizes all the test-related tasks.
• Writes test strategies and scripts.
• Reviews test plans against business requirements.
• Reviews code.
• Uses tools such as bug-tracking database or versioning systems.
• Provides tool and documentation support for assurance assessment activities.
• Researches, analyzes, and recommend best practices for assurance assessment methods
and techniques.
• Maintains a test documentation library.
• Uses automated test tools to assess quality of software.
• Uses technical tools (such as SQL Queries, file managers) to create and manage test
data, and analyzes test results.
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