About Smart Columbus  

Smart Columbus, an entity of the Columbus Partnership, is an agile, collaborative innovation lab that serves the Columbus Region by anticipating and advancing what is new and next at the intersection of technology and community good.   

We seek to increase access to opportunity and an improved quality of life by promoting thought leadership on the future of cities, fostering an ecosystem of regional partners, and deploying human-centered technology in mobility, sustainability, digitalization, and urban technologies. 

About the Community Information Exchange (CIE)

No agency can lift a person out of poverty alone. Our community organizations want to rally around individuals and provide true, lasting impact by collaborating across agency borders for each person’s unique benefit. Inspired by examples from other communities nationwide, Franklin County and the City of Columbus have launched the development of a local Community Information Exchange (CIE) to facilitate cross-agency coordination. Smart Columbus is the primary accountable entity for implementing the design and development phases of the product. More on CIEs nationally, https://ciesandiego.org/what-is-cie/.

The role

The CIE Columbus Director will lead a team to launch the CIE Columbus platform by 2025 and oversee its ongoing operations in 2026 and beyond. CIE Columbus is housed within Smart Columbus in partnership with the Rise Together Innovation Institute.

Want to join us in delivering on this mission? Are you experienced leading a small but mighty organization? Do you want to lead a social enterprise tech startup? This role is a great opportunity to positively impact your community by utilizing your skills, experience, and passion to help others.

This is a full-time, onsite role in Columbus, Ohio; hybrid work arrangements are possible (some days in office, some remote). This role is contingent upon ongoing funding for the project. Compensation and benefits are competitive based on market and experience.

Reports to 

Executive Director, Smart Columbus

 

Essential duties and responsibilities 

The primary role of the CIE Columbus Director is to lead the work necessary to implement the CIE Columbus platform version 1.0 in 2025, and the ongoing business model for 2026 and beyond. This includes planning, organizing, directing and coordinating the staff, products, services and activities of the CIE to assure that the Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) are attained and user and stakeholder needs are met.

In this role, you will be responsible for:

• Delivering CIE version 1.0 by 2025 and the ongoing business and operations models for 2026+
• Tracking and communicating CIE’s achievement of its OKRs and impact on member agency outcomes
• Cultivating and maintaining professional relationships with members, government agencies, social service and healthcare organizations, industry
• Growing the membership; attracting other public and private investors
• Leading the team, reviewing their performance, helping them develop, holding them accountable for delivering results
• Communicating and collaborating with the Governing and Advisory Boards, and key representatives
• Overseeing the CIE budget, timeline, priorities; resolving issues and involving the governing board as needed
• Planning the 2026+ revenue, budget and operating model; working with the governing board and members to get buy-in on the model
• Representing and promoting the CIE to the media, legislative bodies, other local, regional, and national associations, and to the membership.

Skills and Background 

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates with:

• Personal connection to our mission and the community we serve
• A collaborative, inclusive and supportive leadership style; willing to listen to others even in disagreements; empathetic and values diverse opinions; can facilitate and lead people to clear decisions
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English; able to communicate clearly and simply
• Ability to understand complex technical issues and translate them for non-technical audiences
• Comfortable with public speaking and Board presentations
• Strong political and social skills to navigate and develop effective relationships with people from a variety of backgrounds; can handle complex political issues with diplomacy
• Willing to challenge and share thoughtful ideas to create improvements
• Strong data analysis and problem solving skills
• A flexible attitude; willingness to “wear different hats” as needed to accomplish mission of the organization
• Excellent administrative and organizational skills including proficient computer skills in productivity tools
• Open to some off-hours work, light travel

Experience

• A minimum of 5 years’ organizational and financial management experience that demonstrates the ability to successfully manage and sustainably grow a ~$2M budget
• A track record of success developing programs, products, and services that add value and revenue and are completed on-time and on-budget
• Experience in recruiting, developing, retaining, and motivating high performing individuals and teams; experience managing performance and holding teams accountable for delivering results
• Experience working with a board of directors to develop a strategic vision and business plan; leading a team to successfully implement that business plan
• Experience engaging with a wide range of customers/users and stakeholders; has worked within a federation model
• Experience developing messaging for and communicating with different audiences
• Experience and comfort with contracts, data privacy, data sharing agreements
• Demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion work, including participation in relevant committees and trainings and a deep understanding of their own race, culture, ability, gender, age, and other identity, and how it relates to the CIE’s users, stakeholders, partners, and community
• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field or equivalent experience; advanced degree in relevant field preferred
• Eligibility to work in the United States

We Offer  

• Unique opportunity in an award-winning, entrepreneurial nonprofit located on the Scioto Mile. 
• A team of teams. Smart Columbus is an entity of the Columbus Partnership, providing team members an opportunity to be a part of a bigger enterprise and connected to the work of the Columbus Partnership and One Columbus. 
• Energetic and collaborative team passionate about making a difference in the community. 
• Superior health and benefits package, including retirement.
• Generous vacation policy and paid holidays off.
• Professional development opportunities.  

To Apply

Please submit your resume and cover letter to careers@smartcolumbus.com with “CIE Director” in the subject line. 

 

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

The Columbus Partnership is an equal employment opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, disability, military status, sexual orientation, or genetic information. The Columbus Partnership requires all employees, vendors, and associates to support its nondiscriminatory policies.