Senior Operations Advisor to the CIO

Requisition Id 15911 

 

Overview:

The Senior Operations Advisor to the CIO serves as a critical tactical and operational leader within the IT Directorate, enabling efficient execution of CIO priorities, modernizing internal operations, and accelerating the secure adoption of AI and digital technologies. This role acts as a force multiplier—ensuring alignment between strategic vision and day-to-day execution, while managing cross-functional initiatives that support ORNL's mission.

 

Serving as a trusted proxy to the CIO, the Advisor oversees operational rhythms, leads continuous improvement efforts, supports technology modernization, and advances organizational readiness for emerging IT capabilities, especially AI. The role is well-suited for an experienced IT professional and organizational strategist familiar with secure and classified environments, capable of driving results in a complex, multidisciplinary R&D ecosystem. 

 

Why This Role Matters:

This position empowers the CIO to focus on strategic transformation, while ensuring high operational tempo and enterprise alignment. The Advisor ensures that AI adoption, infrastructure modernization, and secure IT practices evolve at the pace of mission needs. As ORNL advances toward a next-generation digital posture, this role will be instrumental in enabling success. 

 

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

 

1. Strategic Execution & Operational Alignment:
   • Translate CIO strategic goals into executable roadmaps and annual operating plans.
   • Drive delivery of high-priority initiatives (e.g., secure infrastructure, AI adoption, cloud strategy) by coordinating across divisions without formal line authority. 
   • Track key performance indicators (KPIs), project milestones, and organizational health metrics to assess progress. 
   • Anticipate execution risks and proactively align resources to address gaps. 

 

1. Tactical Operations & Performance Oversight:
   • Lead continuous improvement and tactical response initiatives across IT operations.
   • Oversee directorate-level governance (e.g., risk management, assessment commitments, policy tracking). 
   • Streamline workflows and business processes to optimize responsiveness to mission demands.
   • Ensure performance accountability through structured meeting cadences, action tracking, and escalation paths. 
   • Support incident management activities ensuring prompt response and follow through with lessons learned and continuous improvement via Directorate wide deployment of improvements. 

 

1. AI & Emerging Tech Enablement:
   • Champion the operational integration of AI/ML into IT services (e.g., AI-assisted development, automation, anomaly detection).
   • Identify opportunities for AI augmentation across ITSD operations in both classified and unclassified domains. 
   • Coordinate staff upskilling efforts related to AI-readiness and emerging technology literacy. 

 

1. Governance, Decision Support & Communications:

   • Facilitate CIO decision-making through structured intake, prioritization, and follow-through of critical actions.
   • Prepare high-impact executive briefings, leadership communications, and performance dashboards. 
   • Coordinate directorate participation in Lab-wide data calls, audits, and planning updates (e.g., PEMP, Lab Agenda). 

 

1. Project Stewardship & Light Oversight:
   • Provide stewardship over major initiatives—ensuring alignment, defining success criteria, and closing feedback loops between technical teams and leadership.
   • Support budgeting, resource planning, and vendor engagement in partnership with division leads. 

 

1. Cross-Divisional Liaison & CIO Proxy:
   • Facilitate cross-functional collaboration between IT domains and mission organizations to ensure alignment and seamless integration of initiatives. 
   • Represent the CIO in meetings, committees, or vendor engagements.
   • Ensure effective representatio