GIS Technical Advisor

Position Description

Tacoma Power is seeking an experienced GIS Technical Advisor to lead the development, implementation, and ongoing evolution of the Transmission & Distribution (T&D) GIS digital twin. This position plays a critical leadership role in ensuring that GIS accurately represents Tacoma Power’s electrical power system and meets the operational, engineering, and strategic needs of over 200 GIS users.

The GIS Technical Advisor serves as the T&D GIS Product Owner and operates within an Agile development framework and serves as the primary decision-maker for GIS product direction. Leveraging advanced electrical power system knowledge and GIS mapping expertise, this role translates business and operational needs into actionable user stories, prioritizes work, guides development teams, and ensures high-quality, value-driven outcomes. This position is the public-facing leader of the GIS program and a trusted advisor to stakeholders, subject matter experts (SMEs), and executive leadership.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Serve as the Product Owner and GIS Technical Advisor for Tacoma Power’s Transmission & Distribution GIS system, providing advanced electrical power system expertise to guide mapping and digital twin development.
• Utilizing the deep technical understand of an electrical distribution system to manage the product backlog, including prioritization, sequencing, and scoping of user stories and work items to maximize business value.
• Translate stakeholder and operational needs into clear user stories and acceptance criteria, ensuring alignment with T&D business processes and GIS standards.
• Lead Sprint Planning (every three weeks) and Program Increment (PI) Planning (every ten to twelve weeks), guiding teams on scope, sizing, dependencies, and commitments.
• Make independent product and scoping decisions, including veto authority for work not aligned with business or program objectives.
• Coordinate and provide work direction to Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) for requirements development, testing, training, and consultation.
• Set and uphold product quality standards, providing feedback to development teams and ensuring deliverables meet functional, operational, and mapping requirements.
• Oversee functional, integration, and user acceptance testing; determine readiness for release and when rework is required.
• Lead stakeholder engagement and organizational change management activities, including regular communication with T&D leadership and monthly updates to the GIS Steering Committee.
• Determine release timing and prioritize defect resolution and support issues; provide guidance during operational impacts or GIS-related emergencies.

Qualifications

Minimum Education*
Bachelor's degree public or business administration, information technology or directly related field

Minimum Experience*
4 years of progressively responsible analytical and/or functional analyst, user support or database maintenance work in area related to assignment

* Relevant education and experience may substitute for one another on a year-for-year basis.

Selection Process & Supplemental Information

Successful candidates will be required to be in the office three days a week and live within 2 hours of the Tacoma Public Utilities campus.
City of Tacoma Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

At the City of Tacoma, we're on a mission to make our workforce as diverse and inclusive as the community we serve. We're committed to eliminating racial and other disparities, and we actively seek out candidates from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. Join our team at the City of Tacoma and help us build a more vibrant, inclusive, and equitable community for all.

The City of Tacoma believes that diversity of thought, background, and experience contributes to our success and innovation. If you’re passionate about this role and our mission, we encourage you to apply. If you have a less traditional background, we want to hear about your transferrable skills and experience. We value a variety of perspectives and are excited to see what you bring to the table.
Apply
Interested individuals should apply online by completing the application and attaching a resume and cover letter by the closing date and time listed on the job announcement. Applications received without attaching the required materials may not progress in the selection process.
Compensation & Benefits
Pay Details:
Hourly Rate: $50.79 - $71.51
Annual Salary: $105,643.20 - $148,740.80

Employee Benefits | City of Tacoma
Get Assistance

For assistance with the application process or questions regarding this job announcement please contact the Human Resources office at (253) 591-5400 by 4:00 p.m. of the closing date of the job announcement.

For technical difficulties using the NEOGOV system, call the applicant support line at 1-855-524-5627 between 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. This will allow us to assist you before the job announcement closes.

Communication with the City of Tacoma

We primarily communicate via email during the application process. Emails from Tacoma.gov and/or governmentjobs.com should be placed on your safe domain list to ensure that you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk email folders.

The City of Tacoma provides excellent medical, dental and vision plans for the whole family; paid holidays and paid leave; participation in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System (alternate plan for Police/Fire); continuing education and advancement opportunities and a growing variety of City-sponsored health and wellness opportunities and incentives.

Medical Coverage: For eligible employees and their families, including domestic partners and dependent children age26 or younger.

Dental Coverage: For eligible employees and their families, including domestic partners and dependent children age26 or younger.

Vision Coverage: For eligible employees and their eligible dependents.

Paid Leave: City employees are entitled to received paid holidays, sick/vacation leave or personal time off (PTO), depending upon union affiliation and appointment type.

Insurance Plans: Employees are covered by a long-term disability plan. Short-term and expanded long-term disability insurance plans are also available to employees. The State Industrial Insurance Act also covers employees.

Deferred Compensation: Income can be set aside on a pretax basis and invested for supplementation of normal retirement income.

Retirement: All employees of the City, except members of the Police and Fire services, Tacoma Rail and certain project employees, are included in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System. Information on the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System can be found at www.cityoftacoma.org or by calling (253) 502-8200.

Other Employment Information

Direct Deposit: Employees are paid on a bi-weekly schedule by direct deposit.

Salary Increases: Based on satisfactory job performance, the City provides for a regular progression of salary increases for most classifications according to the salary schedule.

Union Affiliation: Many job classifications are covered by union security provisions which require union membership, dues, or payment of equivalent service fees.

Note: The provisions of this job announcement do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provision contained herein may be modified and/or revoked without notice.

Closing Date/Time: 2/5/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

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• City of Tacoma

• 253-591-5400

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