The clock is ticking on this company - Director of Operations NIC Employee Review

2.0
Sep 2, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The people on the ground. They are committed to the clients and to others on their teams. There are some nice side benefits like free snacks/drinks and fun (if not pointless) conferences. We have an immediate impact on users and citizens. Love the rapid development. 10% company paid medical. (Though if you're having surgery, research it first...there are some standard procedures on most plans that NIC's doesn't cover)

Cons

In the last five years, the company has grown quickly. Instead of recognizing that maybe they should step back and see if there is a better way to run the business as they move from a small to mid-size company, the leadership has plowed full steam ahead with old ideas and people (VPs and GMs) who no longer succeed in today's environment. The executive leadership (mostly the COO and the VPs) pushes the divisions to the breaking point. They expect start up growth in a company 20+ years old. They demand employees, especially the developers, to be "innovative" but they must do it on top of keeping all the regular deadlines. In other words, "we demand you take time away from your family to do something that the VP will take credit for if it's a really good idea." The self-funded model as it was initially designed is not working as well as it did. The states recognize how to get around parts of their contracts and NIC doesn't fight back. They always cave.

Explore other reviews about NIC

5.0
Sep 3, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Friendly/Helpful employees. Schedule and salary.

Cons

I do not believe there are any cons.

4.0
Oct 22, 2018
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Overall, NIC is a company that cares about and supports its employees. I have a great work/life balance with a flexible schedule and ability to work remotely when needed. They are willing to send (relatively) junior resources to conferences that other companies would normally send high-level executives. The federal group is a pretty small and very collaborative team that enables everyone to both lead and support opportunities. Also, health insurance is covered by the company which is amazing.

Cons

Overall, I think NIC is behind in technology trends. They primarily focus on custom builds for each agency/project, which, considering their customer base of over 25 states and several federal agencies, is a costly strategy. By creating a different solution for each customer, NIC is investing more time and effort than would be necessary if they adapted a shared services model or used SaaS platforms that most agencies and companies are shifting towards. Because each state and federal agency is treated separately, NIC also uses different management approaches for each customer. This could work if there was an overarching approach that was adapted on a per customer basis, but instead there is no single set of governing principles resulting in a disjointed management approach. They are also pretty niche in capabilities in that they focus purely on using their no-cost model for citizen-facing services. This works for many cases - but not all - and they struggle to adapt/to be open to using other basic contract types like FFP and T&M. As a result, opportunities are fairly limited because they must meet very specific criteria.

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NIC Response
7y
Thank you for the taking the time to share your perspective. We are glad to hear your experience at NIC has been positive. As you know, our employees are our most important asset and we strive to ensure we are the best place they have ever worked. Throughout our history, we have evolved as technology has evolved. We have advanced from dial-up technology, to the first mobile app for government, to delivering the first Alexa skills for government. Today this includes a balance between custom development, platforms, and standalone technology products – all designed to deliver innovative solutions that create efficiencies for government and the people they serve.
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