Senior Director, Information Technology (Remote or Hybrid in MN)

The Senior Director of Information Technology oversees the design, delivery, and management of enterprise technical solutions, including software platforms, infrastructure, and security systems. This position drives accountability, efficiency, effectiveness and relentless execution to deliver on time, in scope and on budget ways of working (w.o.w), through day-to-day tactics that deliver on the divisional and organizational goals. This role leads a team of internal staff and external partners to ensure alignment with organizational goals, technical standards, and user experience expectations. The position requires close collaboration with cross-functional teams to support innovation, operational reliability, and strategic execution.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Oversee the delivery and performance of enterprise technology solutions, including cloud, hybrid, and on-premise architectures.
• Manage third-party vendors providing SaaS, application development, infrastructure, and cloud services.
• Ensure solutions align with roadmaps, service-level agreements (SLAs), and user experience standards.
• Co-develop and maintain the enterprise technology roadmap in partnership with Product, R&D, and Operations teams.

• Lead infrastructure and security operations to ensure system reliability, scalability, and availability.
• Maintain and test business continuity and disaster recovery plans.
• Oversee the organization's security architecture, policies, and vendor compliance requirements with privacy and regulatory standards.
• Lead execution of security assessments and mitigation plans; support legal and compliance reviews.

• Define and maintain enterprise architecture strategy across internal systems and vendor platforms.
• Manage performance, scalability, and integration of enterprise systems and cloud infrastructure.
• In partnership with cross-functional stakeholders, evaluate and implement emerging technologies, including AI and automation.
• Ensure documentation of system configurations, technical procedures, and troubleshooting guidelines.

• Support execution of Product Council-prioritized initiatives and technical delivery plans.
• Oversee procurement of hardware, software, and cloud solutions to meet business objectives.
• Establish and enforce SLAs, technical standards, and quality assurance practices.

• Partner with Product, R&D, Data Insights, and IT Operations teams to support efficient execution of plans.
• Ensure IT strategies align with divisional and organizational goals.
• Lead and support go-to-market strategies and innovation pilots tied to student-centered solutions.

• Perform and ensure managerial functions, including developing and managing budgets, setting department and individual team goals, providing ongoing performance feedback, and developing/executing employee engagement strategies in a timely and competent fashion.
• Recruit, develop, and retain high-performing IT staff.
• Lead change management initiatives to support organizational transformation.
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Model organizational values and maintain a customer-centric focus across technical teams.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• A passion for improving student outcomes and a commitment to serving marginalized students of need

• Bachelor's degree in information technology, computer science, or a related field
• A minimum of 10 years of experience leading IT operations, software development, or infrastructure teams
• Proven experience managing enterprise architecture, SaaS solutions, and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure)
• Strong knowledge of application lifecycle management tools (e.g., Jira, Microsoft TFS/ADO)
• Expertise in data center and cloud infrastructure, virtualization (e.g., Hyper-V), and security standards
• Experience building strong vendor relationships, ensuring efficient and effective partnerships that support organizational goals
• Familiarity with disaster recovery, data protection, and regulatory compliance frameworks
• Ability to translate strategic goals into executable technology plans
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and change leadership skills
• Ability to travel for business meetings and engagements

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• ITIL certification or IT service management experience
• Experience in the education or nonprofit sector
• Familiarity with business intelligence and dashboard development
• Experience with centralized logging systems, VOIP, SQL Server

Full Pay range: Exempt ($125,700 - $157,100 - $188,500)

This is the pay range for our staff in this position, from entry-level to fully independent and proficient in the role. The candidate selected for this position will be offered a wage commensurate with their background and skill set, as aligned with our business needs.

Reports to: Chief Product and Technology Officer

Department: Product/IT

Application deadline: Wednesday, September 24^th (by 11:00 pm CT)

If you are willing to help raise awareness and visibility of our organization as potential applicants consider this opportunity, please consider reviewing Scholarship America in the "Company" section on both Glassdoor and Indeed recruiting websites.

We are an equal opportunity employer and believe in the power of a diverse workplace to better serve a broad range of student needs. All qualified candidates who meet the minimum requirements are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, parental or marital status.