Full-Time Information Technology Director
Job Description
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation (Foundation) is a family foundation that is guided by the enduring business philosophy and personal values of Lucile and David Packard, who helped found one of the world’s leading technology companies. Their approach to business and community participation has guided our philanthropy for more than 50 years. Today, their children and grandchildren continue to help guide the work of the Foundation. Located in downtown Los Altos, CA, the Foundation makes grants at the local, state, national, and international level.
The Foundation works on the issues their founders cared about most, which are improving the lives of children; enabling the creative pursuit of science; advancing reproductive health; conserving and restoring the earth’s natural systems; and supporting and strengthening an array of local nonprofit organizations
A staff of 120 conducts the day-to-day operations and a Board of Trustees oversees the work of the Foundation. For 2016, the Foundation expects to make grantmaking awards of over $300 million. David and Lucile Packard passed on to the Foundation the following core set of values: integrity; respect for all people; belief in individual leadership; commitment to effectiveness; and the capacity to think big.
Information Technology Director
We are actively seeking an experienced IT Director to serve in a key management position. The successful contributor will excel at being deeply engaged with key IT users across the Foundation to identify IT needs, set priorities, and craft successful solutions. We seek someone who will establish and communicate a vision and direction for IT that will evolve and grow as the Foundation and supporting technologies change to ensure that strategic information technology enhances and supports the work of the Foundation. While doing this, the IT director will exercise day-to-day, hands-on leadership for IT staff in delivering quality, reliable, timely, and cost effective solutions. Done well, we see this role as having the greatest opportunity among the administrative leadership roles to accelerate the accomplishment of the mission of the Foundation by enabling efficient and effective technology tools.
The director will be a key thought partner and represent the voice of technology throughout the organization. This position is charged with ensuring that the Foundation has a robust information technology infrastructure and that information systems are well integrated. This is a unique role in that it is expected to operate at both a high level (e.g., collaborating with technology officers at some of the largest foundations, acting as a technology thought-partner across the organization, setting organization-wide technology strategy) as well as at a hands-on level (e.g., crafting specific, practical IT solutions; guiding project work; engaging directly with vendors) given that the IT department is a relatively small but skilled eight-person team. It is expected that the IT Director will possess a broad and deep command of current technologies, and people management and development skills that will contribute to the Foundation’s computing, data, telecommunications, and security environment.
Reporting to the VP and CFO, the IT Director is a key management role that ensures strategic information technology enhances and supports the work of the Foundation. The director respects diversity and manages by building consensus and then executing decisively with a continuity of purpose. This role will ensure that IT strategies and investments align with the Foundation’s values, operating principles, and goals.
Responsibilities
• Manages, mentors, and develops IT staff, encourages career development, and empowers an IT workforce with the skills and flexibility to meet new challenges and the changing environment while ensuring the IT function is cross trained and backed up
• Contributes to the completion of IT work with knowledge and skills to be a hands-on contributor and knowledge partner to the IT team and colleagues
• Establishes and oversees implementation of Foundation-wide technology standards and disaster recovery; ensures compliance and cross-functional compatibility, as needed
• Established, prioritizes, and communicates the IT project calendar, tracks progress to ensure timely completion of commitments and projects within budget and with minimal user disruption
• Approves technology purchase requests; consults with users to determine best solutions in terms of user needs, compatibility, and cost/value standards while ensuring cost-effective management of resources by overseeing IT’s operating budget and managing the technology acquisition budget
• Assesses vendor relationships to ensure quality products and services are available to the Foundation at a reasonable, optimized cost. Establishes strategic service provider partnerships
• Works collaboratively across the Foundation and communicates on a regular basis with Foundation managers and staff to ensure activities are coordinated and to provide a unified Finance and Administration presence and excellent service delivery to the Foundation
• Develops and follows current IT System methodologies and standards
• Defines metrics based on overall business objectives, and tracks and completes major system and strategy initiatives against these metrics, and communicates progress to management
• Aligns IT risk management with Foundation-wide risk management
• Effectively represents the Foundation in outside forums and is recognized as a thought leader by other IT leaders in the community of foundations
• Provides the Foundation’s executive team with new ideas with respect to business as well as technological opportunities; stays current with technology that will best support the work of the Foundation; contributes as an effective member of the Management Team
• Other projects as assigned
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Demonstrated success in managing and developing an IT department and developing and executing a strategic plan
• Proven managerial skill in budgeting, staffing, coaching, and performance and project management
• Excellent interpersonal skills, approachable, including an ability to listen to others and learn from their best ideas, share best practices and experiences, and contribute to an environment of process improvement and learning
• Impeccable integrity and trustworthiness, and a diplomatic approach to problem-solving
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including proven presentation and negotiation skills
• Consistently interacts with others in a professional, courteous, and tactful manner; maintains a positive attitude and develops effective working relationships in a team setting
• Administratively self-sufficient and skilled in the Word Suite and Outlook
• Interest in the work and programs of the Foundation
Education and Work Experience
BA or BS in IT, Systems, or equivalent education and experience in a related field along with ten years of progressing experience in IT leadership positions
Compensation and Benefits
The Foundation offers excellent benefits and a salary that is commensurate with relevant work experience. The position is full-time, exempt, and located in downtown Los Altos.
Typical Physical Demands
Candidate must have the ability to communicate effectively by telephone, read and understand written communication, and generate written communication manually and using a computer. Candidate must also have the ability to sit at a desk for 2-3 hours at a time, lift and move documents and supplies not to exceed 25 lbs., and bend to file and retrieve documents.