The American Public Power Association (APPA) is looking for a Senior Director, Information Technology to lead association s overall IT strategy to implement secure systems that scale for future growth and technology needs. The Senior Director will direct all aspects of association s day-to-day IT operational activities to ensure systems, policies, and procedures support organizational priorities and overall IT strategy. Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Finance & Technology and CFO, the Senior Director will work closely with key stakeholders to identify, recommend, develop, implement, and support cost-effective technology solutions for all aspects of the organization. The Senior Director, Information Technology supervises in-house IT Manager.

Please note: This is not a remote position . Candidates must be in the DC, Maryland, or Virginia area . APPA offers a flexible work schedule for full-time employees, and the option for telework is available after 2 months of employment (with supervisor approval).

General IT Management:

• Collaborate with senior leadership in developing the association s overall IT strategy to align with its business objectives.
• Develop, implement, communicate, and continuously assess the effectiveness of enterprise-level governance, policies, procedures, standards, guidelines, and best practices within the framework of an IT governance structure (e.g., NIST, COBIT).
• Responsible for developing and managing IT operational and capital budgets.
• Communicate clearly and effectively across the organization on IT related matters, such as changes in systems or processes, new tools, applications, and collaboration technologies.
• Responsible for risk management activities such as evaluating risk, incident management, and developing network recovery and backup processes.
• Responsible for enterprise IT asset management, including with assisting senior leadership in developing an association-wide data retention policy.
• Oversee association s technical projects, including business requirements gathering, project planning, implementation.
• Responsible for enterprise identify management to include provisioning and deactivating user accounts, authentication protocols, and system and access authorization.
• Collaborate with senior leadership and stakeholders to evaluate, select, and deploy applications.
• Provide guidance for all IT operational and project-related activities as needed to fulfill departmental and organizational objectives.
• Consult with stakeholders on project management for internal technology projects, including requirements analysis, level of effort, and budget estimates.
• Approve the selection, purchase, and installation of hardware, software, and related services, and negotiates purchase agreements.
• Manage vendor relationships and oversee administration of vendor and consultant contracts and service agreements.
• Provide high-touch customer service to employees at all levels and external vendors and consultants.
• Manage outsourced helpdesk and managed service provider (MSP).
• Maintain awareness of changing technology trends and regulations that might affect the organization and recommends action as required.
• Participate in external IT and security-related forums, discussions, and summits with association members, government entities, and industry partners.
• Assists staff with critical technology matters outside of normal business hours, as needed.
• Carries out other duties as assigned in support of APPA and its mission.

Data and Information Security:

• Ensures the integrity, availability, and security of hardware, software, and data through establishing and enforcing association policies and procedures.
• Works with the Database and Data Analysis teams to ensure the integrity and security of a Salesforce-based association management system (AMS), other data systems, and cross-system integration.
• Defines data governance policies and standards to ensure the integrity, security, and accessibility of association data assets.
• Ensures the reliability, security, and scalability of IT systems to support data warehouse operations and business applications.
• Develops, maintains, and tests disaster recovery and business continuity plans as they relate to IT resources.
• Conduct cybersecurity awareness and training for staff.

Requirements

• Bachelor s degree in information technology, computer science, or similar field.
• Fifteen or more years of IT leadership experience with increasing responsibility.
• Five or more years of network and/or telecom experience with a variety of technologies such as in a Windows Server environment.
• Experience with IT Frameworks such as ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library), COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies), ISO/IEC 27000, CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration) for IT, etc.
• Excellent leadership, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
• Experience working with senior level executives.
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity issues and experience with developing and implementing an information security program.
• Strong customer service acumen, including the ability to effectively communicate, work with, and resolve IT issues for all levels of staff.
• Strong project management skills and ability to work cooperatively with staff and vendors.
• Ability to undertake complex management tasks within the functional area with minimal supervision.
• Experience supporting a variety of enterprise software applications (AMS, CRM, ERP, etc.). Experience with Salesforce platforms a plus.
• Experience with data warehouse platforms, such as Snowflake or Redshift. Knowledge of data governance frameworks, data security best practices, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Experience with the MS Azure cloud computing platform.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 suite.
• Experience with deploying and troubleshooting Apple computers in a Windows network.
• Knowledge of artificial intelligence and machine learning a plus.
• Experience deploying remote access systems in cloud based, remote desktop and VPN settings.
• Experience deploying and managing mobile devices on an enterprise level.
• Certification such as PMI Project Management Professional (PMP); Certified Information Security Manager (CISM); Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC); Global Information Assurance Certifications (GIACs) is preferred.
• IT technical certification such as Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert; Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals; Microsoft Certified: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals; Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA); Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP); CompTIA A , etc. is preferred.
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer required.
• Must be able to lift up to 10 lbs.
• Must be able to travel out of town up to10% of the year to support APPA s conferences and events.