Director of Technology

The Director of Technology is responsible for overseeing all information technology (IT) operations at the Zoo and developing short and long-term strategies for technology that grow and benefit the overall organization. The ideal candidate will hold strong progressive experience with hands on IT support and possess highly proven technical skills within a rapidly changing environment.   The Technology department’s role is to transform and support the Houston Zoo’s technical infrastructure and systems.  We apply the technology solutions needed to enable the Zoo to achieve its mission.  The department is a close-knit team that supports not only Zoo stakeholders, but also each other.  We take great pride in our work, and we strive to provide the best possible experience with services to anyone we help.  We would like to also highlight that our department has a 99% satisfaction rating with IT support, and has maintained this consistently over the last several years.   Our Mission:  Houston Zoo connects communities with animals, inspiring action to save wildlife.Our Vision:  Houston Zoo will be a leader in the global movement to save wildlife.   Responsibilities Provides leadership and vision for the strategic development and management of computing information systems, network communications, telecommunications, media services, instructional applications, information security systems, and technology infrastructure that will support our organizations ongoing needs. Leads the development of service strategy and technical roadmap ensuring its integration with the overall strategic plans; communicating the plan effectively within all levels of the organization. Oversees the implementation and design of critical systems including routing, switching, firewall security, servers, domain, virtualization platform and messaging. Researches business challenges and develops IT solutions to achieve efficiencies Dispenses advice, guidance, direction, and authorization to carry out major plans and procedures, consistent with established policies and Board approval. Fosters a service-oriented culture and mindset driven by continual service improvement techniques. Builds a team of IT staff whose combined skill set meets the current and future needs of the organization; securing external resources and /or recruiting staff with the skills required to fill any technical gaps. Works with key business units to discern competitiveness of new technologies. Reviews operating results of the organization and compares them to established objectives and takes steps to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to correct unsatisfactory results. Creates technical budgets, allocates resources, and determines schedule of product releases or project deadlines. Establishes a culture of collaboration, consistency, communication, comradery, and celebration with all departments. Analyzes new technologies and runs competitive analyses. Purchases and integrates software systems, components and services from third-party vendors, consultants, and contractors. Balances multiple priorities and provides direction for the effective utilization of IT resources to accomplish them.   Knowledge and Experience Bachelor’s degree in a technology or business-related discipline Five (5) years’ of demonstrated managerial experience within a complex and fast paced IT department Fifteen (15) years of Information Technology experience with increasing responsibilities Experience managing campus-style distributed networking, hybrid cloud, API integrations, and complex business systems (e.g. ERP, CRM) Demonstrated leadership of multidiscipline, high performance work teams/groups and an established track record of managing technical staff through the project development life-cycle phases. Experience with service desk management for Windows 10, Office 365, Active Directory, networked audio-visual systems, BYOD, PC hardware, VoIP phones, and printers Experience working in large cross-functional teams influencing senior-level management and key stakeholders effectively across the organization; capable of communicating complex technical topics to non-technical audiences to achieve desired outcomes. *To be considered for this position candidates must provide a cover letter with their application*   About the Houston Zoo The Houston Zoo is made up of many moving parts with over 6,000 permanent residents (our animals) for whom we provide housing, meals, medical care and, yes, even education! There are over 2 million guests each year who come to experience our incredible variety of animals and ecosystems, as well as attend special private and public events and entertainment. Our dedicated staff works around the clock to ensure that the Zoo is always running smoothly for the safety and well-being of our residents and guests. We strive to ensure the protection of all the counterparts of the animals we have at the Zoo and in the wild.   Join the Houston Zoo and become a part of an organization that is focused on the preservation of wildlife and their habitats by combining conservation with education and promotion of sustainable livelihoods in the local communities.  Houston Zoo is an Equal Opportunity Employer.