Director of Technology and Business Solutions

Room to Read seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education. Working in collaboration with local communities, partner organizations and governments, we develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children, and support girls to complete secondary school with the relevant life skills to succeed in school and beyond.

We are non-governmental, non-religious and work with many local NGOs and community based organizations to implement our programs. We currently work in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Vietnam, and Zambia – countries with a desperate lack of resources to educate their children. Since our inception, Room to Read’s worldwide team has impacted over 7.8 million children by constructing more than 1,700 schools, establishing over 16,000 libraries, publishing 882 new children’s book titles in 27 local languages, and reaching over 25,000 girls through our Girls’ Education program.

Room to Read has an annual budget of approximately US$43.7 million and our global staff numbers over 600. Our global headquarters is located in San Francisco, and we have smaller fundraising offices in Delhi, New York, Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, Sydney, and Tokyo. We have an Asia Regional Office located in New Delhi and program offices in Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Dhaka, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Kathmandu, Lusaka, New Delhi, Pretoria, Phnom Penh, and Vientiane.

Position Overview:

Reporting to the of Chief of International Operations, the Director of Technology and Business Solutions will be responsible for providing innovative vision, strategy, and leadership in all areas of technology use, planning, development, and support.  This individual will collaborate directly with the executive management team and decision makers across all departments to identify, recommend, develop, implement, and support cost-effective technology solutions for all aspects of the organization.  The Director needs to be both visionary and pragmatic, focusing on the return on investment of technology systems and their business impact. 

The Director provides formal supervision and coaching for the IT staff and sets the vision and direction to drive continuous improvements of technology policies, standards and procedures.  The Director is expected to demonstrate leadership expertise to establish strategic direction as well as technical expertise in new technology evaluations.  The Director is expected to have expertise in business process analysis.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning

• Provide overall strategic and operational leadership of information management and technology for Room to Read globally, including planning, development, evaluation, and coordination of all related initiatives.
• Facilitate Management Team technology discussions, prioritization and governance to ensure efficient and effective decision-making.
• Oversee the creation of a detailed technology roadmap identifying investment costs and a 3-year implementation plan.
• Lead business process mapping to identify the business drivers for the selection of technology solutions.
• Coordinate with departments and teams to develop business cases for new projects that can be prioritized by the Management team.
• Define and adjust technology standards and technologies in close collaboration with RtR’s leadership and management.

Innovation

• Lead innovations, integration and standardization in the structure and processes relating to technology.
• In alignment with RtR’s business model, improve the quality and timeliness of information and data flows.
• Ensure that innovations in the use of information systems and technologies meet the core needs of the organization.

Policy and Procedures

• Lead the development and maintenance of global information and technology policies, procedures, and standards.
• Oversee the development and implementation of local IT policies and standards.
• Regularly benchmark against for-profit and non-profit international standards.

Financial and Budgetary Responsibilities

• Responsible for developing and administering the global technology budget ensuring rational distribution of resources across all offices and geographies.

Operational Management

• Oversee the entire spectrum of information technology operations in the organization at a worldwide level.
• Lead the identification, selection, procurement, and implementation of new software and hardware.
• Oversee the selection and management of IT service providers optimizing the mix of in-house and outsourced services.
• Develop and implement a technology risk management plan.
• Implement and maintain an IT security strategy that keeps pace with technology changes and ensures the organization’s information and systems are secure.
• Oversee the implementation and maintenance of a disaster recovery plan appropriate for RtR.

Team Management and Training

• Provide direct oversight of the Global Office IT staff.
• Manage the network of technical support to remote offices through local direct hire staff, consultants and contractors ensuring the highest standards of service based on the available resources.
• Share knowledge and develop staff capacities to strengthen understanding of best practices in technology and stay current with industry trends.
• Build organizational technology talent by creating a learning environment that ensures all employees have the training and skills needed to utilize available technology to meet their business needs.

Qualifications:

Functional Competencies - Skills, Knowledge, & Experience:

• At least ten years of professional experience in information technology management, including at least five in a senior leadership role     
• Industry experience in or working on technology programs in developing countries preferred
• Experience developing a strategic IT vision, incorporating strong understanding of emerging technologies, and a good sense of the value delivered by competing choices
• Experience in emerging technologies including cloud-based and mobility systems that could be implemented within the organization
• Experience leading projects from Request for Proposal through implementation and support
• Experience preparing and reviewing budgets for business plans, ensuring that maximum value is provided to the organization
• Proven ability to operate within approved budgets and staffing/outsourcing levels
• Experience preparing financial reports pertaining to IT expenses for management review

Leadership & Management / Behavioral Competencies:

• Excellent communication/interpersonal skills, both verbal and written
• Impeccable organizational skills
• Ability to create and execute a vision, motivating others to adopt strategies in collectively moving the organization forward
• Superior business understanding, with the ability to leverage technology to solve business and technical issues
• Strong presentation skills, with the ability to prepare briefings and present technical information to technical and non-technical audiences     
• Outstanding analytic and problem-solving skills
• Ability to successfully manage multiple, concurrent projects, with a track record of completing projects successfully on time and on budget
• Ability to ensure the effective achievement of his or her team's objectives by managing staff and outsourced service/product providers
• Proven ability to affect change and meet business goals, monitor progress, and take corrective action, when necessary
• Outstanding cross-functional collaboration skills, in particular with other areas of the organization, including Marketing, Development, and Chapters, among others
• Entrepreneurial, proactive spirit in thought and action

To be successful as a member of the Room to Read team, you will also:

• Have passion for our mission and a strong desire to impact a dynamic nonprofit organization
• Be an innovative and creative thinker that tries new things and inspires others to do so
• Have a very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness
• Have a strong work ethic and require minimal direction
• Work well independently as well as part of a team
• Thrive in a fast-paced and fun environment

Compensation:

Room to Read offers a competitive salary with excellent benefits. Benefits include health, dental, vision, long-term disability insurance, commuter benefits, and a 401K match. The non-monetary compensation includes a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative, meaningful, fun, and rapidly growing organization that is changing the world through the lifelong gift of education.

Application Procedure:

Please send a cover letter and resume by email, with “Director of Technology and Business Solutions” in the subject line, (no letters, calls, faxes, or drop-ins) to hiring@roomtoread.org.  Due to high applicant volume you may not receive a response from Room to Read.  Applications are accepted until the position is filled.