Arena Careers

We strongly encourage people of color, transgender and non-binary people to apply. HRC is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes everyone, including non-LGBTQ+ people, to join our team. Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that people from marginalized communities are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At HRC, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Position Summary:

The Director of Information Technology provides hands-on leadership and full accountability for the organization’s information technology environment, ensuring secure, reliable, and customer-focused IT services that support the mission and strategic objectives. Reporting to the VP of IT & Data Strategy, this role serves as a key partner to the Director of Data Strategy & Analytics and departmental leaders, working across teams to align infrastructure, applications, and data platforms, and to jointly plan and execute technology initiatives that support organizational strategy and impact.

The Director leads IT service delivery, infrastructure, and IT-managed enterprise systems, with direct ownership of the Managed Service Provider and key technology partners, while establishing strong operational standards, governance, and risk management practices. Cybersecurity strategy is provided in partnership with a fractional vCISO, with the Director responsible for operational execution and integrating security practices into IT operations and vendor-managed services.

Position Responsibilities:

Essential job functions and key responsibilities include:

Leadership & Strategy

• Provide hands-on leadership and overall direction for the IT function, establishing priorities, standards, and practices that support both near-term operational needs and long-term organizational goals.
• Collaborate with cross-department leaders to lead the planning and execution of IT initiatives and projects, ensuring alignment with organizational strategy and measurable outcomes.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and customer-focused service across the IT organization.

Supervisory & People Management

• Lead and develop the internal IT team (currently including infrastructure management and IT support roles), providing coaching, performance management, and professional development.
• Establish and reinforce a strong culture of customer-focused IT service, setting clear expectations for professionalism, empathy, responsiveness, and accountability in all staff and MSP interactions.
• Manage the organization's Managed Service Provider and external partners, ensuring effective coverage, clear accountability, and strong service delivery.
• Support hiring, onboarding, and organizational design decisions as the IT function evolves.

Day-to-Day IT Operations

• Oversee IT operations, service delivery, infrastructure, and IT-managed enterprise systems, ensuring effective application governance, reliability, security, and operational services.
• Establish and mature IT service management practices, including incident, problem, and change management, as well as asset management.
• Maintain a strong working knowledge of the organization’s technology environment and participate in technical decision-making as needed.
• Oversee audiovisual (AV) systems and presentation technologies supporting organizational meetings and events, including conferencing, casting, and hybrid event capabilities, coordinating internal staff, vendors, and venue partners to ensure reliable execution.

Cybersecurity & Risk (in Partnership with vCISO)

• Partner with a fractional vCISO and service providers to implement and sustain cybersecurity controls, risk management practices, and incident response capabilities.
• Ensure security practices are effectively integrated into day-to-day IT operations, infrastructure, and vendor-managed services.
• Support compliance, audits, and ongoing improvement of the organization’s security posture.
• Review and assess vendor cybersecurity and data privacy questionnaires and related documentation for new and renewing software, SaaS platforms, and technical services, ensuring risks are identified, addressed, and aligned with organizational standards.

Stakeholder Communication & Change Management

• Plan and communicate technology changes that impact staff, ensuring clear expectations, appropriate training, and timely updates.
• Present IT initiatives, changes, and guidance to staff and leadership through written communications, briefings, and all-staff presentations as needed.
• Collaborate with cross-functional leaders to translate technical capabilities into practical, user-centered solutions.

Financial, Governance & Operational Accountability

• Manage the IT operating budget, vendor contracts, and technology investments to ensure responsible resource use.
• Establish and enforce IT policies, standards, and governance frameworks.
• Establish, monitor, and report on IT operational metrics and KPIs to assess service performance, operational health, and risk, and to inform leadership decision-making and continuous improvement.

Perform other related duties as required to support organizational operations, major initiatives, and events.

Position Qualifications:

• At least 10 years of overall IT experience, including at least 5 years of progressive IT leadership with accountability for enterprise IT operations, infrastructure, and service delivery.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing IT teams and service desk functions, including setting expectations, coaching staff, and improving service quality.
• Proven experience managing Managed Service Providers and technology vendors, including performance oversight, service levels, and security expectations.
• Strong background in IT operations and service management, including incident, problem, and change management, with a focus on stability, predictability, and continuous improvement.
• Experience partnering with cybersecurity leadership (e.g., CISO or vCISO) to implement security controls, risk management practices, incident response processes, and compliance requirements.
• Experience reviewing vendor cybersecurity and data privacy questionnaires for new and renewing software, SaaS platforms, and technical services, and coordinating remediation or risk mitigation as needed.
• Experience supporting and administering productivity and collaboration environment (e.g., Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace), including identity/access, endpoint management, and core collaboration services.
• Hands-on experience with modern enterprise technologies, including AWS and/or Microsoft Azure, cloud platforms, SaaS applications, endpoint management, and hybrid infrastructure environments.
• Demonstrated ability to lead IT initiatives and projects from planning through execution, managing priorities, risks, and resources to deliver measurable outcomes.
• Experience developing and managing IT budgets, vendor contracts, and technology investments with a focus on value, efficiency, and accountability.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences, plan and communicate changes that impact staff, and present to leadership and all-staff audiences.
• Experience supporting audiovisual (AV), conferencing, and presentation technologies for meetings and events, including coordination with vendors and external venues.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with recognized cybersecurity and risk frameworks such as NIST, ISO 27001, or SOC 2.
• Experience supporting enterprise collaboration and work-management platforms (e.g., Teams/Zoom, Slack, Monday.com or similar), including governance, user enablement, and vendor management.
• Experience working in nonprofit, advocacy, or mission-driven organizations.
• Knowledge of or interest in LGBTQ issues, and a demonstrated commitment to supporting a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace.

Work Environment & Availability

This role is primarily based during standard business hours but requires flexibility to support organizational events, critical system needs, and operational priorities that may occur during evenings, weekends, or holidays. The Director of IT is ultimately accountable for IT service availability and incident response, ensuring appropriate coverage through internal staffing, managed service partners, and on-call arrangements.

All positions at the Human Rights Campaign and/or the Human Rights Campaign Foundation may require regular or periodic travel. Where the need arises for business travel, appropriate compensation as outlined by the Fair Labor Standards Act will apply.

Employer is the Human Rights Campaign, Inc., an I.R.C. 501(c)(4) non-profit entity.

No phone calls or emails, please. Due to the volume of applications we receive, we are unable to respond to queries about application status.