Director, Customer Technology Solutions

Position: Regular, Full Time, Exempt

Department: Technology, Information and Platforms Services (TIPS)

Reports to: Chief Technology, Information & Platforms Officer (CTIO)

Supervises: Business Systems Analysts and Product Development Resources

Date Revised: November 2024

Summary: The Director of Customer Technology Solutions works collaboratively with the CTIO to enhance and implement the Cleveland Foundation’s ONE Foundation strategic technology direction.

In this newly defined position, you'll jointly oversee the charge in scaling the company’s technology, new product development efforts, and streamlining customer experience integration across all departments. Your strategic thinking and technical expertise will be key in transforming the Foundation’s direction towards innovative digital products and services to meet new market demands and deliver exceptional results. You will direct technical solutions, customer engagement, and business processes for existing and future technology initiatives at The Cleveland Foundation and lead multi-disciplinary teams to deliver customer facing digital products and services, strengthening and inspiring philanthropy.

Director of Customer Technology Solutions is responsible for:

1. Shaping and implementing a vision for digital products, platforms, and services development: To maintain a competitive technological edge.
   • Partner with CTIO to shape and implement a vision for digital products, platforms and services development
   • Drive the ONE Foundation roadmap to maintain a competitive technological edge
   • Lead product development related activities to deliver exceptional customer experience
2. Leading multi-year application digital modernization and transformation efforts: To ensure stability, scalability, and added customer/business value.
   • Develop, socialize and lead multi-year application digital modernization and transformation efforts
   • Ensure stability and scalability while adding customer and business value
   • Drive the development of a multi-year functional and technical digital products and services roadmap
3. Integrating leading-edge technologies, optimize workflows, and bring innovative ideas: To enhance product quality, speed, and business value.
   • Interface with management, users, and other professionals to optimize workflows
   • Support scalability in software development, hardware integration, and client support
   • Lead the way in technical excellence, integrating leading-edge technologies
   • Bring new ideas, methods, and approaches to business partner ideation and technology innovation
4. Collaborating closely with stakeholders, bridge cross-departmental teams, and provide strategic insights: To drive business alignment and technology-enabled business value.
   • Bridge teams across departments for seamless customer experience, operations and integration
   • Develop an understanding of the business and collaborate closely with stakeholders
   • Identify and influence opportunities to drive business value through technology
   • Provide insights on product strategy, industry trends, etc. to leadership

Additional Responsibilities and Expected Outcomes:

• Partner with IT Director - Infrastructure and Ops on business continuity & disaster recovery activities.
• Establish, implement, and drive adoption of IT policies, standards, and procedures where applicable.
• Manage relationships with various technology vendors and contract agreements to ensure that the products and services provided the foundation are both technically and economically efficient.
• Provide consistent developmental support and guidance to direct reports to ensure that they have the tools, information and coaching necessary to carry out their work at the highest level.
• Create an inclusive, equitable, rewarding environment that focuses on regular and clear communication around individual expectations, team and organizational developments and objectives; mentoring, developing and challenging employees; and resolving employee issues.
• Continually evaluate the relevance and effectiveness of foundation technology as well as the end user experience to ensure the foundation has the right tools and support in place. Make recommendations to the CTIO for improvements and/or new technologies.

Essential Qualifications, Credentials and Technical Skills required:

• Bachelor’s degree required in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field; master’s degree in business administration or a Technology major would be a plus.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in IT systems management, and business process improvement
• Multiple years of product development, ecommerce solutions experience for customers, with a substantial portion in a leadership or managerial role.
• 3+ years’ experience managing eCommerce, website development and/or digital customer experience innovation.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, goal setting, and policy implementation within a software development environment.
• Strong technical acumen with the ability to understand complex technical concepts and translate them into actionable plans.
• Strong external customer focus with passion for enabling customer experiences and satisfaction.
• Successful experience in developing, scaling and supporting technology customer experience products and services.
• Strategic thinker, motivational leader, adaptable and resilient problem-solver who excels in navigating complex challenges.
• Comfortable working across cross-functional teams and capable of driving technology alignment with a business strategy.
• Experience in managing a significant IT department budget
• Proven ability to successfully lead, develop and manage employees to successfully achieve collective goals and objectives.
• Direct management experience of projects with small / medium size staff and significant budgets
• Ability to present and effectively communicate information to executive-level staff
• Strong interpersonal, customer relationship/partnership and influential skills to facilitate the implementation of efficient business processes supported by technology across all departments

Our Commitment to Equal Opportunity & Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The Cleveland Foundation exists to enhance the quality of life for all citizens of Greater Cleveland. The ability to carry out our mission and to foster our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion can best be pursued if our workforce, grantees, donors, partners, and governing bodies are inclusive of individuals of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and perspectives.

We believe that diversity encompasses, but is not limited to, age, color, education, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental abilities or characteristics, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, veteran status, and/or other characteristics that make an individual unique.

The Cleveland Foundation is committed to equal employment opportunities for all, and our policy is to ensure that employees are selected, developed, retained, and promoted based on the individual’s ability and job performance, and without regard to that individual’s status or characteristics protected by federal, state or local law.

PAY AND BENEFITS

The foundation’s compensation program estimates a minimum annual salary of $155,000 for this position, with flexibility to adjust based on the candidate's educational background, professional experience, community involvement, and overall qualifications.