Associate Director/Director Information Technology (IT)

Candel Therapeutics • Needham, MA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director or Director, Information Technology plays a critical role in enabling Candel’s growth and scientific mission. This is a highly visible role that blends strategic leadership with hands on execution. You will partner closely with teams across the company to ensure business systems are reliable, secure, compliant, and scalable as the organization continues to evolve.

This role is ideal for an IT leader who enjoys building strong relationships, solving complex problems, and owning initiatives from concept through execution. You will help shape how systems are selected, implemented, governed, and continuously improved while supporting the day to day technology needs of a fast paced biotech environment.

Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field.
• At least eight years of progressive IT experience, including a minimum of three years in a leadership or people management role.
• Must have experience working in a clinical stage or commercial biotechnology or pharmaceutical environment.
• Strong project leadership skills with the ability to manage complex, cross functional initiatives.
• Hands on experience with Microsoft environments including O365.
• Working knowledge of cloud based and on premise systems in regulated environments.
• Experience supporting systems subject to FDA 21 CFR Part 11 requirements.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate technical concepts for non technical audiences.
• Strong judgment, problem solving skills, and comfort operating in ambiguous situations.
• A collaborative, service oriented mindset and a desire to help teams succeed.

Nice To Haves

• Experience leading IT lifecycle management and SDLC initiatives.
• Comfort working in lean, fast paced environments where priorities may evolve.
• A leadership style that balances accountability with approachability and support.
• The ability to build trust and credibility across scientific, operational, and corporate teams.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted IT partner to business stakeholders across the organization, developing a deep understanding of workflows, data flows, and system requirements.
• Lead system evaluations, RFI and RFP processes, vendor selection, and system implementations.
• Act as the IT project lead for business systems initiatives, coordinating internal teams, external vendors, timelines, and deliverables.
• Develop, maintain, and improve IT policies, SOPs, and documentation related to system lifecycle management and change control.
• Ensure systems meet data security, risk management, integration, and regulatory requirements, including FDA 21 CFR Part 11.
• Partner with Legal and Finance on vendor contracts, service agreements, and budget planning.
• Troubleshoot and resolve business system issues, responding calmly and effectively during critical situations.
• Support the development of scalable, sustainable IT practices that enable collaboration, efficiency, and compliance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees