AVP, IT

AmTrust Financial Services, Inc.•Chicago, IL

About The Position

The AVP, Information Technology will provide strategic leadership and oversight across End User Services, Asset Management, IT Service Management (ITSM), and related infrastructure functions. This role owns the execution and performance of the project and service portfolio supporting enterprise technology operations. The AVP will collaborate closely with the SVP of IT, Infrastructure leadership, Enterprise Architects, IT Security, and PMO leaders to shape, prioritize, and deliver initiatives aligned to the technology roadmap. Success requires the ability to flex communication and leadership style when partnering with highly technical engineering teams, non-technical project managers, and executive stakeholders. This leader will define and refine epics, features, and user story requirements to ensure solutions meet business needs and adhere to secure, scalable, and resilient architectural principles. In partnership with the PMO, the AVP will guide project initiation, charters, planning, and execution, serving as an escalation point for portfolio and project risks. In addition to strategic portfolio oversight, this role ensures excellence in day-to-day service delivery, leading teams responsible for incident, problem, request fulfillment, and asset management processes. The AVP will monitor operational health, drive continual improvement initiatives, and evolve ITSM practices, tooling, and performance measures.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in IT, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field; or equivalent experience
5+ years of leadership experience managing managers and technical teams
10+ years overseeing complex IT project portfolios or programs in highly technical enterprise environments
Strong knowledge of Project Management (PMP a plus), Business Process Improvement (Lean Six Sigma a plus), ITIL practices (incident, problem, change, request, ITAM), Azure cloud fundamentals, and O365
Experience with modern endpoint deployment and management platforms (e.g., Autopilot, Intune, conditional access, MFA)
Familiarity with zero-trust security principles and enterprise governance Enterprise IT leadership
Strategic and operational planning
Deep understanding of architecture, engineering practices, and infrastructure technologies
Executive-level communication and presentation capabilities
Vendor and contract negotiation
Organizational planning and budget management
Strong decision-making and problem-solving abilities

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred
PMP a plus
Lean Six Sigma a plus

Responsibilities

Partner with the Portfolio Analyst to understand demand intake and capacity impacts across End User Services and ITSM.
Engage regularly with the PMO to provide direction on active initiatives, resolve escalations, and ensure alignment with enterprise priorities.
Participate in roadmap planning, backlog development, and grooming sessions to ensure strategic clarity and technical cohesion.
Collaborate with IT Sourcing and vendor partners to support contract renewals, product roadmaps, and implementation planning.
Work with Infrastructure Architects, Directors, and Senior Engineers to ensure solutions meet enterprise standards for scalability, resilience, and security.
Contribute to the development of IT strategy and the long-term technology roadmap.
Oversee incident, problem, request, and asset management performance, ensuring SLA adherence and timely resolution of escalated items.
Drive continuous improvement across ITSM and operational processes, including tooling enhancements and workflow optimization.
Serve as a senior escalation point for outages, critical incidents, and complex project risks.
Own budgeting for assigned teams, forecasting operational and project needs, and ensuring financial stewardship.
Lead and mentor managers and technical teams, cultivating a high-performance culture grounded in accountability, transparency, and service excellence.
Oversee performance management, talent development, workforce planning, and hiring decisions.
Champion cross-team collaboration and alignment across Infrastructure, Security, PMO, and Architecture groups.