Director of Technology

Delta Dental of Michigan•Raleigh, NC

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Technology leads Delta Dental of North Carolina’s information technology function and serves as its senior technical voice in strategic planning, partner governance, and emerging technology decisions. The role is responsible for managing the relationship with the managed services partner while building selected internal capabilities over time. Reporting to the Vice President, Operations, the Director participates in management meetings, strategic planning, and Board engagements. The position leads the organization’s first internally owned technology initiatives, including a cloud-based data modernization effort and the use of automation and AI to improve business operations. The Director also manages the Strategic Data Analyst and provides leadership capacity to bring additional technical functions in-house when appropriate. The role oversees partner and vendor relationships, technology strategy, data platform development, automation and AI enablement, and security, risk, and compliance. It manages and develops the Strategic Data Analyst and shapes the organization’s technical talent strategy as business needs evolve.

Requirements

At least 8 years of progressive IT experience, including leadership responsibility for systems and technical staff.
Demonstrated experience managing vendor relationships and outsourced technical services.
Experience working in a highly regulated industry, such as healthcare, finance, or insurance.
Strong understanding of data security, governance, and compliance requirements.
Working knowledge of infrastructure fundamentals, including networking, endpoint management, and system administration.
Familiarity with AI technologies and their application in business environments.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with executive leadership and translate technical considerations into business terms.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
Experience working at or alongside a managed services provider, with exposure to functions such as help desk, patching and backups, client management, and strategic planning.
Track record of building or leading technical teams with multiple direct reports.
Experience implementing or managing cloud-based data platforms, such as Snowflake or similar.
Experience with automation platforms such as Microsoft Power Automate or equivalent.

Responsibilities

Own the managed IT services relationship, including partner performance, value, and alignment with organizational needs.
Lead recurring meetings with the managed services partner, review service delivery against contracted expectations, address escalations, and advance shared initiatives.
Review and refine technology-related contracts to support clarity, accountability, and evolving requirements.
Manage vendors supporting facility technologies, including audio/visual systems, access control, and surveillance systems.
Oversee partner-delivered systems and infrastructure, including network, endpoint, identity, help desk, and security operations, coordinating teams to resolve issues and advance priorities.
Represent the organization’s senior technical perspective in management meetings, strategic planning, and Board engagements, translating technology considerations into business terms.
Provide executive-level guidance on technology investments, architecture, and operations, including evaluating emerging capabilities such as AI and automation for applicability, security, and return on investment.
Contribute to the technology roadmap and long-term planning, identifying where internal capability, partner delivery, or a combination best serves the business.
Represent the organization in affiliation-level technical and security governance forums and ensure local interests are reflected in policy and strategy decisions.
Build relationships with technical leaders in the business community to support business development and identify partnership opportunities.
Implement and manage a cloud-based data platform, such as Snowflake, to support improved reporting and analytics.
Oversee data pipelines, transformation processes, access controls, and governance practices to support data integrity, security, availability, and system performance.
Identify and prioritize opportunities for automation and AI based on business value and feasibility.
Develop, govern, and manage automation and AI solutions using platforms such as Microsoft Power Automate and Copilot.
Maintain working knowledge of emerging AI capabilities, including agent-based solutions, and evaluate their potential business value.
Ensure technology systems and partner-delivered services adhere to applicable regulations and standards, including HIPAA and PHI protection.
Partner with the CISO, Compliance Officer, and Legal Counsel on audits, risk assessments, and remediation activities.
Contribute to business continuity planning, vendor risk management, and evaluation of new tools and vendors.
Manage and develop the Strategic Data Analyst through structure, mentorship, and clear expectations.
Shape the organization’s technical talent strategy, including the size, scope, and composition of the internal team as business needs warrant.
Perform other duties as assigned.