Director of Technology

Delta Dental of North Carolina•Raleigh, NC

22h•Hybrid

About The Position

Delta Dental of North Carolina seeks a Director of Technology to lead its information technology function and serve as the organization’s senior technical voice in strategic planning, partner governance, and emerging technology decisions. The role is responsible for managing the managed services relationship while building select internal technical capabilities over time. The Director reports to the Vice President, Operations, participates in management meetings, strategic planning, and Board engagements, and 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 helps determine when additional technical functions should be brought in-house. The Director owns the managed IT services relationship, oversees vendor and facility technology relationships, and advises leadership on technology investments, architecture, operations, and the technology roadmap. The role implements and governs a cloud-based data platform, develops automation and AI solutions, and works with organizational leaders to ensure technology systems and services meet security, regulatory, and business continuity needs. It also provides mentorship to the Strategic Data Analyst and shapes the organization’s future technical talent strategy.

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 Microsoft Power Automate or equivalent automation platforms.
Confident and credible presence with leadership, partners, and the Board.
Sound judgment in balancing internal capability development with continued partner delivery.
Comfort operating as both a strategist and direct contributor as conditions require.
Pragmatic, business-first approach to emerging technologies.

Responsibilities

Own the managed IT services relationship and be accountable for partner performance, value, and alignment with organizational needs.
Lead recurring meetings with the managed services partner, assess delivery against contracted expectations, resolve escalations, and advance shared initiatives.
Review and refine technology-related contracts to support clarity, accountability, and evolving requirements.
Manage vendor relationships for 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 issue resolution and priorities.
Represent the organization as its senior technical voice in management meetings, strategic planning, and Board engagements, translating technology considerations into business terms.
Advise on technology investments, architecture, and operations, including evaluating emerging AI and automation capabilities for applicability, security, and return on investment.
Contribute to long-term strategic planning and the technology roadmap, identifying an appropriate balance of internal capability and partner delivery.
Represent the organization in affiliation-level technical and security governance forums and ensure local interests are considered 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 to support improved reporting and analytics.
Oversee data pipelines, transformation processes, and access controls to ensure data integrity, security, and availability, partnering with the Data Analyst responsible for reporting.
Establish and maintain governance practices for permissions, data usage, and system performance, including computer activity sizing, scheduling, and monitoring.
Identify, prioritize, develop, govern, and manage automation and AI solutions that reduce manual work, improve accuracy, or enable new capabilities.
Maintain working knowledge of emerging AI capabilities, including agent-based solutions, and assess their potential business value.
Ensure systems and partner-delivered services comply with applicable regulations and standards, including HIPAA and PHI protections.
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 internal team’s size, scope, and composition as business needs warrant.
Perform other duties as assigned.