Director of Technology

National Democratic Institute (NDI)•Washington, DC

4d•$149,600 - $194,500•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Technology provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for NDI’s technology environment, ensuring systems, tools, data, and digital capabilities are secure, advance the organization’s mission, and support an effective, connected global workforce. The Director will develop and execute a forward-looking technology strategy, maintain a secure and reliable IT environment, strengthen organizational capabilities, and work with colleagues to identify opportunities for improvement and innovation. The role also guides NDI’s thoughtful exploration and responsible adoption of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. Reporting to the Chief of Staff, the Director leads an eight-person IT team and partners with global program teams to align organizational priorities with modern, scalable, and secure solutions across infrastructure, digital tools, systems, and platforms. The position calls for an entrepreneurial, mission-driven leader with strong technical judgment, business acumen, and communication skills, including the ability to translate complex technology issues into practical solutions for diverse stakeholders. The Director should bring experience in a global, cross-cultural organization spanning multiple time zones and grounding in the ethical, legal, and fiduciary responsibilities of a nonpartisan, federally funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The role oversees technology strategy and leadership; global infrastructure, cloud, and collaboration; budgets and vendors; cybersecurity and data protection; and AI integration and technical innovation. The position may offer a hybrid work environment. Successful candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S. and reside in Maryland, Washington, D.C., or Virginia, or relocate before starting. NDI does not provide visa sponsorship.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
At least 10 years of progressive IT experience.
At least 5 years in a technology leadership or director-level role.
Demonstrated success managing and cultivating IT talent.
Deep, hands-on experience managing enterprise-scale AWS environments and the full Google Workspace suite.
Proven experience managing multi-million-dollar IT budgets and leading complex technical contract development and negotiations.
Strong foundation in modern cybersecurity practices.
Proven track record of implementing and governing AI tools in an enterprise environment.
Experience supporting a global footprint, including managing remote teams and international IT logistics.
Authorization to work in the U.S.; NDI does not provide sponsorship.
Successful candidates must reside in Maryland, Washington, D.C., or Virginia, or relocate before starting employment.

Nice To Haves

AWS Certified Solutions Architect or SysOps Administrator certification.
Google Workspace Professional Administrator certification.
CISSP or CISM certification.
ITIL Foundation certification or higher.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement a multi-year technology strategy aligned with organizational priorities, NDI’s mission, and available resources.
Lead, manage, mentor, and develop an eight-person IT team, fostering accountability, collaboration, and professional growth.
Advise executive leadership on technology priorities, investments, emerging opportunities, and risks; provide timely data and technical advice to the Executive Management Team, Board of Directors, and institutional partners as appropriate.
Oversee the architecture, security, and optimization of NDI’s enterprise AWS cloud infrastructure.
Oversee administration, governance, and effective use of Google Workspace to support collaboration and communication across global teams.
Ensure reliability and performance of global networks, cloud resources, and connectivity hubs.
Design and implement disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
Oversee web development for intranet- and extranet-facing communication platforms and services.
Manage annual IT operating and capital budgets, aligning spending with organizational priorities and efficient use of resources.
Lead contract development, negotiation, and vendor management for global software licenses, AWS cloud spending, internet service providers, hardware procurement, and managed service providers.
Control costs and regularly review cloud services and subscriptions for cost, usage, and organizational need.
Lead NDI’s cybersecurity program, monitor systems and compliance, mitigate cyberintrusion risks, and protect sensitive institutional data.
Monitor threat trends, threat data, security tools, and training, including through collaboration with institutional partners.
Drive global information security initiatives, including Zero-Trust Network Access, Identity and Access Management, endpoint security, and data loss prevention.
Maintain compliance with global data privacy regulations and security frameworks, including GDPR, CCPA, SOC 2, and ISO 27001.
Standardize global IT Support Desk operations to meet service-level agreement and customer satisfaction targets.
Optimize the enterprise SaaS portfolio by managing secure integrations, single sign-on, provisioning, and automated offboarding.
Maintain current practical knowledge of AI technologies, workplace applications, automation, and emerging technology trends.
Evaluate AI tools and vendors for usefulness, cost, integration, accessibility, scalability, and alignment with organizational needs.
Establish secure AI practices and usage policies addressing privacy, confidentiality, cybersecurity, accuracy, bias, transparency, intellectual property, and human oversight.
Develop an AI adoption approach that balances innovation with safeguards, measures results, and scales successful applications.
Monitor AI developments and advise leadership on opportunities, limitations, risks, and implications for NDI’s mission and stakeholders.