EVP Chief Information Officer

Lincoln Investment•Fort Washington, PA

44d

About The Position

Lincoln Investment recognized as one of Philadelphia's Top Workplaces for over ten years, is an independent broker dealer and registered investment advisor that offers brokerage, investment advisory and other financial services. Lincoln has over 1,000 financial advisors nationwide and we serve over 350,000 clients representing over $36 billion in assets. We are a majority family-owned financial services firm that regards our employees as integral players in our continuous growth. Lincoln Investment's success is built upon our dedication to helping people retire well and promoting a work environment that fosters success. Our financial strength and profitability are natural results of "helping people, having fun, and enjoying success." Lincoln Investment offers a competitive compensation and benefits package. Our Home Office is conveniently located in Fort Washington, PA, just outside of Philadelphia. Position Overview: We are seeking a dynamic and strategic Chief Information Officer (CIO) to lead our technology organization with an emphasis on collaboration, culture, and driving excellence. This executive will engage with stakeholders across the organization to align technology initiatives with broader company objectives, ensuring seamless integration and communication. The successful candidate will be a visionary who can inspire and empower teams while fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and high performance. A primary responsibility will involve identifying and implementing cost-appropriate technology solutions that enhance infrastructure, improve delivery, and increase efficiency. This position calls for a motivated leader capable of balancing strategic insight with operational excellence to drive measurable results. Key Objectives Strategy & Planning: Align IT objectives and programs to our key business objectives and strategies to ensure that the investments we are making in technology are in line with our business and financial professionals' needs. Work in partnership with the business leaders and Transformation Office to define and revise our IT Strategy and Roadmaps as necessary to ensure this outcome. Stay updated with emerging trends & align these to the firm's objectives. Coordinate IT initiatives and operations across the business in alignment with our Strategic Vision and Mission. Technical Leadership: Provide leadership across IT teams, offering guidance on complex tech issues and making key decisions regarding systems and platforms used in the delivery of IT services. Drive innovative thinking along with modern application and data strategies to design solutions that respond to financial professional's needs, emerging technologies, and tools, including driving the firm's AI, Cloud Computing, and Automation strategy. IT Operations Management: Oversee IT operations, ensuring seamless integration and functionality across all offices and projects. Work closely to coordinate IT operations and support. Oversee planning functions, managing quality, deadline, and budgetary expectations with a focus on ROI metrics. Manage the ongoing growth and development of our IT staff. Security & Compliance: Oversee and maintain robust IT security protocols and ensure compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements. Provide the necessary protections to ensure our clients and assets are protected. Ensure that the firm continues to meet/exceed all regulatory security standards in coordination with our Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). Business Continuity: Develop, implement, and maintain disaster recovery and business continuity plans to safeguard the firm's operations and data integrity. Provide systems and solutions to ensure that the firm can continue to operate and serve our clients in the event of a broad range of potential disruptions. Enterprise Architecture: Oversee and maintain a comprehensive enterprise architecture framework that supports the company's strategic objectives and facilitates efficient and effective IT service delivery. Develop long-term IT roadmaps and frameworks to guide technology decisions. Establish and maintain technology standards across the organization

Requirements

Bachelor's degree, MBA preferred, or equivalent with 10 plus years of technology leadership of growing accountability and demonstrated success
Organizational and Strategic Agility with a broad business perspective (i.e. not just a technologist, but rather one who can guide a business discussion on how technology can solve various At least 10 years of progressive IT experience, with 5+ years in a senior leadership role)
Experience in the Financial Services industry and/or other Professional Services is highly desirable.
Strong knowledge of IT infrastructure, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and digital transformation technologies.
Proficiency in project management and IT service management (ITSM) frameworks (e.g., PMP, ITIL. Agile).
Proven ability to lead and manage a diverse IT team.
Excellent strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Proven ability to develop financial models of ROI for proposed technology to guide decision making.
Demonstrated ability to modernize technology, establish successful integration patterns and use emerging technologies to address opportunities to grow the business.
Demonstrated experience and leadership in managing a team of professionals to meet end user support services for geographically dispersed organizations.
Excellent interpersonal, technology management, problem-solving, customer service, and oral and written communications skills.
Exceptional knowledge of enterprise technology systems.
Demonstrated experience operating within a complex and fast paced environment.
Experience in managing significant technology vendor relationships.
Track record of staying current with technology trends and business use of such.
Experience in building and leading effective and successful teams.
Ability to inspire and motivate a team to action.
Ability to be an effective listener and communicator.

Nice To Haves

Experience in the Financial Services industry and/or other Professional Services is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Technology Leader/Visionary leading the development and execution of long-term IT strategies, roadmaps, and initiatives that align to business objectives.
Identify and assess emerging technologies to drive innovation, competitive advantage, and cost savings.
Ensure strong commitment to strategy by effectively communicating to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, the relevant tactics and priorities with transparency across the Executive Leadership Team.
Oversee talent management of the IT organization through direct supervision, talent development and recruitment, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.
Promote cross-functional collaboration and ensure effective communication across the enterprise.
Oversee the maintenance and modernization of the company's IT infrastructure, Simplify the existing system complexity by consolidating duplicative systems and processes, applying standards, and leveraging cost effective vendor system and application services where appropriate.
Ensure the reliability, scalability, and performance of IT systems and services that are KPI and SLA driven.
Oversee and manage comprehensive cybersecurity strategies to protect the firm's data and systems.
Conduct regular security assessments and audits and respond to security incidents promptly.
Lead and manage IT projects from conception to completion, ensuring they are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget, utilizing industry standard project management methodologies to track progress and mitigate risks.
Establish and manage relationships with external IT vendors and service providers, including negotiating contracts, monitoring performance, and ensuring the most cost-effective solutions are in place for our business needs.
Develop and manage the IT budget, ensuring optimal allocation of resources; monitor and report regularly to the Executive Leadership Team on IT spending, identifying opportunities for cost savings.
Ensure IT policies and procedures comply with legal, regulatory, and industry standards, and promote a culture of compliance and ethical behavior within the IT department.
Develop the overall culture and capabilities of the IT organization.
Be a leader of the organization to provide Advisor-first domain solutions that are aligned to enterprise level solutions.
Actively lead multiple projects, initiatives, and teams across the organization
Engage in talent strategy to find specialists, leaders, and future professionals for the firm through resume review, interviews, and leveraging personal network. Directly supervises, trains, and mentors team members.
Create and drive new ways of working through contributing to the development of services, standards, procedures.