Executive Director, Information Technology (hybrid)

ARAVAS INC•Langhorne, PA

9h•$230,000 - $275,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting to the Chief Business and Corporate Affairs Officer, the Executive Director of IT will own and operationalize technology across the company, while helping to define the company's enterprise approach to AI. This is a doer-and-manager role: you will be responsible for the day-to-day reliability, security, and scalability of our IT platform (managing an outside IT vendor who handles much of the tactical work, including helpdesk, infrastructure support, provisioning, etc.), while also leading the technical implementation/support of our enterprise AI platform and partnering with other executives/teams to ensure AI is deployed securely and responsibly at the company. We're looking for someone who has run IT operations at a small- to mid-size biotech/pharmaceutical company before, understands how to professionalize and scale a technology function as a company grows, and can be a strong internal partner to R&D, Clinical, Regulatory, and G&A teams. The ideal candidate also brings some familiarity with the modern AI landscape (LLM platforms, AI agents, automation tools) and is excited to help lead its responsible adoption company-wide.

Requirements

8+ years of progressive IT experience, including experience managing IT operations for a company in the 50–200 employee range
Demonstrated experience managing outsourced/third-party IT vendors, including setting expectations, evaluating vendor performance, and knowing when to push back or switch providers
Strong working knowledge of core IT infrastructure: networking, cloud computing platforms, endpoint management, identity/access management, and common business SaaS platforms
Practical cybersecurity knowledge: able to implement and oversee basic security best practices even if not a dedicated security specialist
Previous exposure to AI/ML tools and platforms, with an understanding of the current generative AI and enterprise AI landscape (LLM platforms, AI agents, automation tools)
Experience managing IT and/or technology budgets and vendor contracts/negotiations
Strong communication skills with the ability to explain technical issues to non-technical stakeholders and executives, and to translate technical concepts into business strategy
A pragmatic, operational mindset: comfortable being hands-on when needed, while also knowing when and how to delegate to outside vendors and partners

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in biotech, pharma, or another regulated environment (familiarity with GxP, data integrity requirements, or validated systems is a strong plus)
Experience scaling IT infrastructure and processes as a company grows headcount (e.g., 50 → 150+ employees)
Experience with compliance frameworks such as SOC 2, HIPAA, or similar, including as applied to AI governance and regulated documentation
Experience working with HR/Corporate Affairs teams to build organizational AI buy-in and drive change management/adoption across a cross-functional, highly skilled workforce (scientists, physicians, executives, financial professionals) with varying degrees of technical proficiency
Background in data science, informatics, or a related technical field
MBA or advanced technical degree (not required, but relevant)
Experience playing a role in an AI or major technology rollout, ideally taking an initiative from concept through pilot to broad adoption is preferred

Responsibilities

Own overall IT operations, infrastructure, and end-user technology experience for the company
Manage and hold accountable an outside/outsourced IT vendor, including setting/reviewing Service Level Agreements, reviewing performance, escalating issues, and ensuring the vendor relationship delivers the expected value
Develop and maintain the company's IT roadmap: hardware/software lifecycle management, network and infrastructure architecture, cloud services, and business systems (e.g., ERP, CRM, HRIS, QMS, and other collaboration tools)
Lead procurement and vendor management for IT-related contracts, software licensing, and hardware purchasing, including negotiating terms and managing budgets
Establish and enforce IT policies, procedures, and documentation (onboarding/offboarding, access management, asset management, disaster recovery/business continuity)
Own cybersecurity posture in partnership with the outside vendor and any specialized security consultants, including endpoint protection, identity and access management, phishing/security awareness training, and incident response planning
Support compliance requirements relevant to biotech (e.g., data integrity, 21 CFR Part 11 considerations if applicable, SOC 2 or similar frameworks depending on partnerships, and general data privacy practices)
Serve as the primary internal point of contact for all things IT, triaging escalations the outside vendor can't resolve, and being the face of IT to employees and leadership
Manage the IT budget and make build-vs-buy and in-house-vs-outsource recommendations as the company scales
Partner with HR/People team on new hire equipment provisioning and technology onboarding experience
Evaluate and implement new tools and platforms as the organization grows, bringing a scalable, forward-thinking mindset to technology decisions
Be part of a team that develops/evolves the company's enterprise AI strategy, including identifying high-value use cases across development, clinical, regulatory, commercial, quality, and G&A functions
Provide IT support to the selection, piloting, and rollout of AI platforms and tools (e.g., LLM-based assistants, specialized scientific AI tools, workflow automation), ensuring they are properly integrated, secured, and supported within existing IT infrastructure
Be a member of a team that establishes AI governance: data privacy and security guardrails, responsible use policies, model risk management, and compliance considerations specific to a regulated biotech environment (e.g., data integrity, IP protection, avoiding inadvertent disclosure of proprietary or clinical data)