Response Technology Operations Director

World Central Kitchen•Washington, DC

5d•$130,000 - $160,000

About The Position

World Central Kitchen uses the power of food to nourish communities and strengthen economies in times of crisis and beyond. WCK has served more than 400 million meals around the world, pioneering a model that is fast, locally driven, and dignified. WCK operates with an "embrace chaos mindset", we show up when others can't or won't, and we adapt in real-time to meet the needs of the communities we serve. We're looking for leaders who thrive in this environment: resourceful, resilient, and driven by the fierce urgency of the mission. The Director, Response Technology Operations leads WCK's Response Technology and Data teams, ensuring frontline responders have access to the technology tools, data, and infrastructure they need to conduct safe, efficient, and informed relief operations. This role balances reactive support during activations with proactive development of systems and processes that improve how WCK responds to crises. Reporting to the VP, Response Technology, the Director serves as the operational leader for the function — managing day-to-day team operations, triaging and prioritizing work, and ensuring the team delivers reliable, responsive support to field teams around the world. This is a hands-on leadership role that requires both strategic thinking and willingness to roll up sleeves during high-intensity response periods.

Requirements

8+ years of experience in technology operations, data management, or technical program management
4+ years of experience managing teams, including managing managers
Strong project management skills — experience scoping requirements, managing delivery, and coordinating across internal teams and vendors
Demonstrated ability to lead in fast-paced, high-pressure environments with shifting priorities
Strong technical acumen across both hardware and data — ability to understand systems architecture, data flows, integration patterns, and field technology infrastructure
Experience supporting field operations or distributed teams in operational contexts
Excellent communication skills — able to translate between technical and non-technical stakeholders
Track record of building effective processes and documentation
Proactive mindset — always looking for ways to leverage technology to create efficiencies
Willingness to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends during response activations
Ability to travel to response locations globally, including potentially challenging environments

Nice To Haves

Experience in humanitarian, disaster response, logistics, or crisis management organizations
Familiarity with data platforms (Airtable, Salesforce, or similar) and integration technologies
Experience managing technology asset inventories and field equipment deployments
Experience with knowledge management systems and process documentation
Background in organizations that operate 24/7 or have on-call support models
Experience operationalizing new platforms or systems in complex organizational environments
PMP, Agile, or other project management certification
Fluency in English. Proficiency in Spanish and/or Arabic

Responsibilities

Lead and develop a team of managers and engineers across Response Technology and Response Data functions
Manage day-to-day operations, ensuring the team is responsive to field needs and aligned on priorities
Work with the VP to triage incoming requests, balance competing priorities, and allocate team capacity
Build a cohesive team culture that embodies WCK's values — adaptability, collaboration, and urgency
Own hiring, performance management, and professional development for direct reports
Ensure field teams have reliable access to technology tools, data systems, infrastructure and training during responses
Serve as the escalation point for technology issues during active responses, coordinating rapid resolution
Maintain operational readiness — on-call coverage, activation protocols, and surge capacity planning
Travel to activations as needed to provide direct support and gather firsthand feedback on field needs
Coordinate with Response Operations, Response Security, and Community Response during activations
Support the PM, Response Support Platform in operationalizing implementation across Response Technology Operations
Partner with the Director of Knowledge Management to ensure RT processes and workflows are documented in the KMS
Establish feedback loops to capture lessons learned from activations and integrate them into platform improvements
Model, draft, and propose playbooks, policies, and SOPs that will be embedded in the Response Support Platform
Ensure the team is prepared to adopt and leverage new platform capabilities as they come online
Oversee scoping of technology and data needs within Response Operations, translating operational requirements into actionable projects
Manage delivery of technology initiatives — whether working with internal teams, external vendors, or Enterprise Technology
Track project timelines, dependencies, and risks; escalate blockers and ensure commitments are met
Continuously identify opportunities to leverage technology for efficiency gains — both for frontline teams and for the RT support model
Oversee deployable technology asset inventory, ensuring accurate records are maintained
Ensure equipment is properly maintained, tested, and kept deployment-ready
Oversee procurement of technology assets as necessary, coordinating with relevant stakeholders
Proactively identify opportunities to improve response technology tools, systems, and infrastructure
Partner with Enterprise Technology on engineering governance, architecture decisions, and technical standards
Collaborate with Response Operations leadership to understand evolving operational needs
Coordinate with Response Security on technology requirements for security monitoring and team safety
Build relationships across WCK to ensure Response Technology is seen as a trusted, responsive partner
Establish and track metrics for team performance — response times, issue resolution, field satisfaction
Ensure data quality and system reliability across response technology platforms
Balance technical debt management with new development based on organizational priorities
Own incident management for critical system failures, ensuring rapid resolution and root cause analysis

Benefits

ZERO Premiums: WCK covers 100% of insurance premiums for employees and their dependents, including medical, dental, vision, and group life coverage. Benefits begin on your date of hire.
Voluntary Benefits:
Options include:
Additional Life Insurance
Pet Insurance
Supplemental AD&D
Flexible Spending Accounts (Dependent Care and Health Care)
403(b) Retirement Plan:
WCK offers a 50% match up to 8% of employee salary deferrals, beginning within 30 days of hire.
Life & Disability Insurance:
100% employer-sponsored group life and disability insurance provided within 30 days.
Paid Time Off (PTO):
Responsible PTO, including vacation, sick, and personal leave, plus paid holidays.
Growth Opportunities:
Learning and development support to grow your career.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP):
Free and confidential support for life’s challenges.
Annual Salary Reviews and additional benefits outlined in the Personnel Manual.