Director of Information Technology

Company: Fisica Inc.

Job Title: Director, IT

Job Code: 1006

Job Location: San Leandro, CA

Job Description: Director of IT

Position Overview: A leading defense contractor in ground-to-air communications is seeking a forward-thinking and accomplished Director of IT (SD of IT) to lead our Information Technology organization.

The Director of IT reports directly to the Chief Financial Officer and is accountable for all internal and external IT systems. They are responsible for collaborating with all aspects of the business to align Information Technology in support of overall business strategy. This role requires a leader with excellent written and verbal communication skills who has deep expertise in technology trends in the defense contracting industry. The successful candidate will be comfortable identifying, proposing, and owning technology solutions that support the core Infrastructure, end user computing, and business processes (order to cash, procure to pay, and record to report) in a cost-effective manner.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Leadership:

• Establish and actively communicate a clear technology vision, roadmaps, and goals that support business growth and operational excellence.
• Provide thought leadership and guidance on emerging technologies, industry trends, and competitive landscapes to drive innovation and competitive advantage.
• Provide financial leadership in building the IT budget and controlling actual versus projected operating expenses,
• Lead a diverse team of IT support and engineering staff to foster a service-oriented culture.

1. Technology Leverage:

• Leverage technology for process optimization, cost savings, and supporting revenue growth.
• Drive the implementation of compliant solutions in the defense contractor space to manage risk and ensure compliance with federal regulations.
• Foster a culture of fresh thinking and experimentation, encouraging cross-functional collaboration and ideation.

1. Information Technology Governance & Management:

• Oversee the design, development, and maintenance of the company's IT enterprise architecture including infrastructure, devices, network, applications, and systems, ensuring integrity, security, scalability, and reliability.
• Manage a small, high-performing IT team of senior IT professionals including recruitment, training, performance evaluation, and professional development.
• Develop and manage the IT strategy, budget, and roadmap, ensuring cost-effective utilization of resources, vendors and IT outsourcing partners while delivering strategic initiatives and projects on time and on budget.

1. Cybersecurity and Risk Management:

• Collaborate with outsourced vendors to Implement and oversee robust cybersecurity measures to protect the company's digital assets, data, network, and systems from internal and external threats.
• Establish a comprehensive risk management framework and associated policies, ensuring periodic monitoring and compliance with relevant industry standards and regulations.
• Establish and ensure IT compliance with business continuity, disaster recovery and data backup and retention policies.

1. Stakeholder Engagement:

• Lead collaboration with business units to identify technology needs, prioritize projects, and ensure seamless integration of IT solutions into business processes.
• Establish pro-active governance across the IT roadmap, major initiatives, and ongoing operations. Develop and publish ITIL-based performance metrics and drive continuous improvement.
• Cultivate strong relationships with external partners, vendors, and technology providers to leverage best practices and stay current with industry innovations.
• Ensures internal and external customer satisfaction with IT through facilitation of project management and timely communications.

1. Performance Measurement and Reporting:

• Define key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure the effectiveness of technology initiatives, providing regular updates to the executive team and the board of directors.
• Analyze data and insights to drive continuous improvement in technology operations and business outcomes.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• A bachelor's, or master’s degree, in Information Technology (IT), Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field. An MBA or relevant business degree is a plus.
• Proven track record of at least 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in technology and information management, preferably within the Defense or Federal contracting industries.
• Knowledge of engineering and modeling processes and tools (electrical and mechanical) in the defense manufacturing industry.
• Strong knowledge of defense contractor compliance requirements and processes, including

CMMC, GCC High and DFARS.

Technical Skills:

• Expertise in implementing and managing enterprise-level IT systems, cloud platforms, and data analytics environments.
• Proficiency with enterprise-wide data management including data analytics, business intelligence, database administration, data integrations and data warehousing.
• Expertise with enterprise architecture, system integration, and software package/application development methodologies.
• Knowledge of networks, end user computing and help desk processes.
• Specific experience with implementing or managing these enterprise applications:
• Deltek Costpoint covers key functional areas such as FICO, FP&A, Supply Chain, MES, and CRM.
• Microsoft M365 suite (including Active Directory, Teams, SharePoint and One Drive). PowerBI or Cognos (enterprise BI software).
• Deltek ProPricer and TipQA.
• Engineering applications including Ansys, Dassault SolidWorks, AutoCAD, and Teamcenter.
• Knowledge of cybersecurity practices and frameworks, threat assessment, threat detection, incident response, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Proficiency in the SDLC and Agile methodologies.
• Deep experience with defense contractor industry-specific policy and documentation requirements security, controls, monitoring and change management is essential.
• Experience migrating workloads to Azure-hosted environments is a plus.
• Experience managing a highly outsourced IT model including System Integrators (SIs) & Managed IT Services Providers is essential.
• Professional technical certifications related to the above responsibilities and skills are highly desirable.

Soft Skills:

• Exceptional strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization and across diverse cultures.
• Proven commitment to cybersecurity, risk management, and compliance.
• Experience managing and leading technical teams to maintain high levels of performance and retention.
• Customer-driven mindset providing superior attention to internal and external customer needs.
• Hands-on execution and operational approach in managing strategic initiatives and projects to completion.
• Ability to influence both the internal team and external partners and drive change.
• Understanding of change management to encourage adoption in an environment where the business and related IT functions are going through transition.
• Ability to negotiate with internal and external partners to achieve the best commercial outcomes for the business.
• Establish a safe and respectful environment where all employees feel safe and are encouraged to share their ideas.
• Integrity in approaching people and work that is consistent with high ethical standards and overall values of the business.
• Professionalism in the overall attitude with which business is conducted.

In compliance with pay transparency requirements, the salary range for this role is $160,500 - $298,500. This is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as final offer amount may vary based on factors including but not limited to experience and geographic location. Fisica Inc. also offers a variety of benefits, including relocation stipend, 401(k), PTO, EAP, and company-paid holidays. The specific programs and options available to an employee may vary depending on date of hire, and schedule type.