Director, Global IT
8 days ago
Arlington
Job Description Location: Arlington, VA Work Arrangement: 5 days in the office Travel: Up to 15% Position Type: Full-time FLSA Status: Exempt About Spirit of America: Spirit of America is a privately funded 501c3 nonprofit headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. Our mission is to engage citizens in preserving the promise of a free and better life. We do this by working alongside US troops and diplomats and providing private assistance to defend freedom, and strengthen America’s national security, and save and improve lives. Spirit of America leverages an unprecedented partnership with the US military based on a groundbreaking agreement with the Department of Defense. Our agreement with the Department of Defense allows the military to collaborate with us, identify needs, receive and distribute our assistance, and provide us with logistical support. No other nonprofit has such an agreement. Thus, every dollar invested in Spirit of America builds on and leverages investments made by the US government and military. That leverage — combined with our entrepreneurial, venture capital capability — provides philanthropic investments in Spirit of America with asymmetric impact and return on investment. Our work saves and improves lives, prevents conflict, and strengthens America’s security. In the world’s toughest places, people experience the best of who Americans are and what we stand for. About the Role: Th eDirector, Global IT is responsible for leading Spirit of America’s enterprise-wide technology strategy, cybersecurity posture, and IT operational excellence across U.S. and international locations. Reporting to the CAO, this role ensures that SOA’s systems, infrastructure, data, and users—both domestic and international—are secure, resilient, and fully aligned with organizational needs. The Director oversees all IT governance, cybersecurity compliance, vendor oversight, and end-user support while ensuring that SOA’s growing global presence (Amman, Manila, Stuttgart, and field locations) has reliable, secure, and scalable IT capabilities. This leader is both strategic and hands-on—capable of building a strong IT function, driving cross-organizational adoption of secure practices, and partnering with senior leadership to strengthen operational readiness, risk mitigation, and business continuity. Reports To: Chief Administrative Officer Direct Report(s): Senior IT Specialist Key Responsibilities: The Director, Global IT will: Strategic IT Leadership • Develop and execute SOA’s global IT strategy, ensuring alignment with mission objectives, organizational growth, and international operational needs, • Serve as the organization’s senior IT expert and advisor to the CAO, CEO, CFO and broader leadership on cybersecurity, systems, and infrastructure, • Lead implementation of SOA’s Cybersecurity Policy, ensuring comprehensive compliance across all systems, locations, and users, • Oversee identity and access management (IAM), multi-factor authentication (MFA), encryption, system patching, endpoint protection, monitoring, and incident response protocols, • Conduct annual cybersecurity risk assessments, penetration testing, and vulnerability scans; present findings and remediation plans to the CAO and Audit Committee, • Ensure donor, partner, financial, and employee data is protected across all environments and platforms, including cloud and on-premises systems, • Oversee the design, implementation, and maintenance of SOA’s IT infrastructure—networks, hardware, cloud systems, storage, collaboration platforms, and communication tools, • Ensure secure connectivity and operational readiness for all international offices and forward locations, including compliance with host-country regulations and SOA security standards, • Develop and enforce policies for BYOD, remote access, device management, and mobile security for globally dispersed teams, • Lead global incident response efforts, ensuring prompt identification, containment, investigation, and reporting of security incidents, • Maintain and test disaster recovery and business continuity plans; ensure regular backup integrity and system redundancy, • Oversee IT risk, including geopolitical, operational, and reputational risks affecting international offices and staff, • Manage SOA’s IT systems portfolio, ensuring reliability, security, integration, and user experience, • Oversee vendor selection, contract negotiation, performance management, and compliance monitoring (including SOC 2, ISO 27001, NIST-aligned providers), • Build a global training program that is short, clear, role-based, and repeatable., • Own:, • onboarding compliance + cyber training, • annual recertification cycles, • targeted refreshers (e.g., travel security, data handling, partner due diligence), • Develop training in multiple formats (live sessions, brief videos, job aids, micro-learning), • Track completion, identify gaps, and adjust based on risk and feedback, • Partner with Ops, Programs, Development, Finance, HR, and IT to embed compliance and cyber thinking into real workflows, • Create a culture where staff see compliance/security as mission-enabling rather than punitive, • Build and manage a high-performing global IT team, including domestic IT staff and international IT support provider(s), • Provide clear direction, mentorship, and performance management to ensure alignment with SOA’s mission, values, and culture, • Foster a proactive, customer-focused IT environment that consistently supports organizational productivity and operational excellence Key Qualifications: Required: • Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or related field; advanced degree or relevant certification (CISM, CISSP, CISA, CCSP, PMP) strongly preferred, • Minimum 10+ years of progressive IT leadership experience, including cybersecurity oversight, global operations, and enterprise technology management, • Demonstrated experience designing and managing secure IT systems across dispersed international environments, • Strong knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks (NIST CSF, CIS Controls), cloud environments (Microsoft 365, Azure, AWS), and contemporary IT best practices, • Experience managing IT risk, incident response, business continuity, and disaster recovery., • Proven ability to manage vendors, negotiate contracts, and oversee major technology initiatives, • Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical issues to non-technical audiences, • Strong leadership, integrity, and problem-solving skills, with a commitment to building a secure, high-performing, mission-driven organization Other Requirements: Salary ranges from $150,000 to $170,000 based on experience. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance, and 403(b) contribution match to 4%. Equal Employment Opportunity Spirit of America is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on merit and business needs without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, or other protected characteristics in accordance with applicable laws.