Listing Description

Director of Information Technology and Security

We’re looking for a technology and security expert and data-loving efficiency builder. Could that be you? Come help us turn the workplace into a practice lab for learning life's most useful skills!

Our team is a diverse, close-knit group of researchers, consultants, and experience designers. We get excited about brain science, encourage each other to improve, give frequent feedback, make each other laugh, and have one another’s backs. 

As our Director of Information Technology and Security, you will play a key role in getting our internal technology systems, security and compliance caught up to our rapid growth and ambitious vision. We will look to you for insights, strategic system-building, data tracking, and to guide us through our next phase of growth. You will report to our CFO and lead our (currently small) internal Technology group.

Director of Information Technology and Security Accountabilities: 

1. Tech Strategy + Systems

Purpose: Make sure we are putting our technology to use wisely to achieve our business goals, and set ourselves up for success in the future.

• Set and communicate an internal technology vision and strategy in alignment with our company goals and values. 


• Continuously gather insights and data to ensure that the tech we use is cost-effective, secure, and delightful for Labmate users.


• Propose, implement, and optimize tech solutions to meet current and future needs.


• Monitor the need for upgrades and maintenance to our existing systems.


• Advise on data we should collect to assess performance against company goals.


• Manage, upgrade, and maintain the company's remote IT infrastructure, including cloud servers, network access, and cloud services (AWS, GCP, etc.)


• Oversee our system for tracking inventory, including hardware and software licenses, and maintain inventory policies and processes. 


• Monitor and manage IT service levels, including incident response, problem resolution, and user support, ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction per an internal SLA.


• Audit our company-wide and department-specific systems to advise on opportunities for automation. 

2. Security

Purpose: Keep our team and clients secure, ensure our infrastructure is resilient, scalable and compliant. 

• Identify and eliminate security risks, and ensure we’re compliant with relevant laws, best practices, and client needs. 


• Consistently update business continuity and disaster recovery plans to minimize disruption to business operations in emergency situations or data loss.


• Develop and maintain Security Policies and procedures and perform annual audits; collaborate with legal counsel to update and maintain privacy policies and data processing agreements in compliance with state- and country- specific laws (e.g. GDPR, CCPA, etc). . 


• In collaboration with Product, author and maintain a security and privacy roadmap to secure external client-facing product tech stacks. 


• Address security needs of clients, including completion and oversight of necessary Data Processing Agreements

3. Vendor Management and IT and Security Investments

Purpose: Support organization profitability and return on investment by investing in values-aligned, dependable partners and infrastructure. 

• Execute on vendor selection for technology and security business expenses, focusing on making values-aligned, safe, inclusive, efficient, and strategic decisions.


• Review vendor contracts on a regular basis to capture opportunities for cost-cutting and economy of scale. 


• Track our tech and security-related expenses to ensure they are within budget, and forecast future budget needs, reporting on return on investment.


• Design and lead end-user training of new and existing technologies.


• Lead effective, inclusive, and brain-friendly change initiatives.

4. IT Team Culture and Development

Purpose: Help the internal IT Team become world-class in their roles, and create a department culture that drives engagement, learning, diversity, inclusion, and high performance.

• Lead, advise, give feedback, and help set priorities for the Information Technology function.


• Assess team performance through goal-setting and tracking specific role metrics. 


• Track utilization rates to spot when it’s time to hire and/or re-distribute work.


• Based on organizational needs, recruit, interview, and onboard new IT Team roles.


• Design Technology roles to achieve department goals.


• Do ongoing succession planning to ensure we have sufficient capacity to meet our Tech goals.


• Build and model a department culture that creates engagement, belonging, learning, and high performance.

Director of Information Technology Requirements: 

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field. 


• 5+ years in a leadership role within an IT department or organization.


• Successful track record of building systems to enable automation and rapid scaling of an IT function.


• Solid understanding of IT infrastructure, systems, and emerging technologies, with the ability to effectively communicate these back to the team.


• Knowledge of databases, programming languages, and infrastructure-as-code.


• Expertise in data security technologies, best practices, and regulations (including GDPR).


• Expertise in implementing technologies and systems for business continuity and disaster recovery. 


• Skills in creating a smooth, efficient, and delightful internal user experience.


• Effectiveness in presenting proposals in clear and compelling ways (including articulating decision criteria, trade-offs, and ways to mitigate risk).


• Skills in designing simple, brain-friendly, and effective technology training for internal users with different learning needs and styles. 


• People development prowess -- including coaching, feedback, helping set priorities, and creating an inclusive, fair, and engaging team culture and climate.


• Strategic thinking and planning skills, including the ability to set metrics, identify (and adjust) priorities, create timelines, anticipate challenges, and involve the right stakeholders at the right times.


• Clear and compelling written communication, including explaining technical concepts to a non-technical audience.


• Demonstrating adaptivity and resilience skills and helping others do it too.

Preferred but not mandatory:

• Experience working with mission-driven startups and/or high-growth companies.


• Foundational data science knowledge.


• Knowledge of Business Intelligence tools.


• Working knowledge of Make (or similar integration software).


• Working knowledge of HubSpot CRM.


• MBA/advanced degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Security, or a related field.

The Deets:

• Start date: ASAP


• Location: Remote (can be based anywhere in the U.S., except Alaska)


• Employment Type: Full-time


• Starting Salary: $120K - $170K starting base salary
  
  
  
  • Starting salary matches your skills and readiness for the role assessed during the interview process.
  
  
  
  


• Compensation: salary + bonus (Success Share)




• Our compensation system is transparent and consistently applied throughout the company. As you take on new responsibilities, you can expect a yearly compensation increase, so long as you are meeting the role expectations #AlwaysBeLearning! This translates into a predictable raise up to $170K base salary, after which your base salary will increase based on an annual COLA increase.


• Additionally, you will be eligible to participate in our quarterly Success Share program which is a % bonus on your eligible earnings when we hit our quarterly revenue target.


• Year 1: 10% of 140K Year 2: 20% of 150K Year 3: 30% of 160K  Year 4: 40% of 170K Year 5: 40% of 170K + 2% COLA

• Long-Term Incentive Plan: As part of your compensation package, you will be eligible to participate in the company's Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP). Your equity grant will be commensurate with the ‘Director’ band of this role. 


• Benefits: medical, dental, and vision insurance 18 vacation days, 10 federal holidays, 2 LifeLabs holidays, 2 floating holidays, 1 Values Day, Kind Fridays (employees have the option to end work at 3pm local time on Fridays), and CLean Break (Paid Time Off benefit during the last week of the year), 401K, team profit share, annual Learning FUNd and Learning Days, lending library, dedicated peer coach, ongoing training, biannual team retreats, and more!

Want to know what to expect ahead? 

Step 1: Complete the application below.

Step 2: Complete a Pre-Interview Work Simulation: Do a pre-interview work simulation (3 hours max self-led on our testing software. Typically candidates finish this step in 2 hours, however, we don't expect it will take everyone this long - no worries if you finish quicker!)

• Given that this role works remotely, we want to see how you would work through some of the daily tasks, responsibilities, and challenges you would come across through a day-in-the-life work simulation. You'll get a sense of the role and give us an opportunity to see your skills in action.


• Your answers will not be used for any other purposes beyond evaluating your candidacy for this role, as it’s important for both of us to get a glimpse of how you would handle a day-in-the-life of this role.

Step 3: Join an Expertise, Role & Values interview (90-minute interview over Zoom)

• We’ll ask you questions about your skills, expertise, and experience related to the role.

*Note: All live interviews will be recorded and erased after 1 year of the interview.

To start! If you're interested: please send us your resume and complete the application below.