Managing Director of Information Technology

DescriptionJob DescriptionPOSITION: Managing Director of Information TechnologyREPORTS TO: Chief Operating Officer / Deputy Chief Operating OfficerPOSITION TYPE: 12-monthSTART DATE: January 2026 or April 2026 based on candidate selectionCOMPENSATION: $132,202-$165,253, Home Office Grade 13At YES Prep, work for a mission that impacts the life trajectory of students and their families. YES Prep creates pathways to extraordinary opportunity through best-in-class development, competitive compensation and benefits, and recognition for your impact. Grow as an authentic leader and be part of a high-performing, team-oriented culture.Some Quick Stats About Us21,000+ Students2,400 Team Members16 Secondary Campuses11 Elementary Campuses92% Students Who Qualify for Free/Reduced-Price Lunch96% Hispanic & African-American Students90% Students Who Are Accepted to a 4-Year University88% First-Generation College StudentsRanked in the Top 100 High Schools in the Nation, U.S. News & World ReportWe serve the students of Houston, Texas, the 4th largest city across the United States. There are over 20 public-school districts and other great public charter school options within Houston's city limits serving our increasing population. We are a rapidly growing organization, committed to creating life-changing opportunities for over 23,000 students by 2025.THE OPPORTUNITYYES Prep needs a dynamic Managing Director of Information Technology with a robust set of experiences, to make our mission a reality. As a YES Prep employee, you will achieve jaw-dropping results, create pathways to opportunity for our students, and build transformative relationships.To put it simply, you will provide strategic leadership in technology, optimize IT systems for instructional excellence, and ensure efficient enterprise operations. This leader will oversee a team of approximately 50 IT staff, manage a multimillion-dollar budget, and partner with the COO, Deputy COO, and C-Suite to integrate technology solutions that enhance learning at scale.This role is critical in assessing and implementing system capabilities for excellent data visualization to support progress monitoring, ensuring leaders and educators have access to real-time, actionable insights to drive student achievement. In a pre-K–12, primarily Microsoft-based environment, the Managing Director will shape the future of technology integration, enabling YES Prep to deliver rigorous, scalable, and innovative learning experiences to every student.THE ROLEWhen you join the YES Prep team, some of the work and responsibilities will include:Strategic IT Leadership & Systems OptimizationOverseeing IT infrastructure, software development, cybersecurity, asset management, and data privacy across the organization;Leading efforts to leverage technology as a competitive advantage in YES Prep's continued growth, including data and AI-driven solutions;Leveraging technology as an enabling system and not using tools to gatekeep;Ensuring that IT systems enhance (not hinder) rigorous and scalable learning experiences.Cross-Functional Partnership & ImpactCollaborating with the Chief Operating Officer to align IT initiatives with operational strategy;Partnering with the Chief Schools Officer & Deputies of Schools to integrate technology into instructional practices, optimizing student learning outcomes;Serving as a key liaison between IT and academic teams to ensure alignment between technology capabilities and student needs.Operational Excellence & Budget OversightManaging a multimillion-dollar budget with a focus on efficiency and measurable impact;Leading IT Operations teams across multiple disciplines, including network administration, cloud services, cybersecurity, help desk, and field support;Overseeing federal E-rate funding to sustain and expand YES Prep's robust infrastructure.Data & Analytics for Student Progress MonitoringEvaluating and enhancing system capabilities to improve real-time data visualization for progress monitoring;Partnering with the Analytics team to optimize data infrastructure and portfolio;Ensuring seamless educator and leader access to actionable student performance data.Cybersecurity & Risk ManagementServing as the organization's Cybersecurity Coordinator;Implementing disaster recovery policies, system monitoring, and proactive risk mitigation strategies;Safeguarding sensitive student and staff data in compliance with federal and state regulations.Team Leadership & DevelopmentLeading, coaching, and inspiring a team of ~100 IT professionals to foster a culture of excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement;Developing and implementing training initiatives to strengthen technology competency across YES Prep, building on the current 80% tech-competent system.Additional duties as assigned.What Success Looks LikeFirst 90 DaysKey PrioritiesSuccess MetricsBuild on Team MomentumLeverage progress already underway on 2025–26 projects (e.g., classroom tech standards, cybersecurity grant, student device audits) to sustain pace and morale.100% of projects remain on track by Q1 milestone dates.Achieve ≥90% on-time completion for planned "behind-the-scenes" upgrades.Positive engagement feedback (≥85% favorable) in pulse survey from IT team.FY27 Budget DevelopmentLead development of IT budget aligned to strategic goals, integrating potential unplanned priorities and modernization plans.Submit a balanced FY27 IT budget by deadline with ≤3% variance from forecast.Secure leadership approval for budget that funds all priority initiatives.Identify ≥5% cost savings or efficiency gains without reducing service levels.Stakeholder EngagementBuild relationships with Ops Leadership Team, academic partners, and IT staff.Meet with 100% of Ops LT members, direct reports, and key campus tech leaders within 60 days.Stakeholder feedback shows ≥85% agreement on clear communication and partnership.High Stakes Testing Readiness Ensure that all hardware & software are high stakes testing readyReview all hardware & software required for testingConduct a readiness audit, starting with priority, focus, and target campuses to ensure 100% of devices are ready for compliant use.Quick Wins on Data Visualization – Advance progress on real-time progress monitoring tools.Work with Analytics to complete a needs assessment to streamline processes that enable visualizationsFirst YearProject Delivery & Systems Optimization – Deliver on high-visibility BOY projects and infrastructure modernization.≥90% completion of FY26 IT strategic project pipeline on time and within budget.Complete student device audits with ≥98% accuracy and association.Implement new service management enhancements with ≥85% satisfaction rate from end users.Instructional Impact through TechnologyEnsure tech solutions measurably support student achievement.Deploy ≥2 AI/data-driven tools that reduce educator/admin workload by ≥10%.Increase educator-reported ease of accessing actionable student data by ≥15% (survey).Cybersecurity & Risk Management – Strengthen data protection and system resilience.Zero major security breaches or unplanned outages exceeding 2 hours.Complete disaster recovery test with