Senior Director, Applications

This is a hybrid position requiring 2 days per (Tuesday and Wednesday) in-person each week. Office is located in downtown Chicago, IL in the Streeterville/Mag Mile area.

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the VP of Information Technology, the primary purpose of this position is to successfully direct the strategic and operational management of AOA's enterprise applications and underlying data environment. The incumbent manages interdepartmental and cross-functional teams in all project phases from requirements definition and solution design to testing, deployment and end user training. This position ensures all core business systems including AMS/CRM, LMS, custom-built PHP and .NET applications, and other mission-critical solutions are secure, scalable, and aligned with organizational priorities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provide strategic oversight and operational management of AOA's application ecosystem, including AMS/CRM (Salesforce/Fonteva, Cobalt), LMS, websites, and custom-built applications, ensuring best practices for configuration and integration.
• In partnership with VP of IT, oversee project portfolio from requirements to go-live, ensuring they align with organizational priorities, budget, and timelines.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders, technical leads, and subject matter experts to translate business needs into technology solutions.
• Lead all activities related to the design, planning, implementation, and administration of AOA's core business systems, including development, configuration, upgrade planning, systems testing and QA, security, backup, recovery, and user support.
• Serve as project lead on complex technology initiatives, guiding requirements gathering and solution design.
• Oversee system integrations, API management, and data exchanges across platforms to reduce silos and improve organizational data flow.
• Lead development of new features in PHP and .NET environments, making certain adherence to secure coding practices, scalability, and maintainability.
• Supervise database administration efforts, consisting of architecture, performance enhancements, monitoring, and security.
• Partner with data analyst team members to make sure data solutions meet current and future reporting, integration, and analysis needs.
• In partnership with VP of IT, manage external vendor relationships for custom-built applications and SaaS products including project oversight, SOW and contract management, and SLA performance.
• Define and maintain application governance processes for core business systems and support change management efforts.
• Contribute to data governance and quality efforts to keep consistent definitions and reliable data flows across platforms.
• In partnership with VP of IT, develop and manage annual budgets for enterprise applications and data platforms, providing financial oversight for projects, SaaS products, and vendor operations.
• Supervises the creation & updating of critical SOPs and training for AOA.
• Provides leadership, direction, and management to the team, including providing feedback, coaching support, mentoring, performance management, and professional development opportunities as appropriate.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Continuously research emerging technologies, such as AI, automation, and integration tools, to identify opportunities that modernize AOA's technology ecosystem.
• Participates in industry and other professional networks to ensure awareness of industry standards, trends, and best practices to strengthen organizational and technical knowledge.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION OR EQUIVALENTS

Education:
Bachelor's degree in a computer science, information technology, software engineering or equivalent work experience

Experience:

• 8+ years of work experience managing enterprise applications, database services, or software development, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Experience implementing, supporting, and optimizing Fonteva and/or Salesforce systems.
• Proven success managing custom-built applications using PHP, .NET, or similar web applications.
• Strong understanding of database architecture and performance optimization.
• Experience managing 3rd party vendors.
• Experience gathering, refining, and prioritizing requirements.
• Knowledge of both agile and traditional project management principles and practices.
• Experience with managing governance initiatives to guide strategy and prioritize initiatives across core enterprise systems.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to translate and bridge the gap between technical and business stakeholders.
• Experience managing budgets.
• Ability to provide constructive feedback on assignments.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent organization skills and attention to detail.
• Experience in an association, nonprofit, or member-based organization preferred.

Licensure or Certification:
N/A

Special Skills:

• Strong background in software development and project management
• Experience with Fonteva/Salesforce
• Familiarity with PHP, Laravel, C#.NET, MSSQL
• Familiarity with WordPress a plus
• Familiarity with Cobalt/MS Dynamics a plus
• Aptitude to learn and leverage new technologies

PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

This position is based in the AOA Chicago office,
requiring 2 days per (Tuesday and Wednesday) in-person each week.

Physical demands include the ability to remain in a stationary position, the ability to operate office equipment and the ability to move supplies and equipment up to 25 pounds.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

American Osteopathic Association is unable to sponsor work visas at this time.