Executive Director, Information Technology

Reporting to the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer the Executive Director of Information Systems Technology & Security Services provides strategic and operational leadership for the Institutes enterprise technology organization. The Executive Director oversees information technology infrastructure enterprise applications cybersecurity scientific computing cloud services data management and technology planning in support of Salks scientific administrative and operational mission.

The Executive Director leads a department of approximately 17 staff. This position partners closely with Salk administration and faculty to develop technology strategies that strengthen research capabilities improve institutional operations mitigate risk and align technology investments with Salks strategic priorities.

Who We Are

The Salk Institute is an internationally renowned research institution that valuesall members of our scientific community. We seek bold and interactive leaders passionate about exploring new frontiers in science. Our collaborative community embraces perspectives across discipline professional acumen and unique life experiences fostering innovation and a sense of belonging. Together we strive to improve the wellbeing of humanity through groundbreaking research.

Founded by Jonas Salk developer of the first safe and effective polio vaccine the Institute is an independent nonprofit research organization and architectural landmark: small by choice intimate by nature and fearless in the face of any challenge. Salks vibrant community has many talented individuals from varied backgrounds each playing a crucial role in driving our mission forward. Fromvisionary leadersto dedicatedadministratorsand brilliantfaculty members the Institute is united by a shared passion for scientific exploration and innovation.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute the Institutes enterprise technology strategy in alignment with Salks Strategic Plan.
• Provide visionary leadership for Information Technology Information Systems Scientific Computing and Cybersecurity Services.
• Establish enterprise technology governance ensuring technology priorities align with institutional goals and operational needs.
• Evaluate emerging technologies including enterprise and administrative uses of artificial intelligence and cloud computing to improve research capabilities and administrative operations.
• Foster a culture of innovation collaboration continuous improvement and customer service throughout the technology organization.
• Partners with stakeholders to develop and execute Salks artificial intelligence strategy for administrative operations ensuring AI investments align with institutional priorities improve organizational effectiveness and are implemented with appropriate governance security and accountability.

Technology Operations & Risk

• Direct all enterprise technology operations including infrastructure networking cloud services storage virtualization endpoint computing identity management enterprise applications and service management.
• Ensure the availability reliability scalability and security of enterprise technology systems supporting research and administrative operations.
• Lead institutional cybersecurity strategy incident response business continuity disaster recovery and enterprise risk management.
• Oversee enterprise application platforms supporting Finance Human Resources Research Administration identity management reporting analytics and institutional operations.
• Ensure technology architecture integrations and data governance support long-term institutional objectives

Scientific Computing & Research

• Provide strategic oversight of research cloud services high-performance computing resources scientific data storage research networking and shared computational infrastructure.
• Partner with faculty and research leadership to advance scientific computing capabilities that support computational biology genomics imaging AI machine learning and data-intensive research.
• Support technology initiatives that accelerate scientific discovery while balancing performance cost security and sustainability.

Operational Management

• Develop and manage the departments operating and capital budgets.
• Oversee technology procurement vendor relationships software licensing consulting engagements and contract negotiations.
• Develop long-term technology roadmaps and investment strategies based on institutional priorities lifecycle planning and risk management.
• Monitor technology performance metrics and service delivery to ensure operational excellence and continuous improvement.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead mentor develop and evaluate a high-performing technology organization.
• Build collaborative partnerships with faculty executive leadership administrative departments and external partners.
• Present technology strategies investment recommendations project updates and institutional risks to executive leadership and governance committees.
• Promote a service-oriented culture that values transparency accountability innovation and operational excellence.
• Performs other related duties as assigned by management.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Directly and indirectly supervises approximately 17 employees across Information Technology Information Systems Scientific Computing and related technology functions.
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with Institute policies and applicable laws.
• Responsibilities include organizational planning hiring developing and evaluating staff assigning and directing work addressing performance concerns resolving issues and building succession and workforce plans.

What we Require

Required Skills and Experience:

• Bachelors degree in Computer Science Information Systems Engineering Business Administration or a related discipline.
• Minimum of twelve (12) years of progressive leadership experience in Information Technology.
• Minimum of seven (7) years leading enterprise technology organizations with responsibility for multiple technology disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience leading:
  • Enterprise Information Technology Operations
  • Information Systems and Enterprise Applications
  • Cybersecurity and Risk Management
  • Scientific Computing or Research Computing
  • Cloud Computing Services
  • Infrastructure Operations
  • IT Governance
  • Enterprise Architecture
  • Vendor and Contract Management
  • Budget Development and Financial Management
  • Organizational Change Management
  • Strategic Planning

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Masters degree in related discipline or Business Administration
• Experience working within one or more of the following environments:
  • Research Institutions
  • Higher Education
  • Biomedical Research
  • Healthcare Systems
  • Biotechnology
  • Life Sciences
  • Nonprofit Organizations

• Computer and technical skills:
  • Enterprise resource planning and financial information systems
  • Human Resource Information Systems or Human Capital Management (HRIS/HCM)
  • IT service management and workflow platforms
  • Cloud platforms with AWS experience preferred
  • Business intelligence reporting and analytics tools
  • Identity and access management technologies
  • Cybersecurity and risk-management platforms
  • Microsoft Office and project or portfolio management tools
  • Experience leading enterprise or administrative adoption of artificial intelligence with demonstrated knowledge of AI governance and organizational change management. Working knowledge of the ServiceNow AI platform and its AI capabilities is strongly preferred.

What We Can Offer

The expected pay range for this position is $240000-$285000 per annum.Salk Institute provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the institute reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position the qualifications of the selected candidate departmental budget availability internal equity geographic location and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Benefits

Salk Institute offers competitive benefits including medical dental vision retirement paid time off tuition reimbursement patient advocacy services and transit/parking program.

Salk Values

The Salk Community both scientists and administrators worked together to define values that we believe support Salks pursuit of excellence. To be truly the best scientific institution requires not only incredible discoveries but a common understanding of how we should work together to enable those discoveries.

The acronym I CARE provides a simple way to remember each of the values and reminds each of us of the importance of what we do each day.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal access to opportunities for students employees applicants for employment and other visitors. Salk has also adopted and maintains a policy to encourage professional and respectful workplace behavior and prevent discriminatory and harassing conduct in our workplace.

Accordingly the Institute prohibits harassment and discrimination in employment on the basis of and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to actual or perceived race (race is inclusive of traits associated with race including but not limited to hair texture and protective hairstyles. Protective hairstyles include but not limited to such hairstyles as braids and twists) color religion religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices) national origin ancestry citizenship physical or mental disability medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics) genetic information marital status age sex (including pregnancy childbirth breastfeeding or related medical conditions) reproductive health decision making gender gender identity gender expression sexual orientation veteran and/or military status (disabled veteran veteran of the Vietnam era other covered veteran status) political affiliation and any other status protected by state or federal law.

Discrimination is prohibited with any intersectionality of the above-mentioned characteristics including:

1. Any combination of characteristics.
2. A perception that the person has any of the characteristics or any combination of those characteristics.
3. A perception that the person is associated with a person who has or is perceived to have any of those characteristics or any combination of those characteristics.

Required Experience:

Director