Director of Technology

Job Summary

The Director of Technology is responsible for leading, scaling, and modernizing Saxbys’ IT function to support reliable day-to-day operations and continued multi-unit growth across our current and projected footprint. This role owns the full IT operating model, including internal resources, external interface with university & Dining Service Provider partners, and technology vendors, with a particular focus on supporting new cafe openings across multiple geographies.

IT Leadership

• Serve as the IT leader, setting standards, and priorities aligned with company growth plans.
• Translate operational needs into scalable technology solutions and manage the IT budget to ensure cost-effectiveness and maximized ROI.
• Establish clear IT governance, intake, prioritization, and escalation models.

Org Design & Vendor Management

• Drive decisions related to internal staffing versus outsourced support, particularly during "burst" periods of new cafe openings.
• Develop a scalable organization that optimizes the service and ROI between a small internal IT team and relevant MSP/vendor relationships.
• Negotiate contracts, manage renewals, and ensure vendors meet performance expectations.

External Partnership Engagement

• Interface with university partners, dining service providers, and campus IT teams to align on technology requirements, compliance standards, infrastructure needs, and implementation timelines.
• Project-manage cross-stakeholder execution to ensure cafe technology is approved, installed, tested, and ready for launch.

Cafe Technology

• Design, configure, and deploy technology infrastructure, networks, and POS for new cafe openings.
• Oversee the use of technology to enhance the guest experience, including 1st and 3rd party ordering platforms, the Saxbys App, and core systems like Toast (POS) and XtraChef (back office).
• Manage in-cafe hardware such as digital signage, security cameras, POS/printers, and tablets.

New Cafe Openings & Expansion

• Own IT project management and execution for all new cafe openings.
• Design scalable deployment models for predictable seasonal opening surges (Aug–Oct, Jan–Feb).
• Cookware procurement, POS setup, and network connectivity to ensure cafes are operationally ready at opening and stable post-launch.

Infrastructure, Security & Compliance

• Oversee the design and maintenance of company IT infrastructure, including networks, servers, identity management, MDM, and cloud services.
• Develop and implement security policies to protect data from cyber threats, ensuring compliance with PCI DSS and CCPA.
• Conduct regular security audits and oversee team training on best practices.

IT Operations & Reliability

• Ensure consistent uptime and reliability across all cafe and HQ systems.
• Define and enforce service levels (SLAs) and incident response protocols.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation and SOPs for all IT systems and procedures.

AI Administration & Enablement

• Serve as the day-to-day administrator and execution partner for Saxbys’ AI tools and enablement efforts, including Claude and other approved AI platforms.
• Partner with the COO on the execution of Saxbys’ AI strategy by managing access, permissions, governance, vendor coordination, user support, training logistics, and responsible-use practices.
• Help translate AI strategy into practical workflows, adoption plans, and scalable support processes across departments.

Data Architecture & Application Management

• Develop and implement a data management strategy to ensure quality, accuracy, and accessibility across systems.
• Oversee the development of a data lake & extraction architecture that integrates systems that are currently fragmented.
• Partner with stakeholders to select and build business applications (including AI) that leverage the aggregated data layer.

Team Leadership

• Lead and develop a small internal IT team, creating clarity around roles, responsibilities, and expectations.
• Create documentation and knowledge-sharing practices to reduce single points of failure.

Who You Will Support

• Operations Team: Ensure technology supports seamless daily operations and guest experiences.
• People Operations & Accounting Teams: Support the selection and maintenance of HRIS and financial systems.
• Marketing Team: Collaborate on the Saxbys App and digital guest engagement platforms.
• Partner Development Team: Provide technology infrastructure and support for new university partnerships.
• Company Wide: Manage device planning, distribution, and troubleshooting across all departments — including laptops and conference systems.

What You Will Supervise

• This position will supervise a small internal IT team and manage relationships with relevant Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and technology vendors.

What Success Looks Like

• 99.9% uptime for all critical cafe and HQ technology systems.
• 100% of new cafe openings completed on schedule with fully functional and stable IT infrastructure.
• IT budget maintained within established targets while maximizing ROI on technology investments.
• Successful completion of annual security audits and maintenance of PCI DSS compliance.
• Establishment of a service-oriented IT culture with high internal stakeholder satisfaction scores.
• Clear AI administration model established, including access management, governance, user support, and adoption tracking.
• Increased practical adoption of approved AI tools across departments in alignment with company strategy and responsible-use standards.
• Execution of a data architecture project - leveraging external partners - that integrates fragmented system and enables clean data extraction.

What You Have Done

• 7+ years of progressive IT leadership experience, preferably in retail, hospitality, or a multi-unit environment.
• Proven track record of scaling IT infrastructure to support rapid organizational growth.
• Experience with cafe, restaurant, retail, or field-based technology environments.
• Strong knowledge of POS systems (Toast experience is a plus) and cafe-specific technology.
• Experience implementing and managing security frameworks and compliance standards (PCI, CCPA).
• Hands-on experience building workflows and automations using AI tools such as Claude (preferred), ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, or similar platforms.
• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field.