VP of IT

Position Summary

Serves as a strategic and operational leader responsible for advancing Goodwill Houston’s technology vision. Provide executive oversight of all IT functions, ensuring the organization’s IT infrastructure, systems, data, and digital capabilities enable efficient service delivery in retail operations. The VP of IT partners closely with executive leadership to align technology strategies with organizational priorities, driving innovation, scalability, and operational excellence across a complex, multi-site enterprise. This leader is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive IT roadmap that enhances business performance, improves the client and associate experience, and ensures data-driven decision making. As a member of the enterprise senior leadership team, the VP fosters cross-functional collaboration, builds strong relationships with internal stakeholders, and manages external vendor partnerships.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
• Develop and execute a comprehensive multi-year IT strategy aligned with Goodwill Houston’s growth priorities, and operational objectives.
• Ensure technology systems and infrastructure support company growth, acquisitions, geographic expansion, and integration of new business operations.
• Serve as the senior technology advisor to executive leadership on emerging technologies, risks, and opportunities.
• Lead digital transformation initiatives to modernize systems, processes, and service delivery.
• Technology & Operations Management
• Oversee all IT functions including infrastructure, networking, cloud platforms, telecommunications, cyber security, data management, and all business applications.
• Ensure reliability, performance, and scalability of enterprise systems, including POS, ERP, CRM, and utilization and application of AI technologies and enhanced PowerBI reporting.
• Evaluate, recommend, and implement technology solutions that improve efficiency, productivity, customer experience, profitability, reporting and scalability.
• Lead enterprise system implementations, integrations, upgrades, migrations and technology modernization initiatives across multiple business units and locations.
• Establish and monitor service levels to ensure high-quality IT service delivery across all functions.
• Cybersecurity & Risk Management
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive cybersecurity program to protect organizational data and system, including risk management, incident response, disaster recovery, business continuity planning, access controls and security awareness initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, legal and donor requirements.
• Data & Analytics
• Lead enterprise data strategy, including governance, quality, and accessibility.
• Enable reporting and analytics capabilities to support performance management and strategic decision-making.
• Promote a data-driven culture.
• Financial & Vendor Management
• Develop annual technology budgets, capital expenditure plans, vendor strategies, and long-term technology investment recommendations.
• Negotiate and manage third party vendor relationships, contracts, and service agreements.
• Identify opportunities to optimize costs and improve efficiency.
• People Leadership
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing IT team.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Drive change management and adoption of new technologies across the organization.
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Establish and monitor technology performance metrics, service level expectations, system availability standards and project milestones.
• Partner with business leaders across retail, programs, and operations to identify and deliver best-in-class technology solutions.
• Communicate IT priorities, progress, and value to internal and external stakeholders.

Additional Responsibilities

• Demonstrate professionalism, good judgment, and present a friendly, cooperative attitude.
• Ability to multitask, make quick decisions, adapt to change, and collaborate effectively in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
• Manage self and priorities to meet agreed deliverables and deadlines.
• Adhere to all GWH Policies & Procedures, Loss Prevention & Safety Regulations, and GWH Guiding Principles.
• Maintain a high level of confidentiality.
• Manage self and priorities to meet agreed deliverables and deadlines.
• Adhere to local, state, and federal laws and regulations.

Minimum Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive IT leadership experience, including senior/executive roles.
• Experience leading IT in a multi-site or distributed environment required.
• Background in retail, logistics, supply chain preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Business Administration, or related field required.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Strong understanding of cyber security frameworks, system integration, cloud infrastructure, networking, disaster recovery, business continuity planning, and enterprise risk management.
• Experience managing ERP, CRM, financial systems, operational systems, customer facing technology platforms, and business intelligence tools.
• Experience in Microsoft 365, Power Platform, Workday, cyber security tools, networking infrastructure and cloud technologies.
• Cloud platforms and infrastructure modernization.
• Cybersecurity frameworks and best practices.
• Enterprise applications (ERP, CRM, POS systems).
• Data architecture, reporting, and analytics tools.
• Demonstrated success leading digital transformation, including AI, and enterprise wide system implementations.