Director, Core Infrastructure

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) is a nonprofit organization that currently advises on and manages more than $400 million in annual giving by individuals, families, corporations and major foundations. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors accelerates philanthropy in pursuit of a just world.
Continuing the Rockefeller family’s legacy of thoughtful, effective philanthropy, RPA remains at the forefront of philanthropic growth and innovation, with a diverse team led by experienced grantmakers with significant depth of knowledge across the spectrum of issue areas. Founded in 2002, RPA has grown into one of the world’s largest philanthropic service organizations and, as a whole, has facilitated more than $3 billion in grantmaking to nearly 70 countries. RPA serves as a fiscal sponsor for more than 120+ projects, providing governance, management and operational infrastructure to support their charitable purposes. For more information, please go to www.rockpa.org.

Role Overview 

The Director, Core Infrastructure is responsible for the strategic leadership, governance, and evolution of the organization's infrastructure ecosystem, ensuring secure, reliable, and resilient technology services that enable a global, remote-first workforce. Reporting to the VP, Technology, the Director translates the broader technology vision into the strategy, priorities, and roadmap for core infrastructure capabilities, including end-user computing, identity and access management, cloud platforms, service operations, cybersecurity enablement, and disaster recovery. The Director anticipates emerging technology, security, and operational risks, establishes long-term infrastructure strategies and standards, and resolves critical issues with lasting impact across functions ensuring infrastructure investments and capabilities align with organizational priorities, regulatory requirements, and future growth. 

 

Role Accountabilities  

User Infrastructure Strategy and Governancernance

Lead the strategic direction, governance, and continuous evolution of the organization's user infrastructure environment, including endpoint computing, asset management, identity and access management, and end-user technology services. 

• Establish enterprise standards, policies, and long-term roadmaps for device lifecycle management and workforce technology, ensuring secure, scalable, and cost-effective technology solutions. 

• Govern identity and access management strategy, controls, and standards to strengthen security, support compliance requirements, and enable a seamless user experience across the organization. 

User Support Services

Ensure technology support services deliver a consistently high-quality user experience by driving service excellence, operational effectiveness, and measurable outcomes across the organization's global workforce. 

• Set the strategic direction for Information Technology Infrastructure Library-based service management, including Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation and continual Service Improvement, establishing policies, performance expectations, and continuous improvement initiatives for incident, request, and support service delivery. 

 

Device & User Computing Strategy

Define and lead the organization's enterprise device and digital workplace strategy, establishing long-term direction for endpoint technologies, operating platforms, workforce productivity tools, and modern workplace capabilities.  

• Evaluate emerging technologies and investment opportunities, setting strategic priorities that balance user experience, security, scalability, operational efficiency, and cost effectiveness.  

• Establish enterprise-wide policies, standards, and governance for endpoint management, software deployment, and acceptable use, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives, risk management requirements, and technology roadmaps. 

 

Information Security Operations 

Direct infrastructure security operations and risk management activities to ensure the organization's technology environment remains secure, compliant, and resilient. 

• Partner with CISO resources to establish and embed infrastructure security strategies, standards, and operational controls that effectively manage enterprise risk and support organizational objectives.  

• Direct security operations within the infrastructure environment, ensuring the effectiveness of vulnerability management, endpoint protection, incident response, and remediation programs.  

• Monitor security performance, control effectiveness, and compliance outcomes, driving continuous improvement and ensuring readiness for regulatory, audit, and organizational requirements.  

• Ensure infrastructure services and operations align with data protection obligations, privacy requirements, and industry standards, proactively addressing emerging risks and evolving compliance expectations.  

• Lead the infrastructure response to significant security incidents and cyber events, coordinating cross-functional partners to minimize organizational impact, strengthen resilience, and implement long-term corrective actions. 

 

Cloud & Azure Infrastructure

Define and lead the organization's cloud infrastructure strategy, ensuring scalable, resilient, secure, and cost-effective technology platforms that support business objectives, enable innovation, and drive long-term operational sustainability. 

• Establish the long-term cloud infrastructure strategy, establishing roadmaps, standards, and investment priorities for Azure services, platform capabilities, and infrastructure modernization initiatives. 

• Govern cloud governance, capacity planning, performance, resilience, and cost optimization, ensuring technology investments support organizational objectives and future growth. 

• Lead the evolution of the organization's infrastructure ecosystem, driving platform integration, modernization, and architectural decisions that enhance security, scalability, operational effectiveness, and enterprise-wide interoperability. 

 

Disaster Recovery & Resilience

Lead the organization's disaster recovery and technology resilience strategy, ensuring critical systems, data, and infrastructure capabilities can withstand, recover from, and adapt to disruptions while supporting business continuity objectives. 

• Define and govern the organization's disaster recovery and technology resilience strategy, establishing recovery objectives, resilience standards, and long-term roadmaps for critical technology services. 

• Maintain disaster recovery preparedness, testing, and continuous improvement activities, ensuring risks are identified, assessed, and addressed to strengthen organizational resilience. 

• Lead infrastructure contributions to enterprise business continuity planning, ensuring technology capabilities, recovery processes, and resilience investments align with organizational priorities and risk management objectives. 

 

Complexity and Problem-solving 

• Works with full autonomy, contributes to creating strategies and setting priorities within broad strategic goals, and anticipates and resolves critical problems with long-term impact across functions, balancing long-term infrastructure modernization with immediate operational needs such as system reliability, IT support, and regulatory compliance. 

• Applies comprehensive knowledge to act independently while providing guidance and training to others on using clear and effective communication to express ideas, request actions, and formulate plans or policies, translating technical concepts for both technical and non-technical audiences. 

• Works without supervision and provides expert technical guidance, having expert knowledge of systems and tools, on collecting, analyzing, and diagramming infrastructure, security, and service performance data from multiple sources to draw appropriate conclusions and make suitable recommendations. 

• Recognized as an expert on analyzing data trends and conducting gap analyses between current and future states for use in reports and infrastructure and security roadmaps that guide decision-making for clients and the business. 

• Navigates the complexity of securing and supporting systems across functions and jurisdictions, with a keen awareness of nonprofit fiscal and legal constraints; develops positive relationships across boundaries to align solutions and establishes and maintains a high level of trust and confidence. 

• Anticipates emerging risks and organizational needs, developing and implementing policies and solutions that position Technology Services ahead of the business. 

Supervisory Responsibility

• Lead and develop a team and external partners; foster a culture of listening, teaching, and learning by creating frameworks, shared resources, and clear processes that enable strategic decision-making and ensure quality, accountability, and cost-effective delivery. 

• All facets of this position are self-directed within the policies and procedures approved by the CEO and broad guidelines established by the VP, Technology. 

• This position is responsible to the VP, Technology for the fiscal management of infrastructure, support, and security operations, and in this capacity rules on the allocation of expenditures. 

• This position is responsible for budget input, contracts, and service agreements associated with the function’s programs and initiatives, including vendor, licensing, and managed service agreements. 

Key Qualifications and Experiences 

• Advanced degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field preferred, or equivalent experience required. 

• 10-12+ years of progressive experience in IT infrastructure and operations, including responsibility for endpoint management, identity, and user support. 

• 3-5+ years in a leadership role within a nonprofit, philanthropic, or mission-driven global organization preferred. 

• Proven record in IT service management, including help desk operations, ITIL-based processes, and infrastructure support for a distributed workforce. 

• Hands-on expertise with Microsoft 365, Entra ID, Intune, and Azure infrastructure services (compute, storage, networking, identity). 

• Demonstrated experience in security operations, including vulnerability management, endpoint protection, and incident response, and in partnering with security leadership or CISO functions. 

• Experience designing and testing disaster recovery and backup solutions for cloud and hybrid environments. 

• Strong vendor and project management experience, with ability to drive results through external partners and internal teams. 

Travel Requirements

• Some travel may be required. 

Mission and Values
The incumbent in the role must demonstrate a commitment to RPA’s Mission and Values:

At Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, our mission is to accelerate philanthropy in pursuit of a just world, by providing deep global expertise to make philanthropy more thoughtful, equitable and effective. 

• We believe that philanthropy can help create a better world.

• We make decisions that center people and communities.

• We believe philanthropy has a responsibility to pursue equity.

• We uphold the highest standards of integrity and trust.

• We are committed to learning and sharing knowledge. 

If our mission resonates with you, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every qualification listed. You may bring valuable perspectives and experiences that aren’t captured here but could contribute meaningfully to our work. We’re excited to learn what you can offer.

Compensation & Benefits

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including health coverage, retirement benefits, paid sick leave, vacation and holidays, tuition reimbursement and access to professional development resources.

The salary range is one component of the total compensation package for employees.

 

Pay Range: $173,000 - $180,000 salary per year.

Application Process

Applications will be reviewed as received. In order to be considered, all applications must include a cover letter describing your interest and qualifications and your resume. The position will remain open until filled.

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors celebrates the uniqueness of our staff, our partners, and the communities we serve. We are committed to inclusion with the goal of cultivating a culture of belonging and acceptance. We strive to embed this value in our philanthropic work to advance a more just, equitable and sustainable world.

RPA is an equal opportunity employer.