The Director, IT Finance brings order, rigor, and financial discipline to Hearst Technology Services' (HTS) enterprise IT and software asset landscape. Reporting to the VP of Finance & Business Operations, this role owns the governance and data integrity of HTS's assets and is the steward of asset data quality feeding cost, budget, and compliance reporting enterprise-wide. This is fundamentally a finance-and-governance role for someone who loves technology: the right candidate has built a career at the intersection of IT and Finance — in IT financial management, technology business management, FP&A, or digital finance. Success requires the diplomacy to align infrastructure, security, automation and business unit stakeholders around shared priorities and data standards; the judgment to evaluate and potentially replatform the current asset management toolset; and a genuine enthusiasm for using AI and automation to replace manual, error-prone process with something better.
1. Governance, Data Quality & Rigor
Own end-to-end governance of the enterprise asset system of record, improve data standards, ownership, and audit trails across the hardware and software asset lifecycle
Drive a step-change improvement in asset data quality and integrity — closing gaps between source systems (procurement, billing, CMDB, and the TBM/ITFM platform) and eliminating manual reconciliation
Chair the Configuration Control Board and related governance forums, converting operational input into enforced standards and holding stakeholders accountable to them
Hold asset owners accountable for data quality and improvement in a way that fosters collaboration
Serve as the point of contact for internal and external audit requests tied to IT/software asset compliance, ensuring documentation and licensing position stand up to scrutiny
2. Financial Management, Licensing & Contracts
Own software license true-up and optimization for major enterprise vendors (e.g., Microsoft, Adobe, ServiceNow), partnering with Technology Sourcing and Procurement on contract terms and FP&A on cost/GL alignment
Analyze software and hardware utilization data to identify, quantify, and act on cost-recovery, deprovisioning, and right-sizing opportunities
Bring total-cost-of-ownership thinking and financial rigor to every major licensing renewal, vendor negotiation, and platform decision
Contribute to strategic contract negotiations and renewals alongside Technology Sourcing and Procurement
3. Platform Strategy & Replatforming
Own the strategic direction of the enterprise IT/software asset management platform: assess current-state limitations, lead proof-of-concept evaluations of alternative or complementary platforms, and build the business case for replatforming where warranted
Ensure the asset platform strategy integrates cleanly with upstream and downstream systems — procurement, billing, CMDB, and the TBM/ITFM reporting environment
Lead platform implementation and upgrade initiatives end-to-end, including requirements, stakeholder alignment, and vendor management
4. Operational Partnership & Prioritization
Serve as the connective tissue between infrastructure, security, application, and business unit stakeholders on internal priorities — using diplomacy and influence, without direct authority, to drive consensus on competing priorities
Run recurring governance and reporting cadences with business units to validate license usage, forecast costs, and surface risk
Bring structure to historically fragmented or inconsistent processes, establishing clear ownership, cadence, and accountability across operational groups
5. AI & Automation Enablement
Champion the use of AI and automation to eliminate manual, error-prone asset and licensing workflows — from automated deprovisioning to AI-assisted reconciliation and reporting
Partner with the TBM function and broader IT organization to extend enterprise AI initiatives into asset management, identifying and piloting new use cases
Stay current on emerging AI/automation capabilities in the ITAM/SAM space and bring recommendations back to leadership
6. Team Leadership & People Management
Manage software/hardware asset managers and contractors, evolving the team's remit from transactional provisioning toward data-driven, business-intelligence-style asset governance
Guide team development, role evolution, and succession planning
Partner closely with the VP of Finance & Business Operations and peer functional leads (Technology Sourcing and Procurement, TBM, FP&A) as part of the HTS Finance & Business Operations leadership teamRequired Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
7+ years of experience in IT financial management, technology business management, FP&A, or digital finance
At least 3 years of experience in a leadership or strategic capacity
A background rooted in IT finance, technology business management, or digital finance — rather than traditional IT asset administration — with a genuine, demonstrated interest in technology and how it's financed, sourced, and governed
Demonstrated experience with procurement processes, contract structuring/negotiation, and enterprise software licensing (e.g., Microsoft, Adobe, or similar large-scale agreements)
Strong financial acumen: comfortable analyzing spend and utilization data, building total-cost-of-ownership models, and translating findings into clear recommendations for technical and executive audiences alike
Demonstrated experience driving data quality or data governance improvement across a financial, technology, or reporting system
Highly diplomatic, with excellent stakeholder management and negotiation skills, and a proven ability to build consensus across operational groups without direct authority over them
Genuine enthusiasm for AI and automation as tools to modernize manual process, with examples of having championed or implemented automation in a prior role
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience presenting to senior executives
- Preferred Qualifications
Working knowledge of digital or technology operations
Experience responding to internal and/or external audits (e.g., financial, compliance, or licensing audits)
Experience leading a platform evaluation, RFP, or replatforming initiative
FinOps, TBM Council (TBMA/CTBMP), or similar professional certification
Experience managing a Microsoft enterprise agreement renewal, including familiarity with Microsoft's consumption/pricing constructs (e.g., CPS)
Extensive career experience within publicly traded, public, or Fortune 500-type organizations
- Key Tools & Platforms
Enterprise TBM/ITFM platform (e.g., Apptio) — downstream cost/chargeback integration
Microsoft 365 and Adobe licensing/administration portals
Automation and virtual-agent tools for provisioning and self-service workflows
Emerging AI tools for reconciliation, reporting, and license optimization
In accordance with applicable law, Hearst is required to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role if hired in New York City. The reasonable estimate, if hired in New York City, is $170,000 - $190,000. Please note this information is specific to those hired in New York City. If this role is open to candidates outside of New York City, the salary range would be aligned to that specific location. A final decision on the successful candidate’s starting salary will be based on a number of permissible, non-discriminatory factors, including but not limited to skills and experience, training, certifications, and education. Hearst provides a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance, 401(k), paid holidays and paid time off, employee assistance programs, and more.
About UsOur portfolio includes more than 360 businesses worldwide. On the consumer side, we operate 35 television stations, 28 daily newspapers and publish more than 200 magazine editions featuring many of the most iconic brands in media. We also hold ownership stakes in leading cable networks such as A&E, HISTORY, Lifetime and ESPN. On the business-to-business side, our companies include Fitch Group, a global leader in financial information and analytics; Hearst Health, which provides intelligence and software that improve care outcomes; and Hearst Transportation, which delivers data and software for aviation, automotive and trucking.
Our strength lies in our people. We value the diverse perspectives that move us forward. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex or gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, military or veteran status or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law. We also provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees consistent with applicable law.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience
- 7+ years of experience in IT financial management, technology business management, FP&A, or digital finance
- At least 3 years of experience in a leadership or strategic capacity
- Background in IT finance, technology business management, or digital finance, with demonstrated interest in technology financing, sourcing, and governance
- Experience with procurement processes, contract structuring or negotiation, and enterprise software licensing
- Strong financial acumen, including spend and utilization analysis, total-cost-of-ownership modeling, and executive recommendations
- Experience driving data quality or data governance improvements across a financial, technology, or reporting system
- Strong stakeholder management, diplomacy, negotiation, and consensus-building skills without direct authority
- Experience championing or implementing AI or automation to modernize manual processes
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including presenting to senior executives
- Working knowledge of digital or technology operations
- Experience responding to internal or external financial, compliance, or licensing audits
- Experience leading a platform evaluation, RFP, or replatforming initiative
- FinOps, TBM Council TBMA/CTBMP, or similar professional certification
- Experience managing a Microsoft enterprise agreement renewal and familiarity with Microsoft consumption and pricing constructs such as CPS
- Extensive experience in publicly traded, public, or Fortune 500-type organizations
Hearst Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Hearst and has not been reviewed or approved by Hearst.
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare coverage is described as comprehensive, including medical plan choice, full in-network preventive coverage, dental and vision, telemedicine, prescription coverage, and fertility resources. Mental-health resources and other wellbeing services (e.g., therapy sessions, crisis support, virtual physical therapy, and chronic-condition programs) further strengthen the health offering.
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Retirement Support — Retirement support is positioned as meaningful through a 401(k) plan with company matching and Hearst covering plan administration fees. Performance bonuses are also noted as available in some roles, adding an additional rewards component beyond base pay.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time-off benefits include paid holidays, paid sick days, and vacation time with a commonly cited annual range, alongside paid parental leave and family medical leave. A remote work program and flexibility signals are also included as part of the overall rewards experience.
Hearst Insights
What We Do
Hearst is a leading global, diversified media, information and services company with more than 360 businesses. Its major interests include ownership in cable television networks such as A&E, HISTORY, Lifetime and ESPN; global financial services leader Fitch Group; Hearst Health, a group of medical information and services businesses; transportation assets including CAMP Systems International, a major provider of software-as-a-service solutions for managing maintenance of jets and helicopters; 33 television stations such as WCVB-TV in Boston and KCRA-TV in Sacramento, California, which reach a combined 19 percent of U.S. viewers; newspapers such as the Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle and Times Union (Albany, New York); more than 300 magazines around the world, including Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Men's Health and Car and Driver, and digital services businesses such as iCrossing and KUBRA; and investments in emerging digital entertainment companies such as Complex Networks.
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