Director of Technology

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Description: 

At Delta Dental of North Carolina, our mission is to improve the oral health and the overall well-being of the communities we serve.  We believe that everyone – and we mean everyone – deserves a healthy smile. We are the fastest growing Delta Dental in the nation.  Named as a Best Employer in North Carolina, we are proud of our diverse workforce and our commitment to the continued development and recognition of our associates.  If you share our passion, come join our team and help us continue our growth trajectory

Primary Job Responsibilities:

Position Summary:

The Director of Technology leads Delta Dental of North Carolina's information technology function and serves as the organization's senior technical voice in strategic planning, partner governance, and emerging technology decisions.  This position is responsible for maintaining a relationship with the managed services partner and building select internal capabilities over time.

The Director reports to the Vice President, Operations and participates in management meetings, strategic planning, and Board engagements. The role will lead the organization's first internally-owned technology initiatives - a data modernization effort built on a cloud-based data platform, and the application of automation and AI to improve how the business operates. The Director also manages the Strategic  Data Analyst and provides the organization with the leadership capacity to bring additional technical functions in-house, if and when that becomes the right decision.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Partner and Vendor Governance

• Serves as the primary owner of Delta Dental of North Carolina's managed IT services relationship, accountable for performance, value, and alignment with the organization's needs.
• Leads recurring meetings with the managed services partner, reviews service delivery against contracted expectations, addresses escalations, and drives progress on shared initiatives.
• Reviews and refines technology-related contracts, ensuring terms support clarity, accountability, and the organization's evolving requirements.
• Manages vendor relationships supporting facility technologies, including audio/visual systems, access control, and surveillance systems.
• Provides oversight of systems and infrastructure delivered by managed services providers  including network, endpoint, identity, help desk, and security operations, coordinating across teams to ensure issues are resolved and priorities advance.

Strategy and External Engagement

• Serves as Delta Dental of North Carolina's senior technical voice in management meetings, strategic planning, and Board engagements, translating technology considerations into terms that support sound business decisions.
• Provides executive-level guidance on technology investments, architecture, and operations, including evaluation of emerging capabilities such as AI and automation platforms for applicability, security, and ROI.
• Supports long-term strategic planning and contributes to the organization's technology roadmap, identifying where internal capability, partner delivery, or a combination best serves the business.
• Represents Delta Dental of North Carolina in affiliation-level technical and security governance forums, ensuring local interests are reflected in affiliation policy and strategy decisions.
• Cultivates relationships with technical leaders within the business community, supporting business development and identifying opportunities for partnership.

Data Platform Development

• Implements and manages a cloud-based data platform (e.g., Snowflake) to serve as a foundation for improved reporting and analytics.
• Oversees data pipelines, transformation processes, and access controls to ensure data integrity, security, and availability, partnering with the business’s Data Analyst responsible for reporting.
• Establishes and maintains governance practices around permissions, data usage, and system performance, including efficient sizing, scheduling, and monitoring of computer activities.

Automation and AI Enablement

• Identifies opportunities across the business where automation or AI can reduce manual work, improve accuracy, or unlock new capabilities, prioritizing use cases based on business value and feasibility.
• Develops, governs, and manages automation and AI solutions built on platforms such as Microsoft Power Automate and Copilot.
• Maintains working fluency with emerging AI capabilities, including agent-based solutions, and applies that knowledge to evaluate where new tools can deliver meaningful business value.

Security, Risk and Compliance

• Ensures technology systems and partner-delivered services adhere to applicable regulations and standards, including HIPAA and PHI protection.
• Partners with the organization’s CISO, Compliance Officer, and Legal Counsel to support audits, risk assessments, and remediation activities.
• Contributes to business continuity planning, vendor risk management, and the evaluation of new tools and vendors.

Team and Talent

• Manages and develops the business’s Strategic Data Analyst, providing structure, mentorship, and clear expectations as that role’s needs evolve.
• Shapes the organization's technical talent strategy over time, including the size, scope, and composition of the internal team as business needs warrant.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements:

Required:

• 8+ years of progressive experience in IT, including leadership responsibility for systems and technical staff
• Demonstrated experience managing vendor relationships and outsourced technical services
• Experience working within highly regulated industries (e.g., healthcare, finance, insurance)
• Strong understanding of data security, governance, and compliance requirements
• Working knowledge of infrastructure fundamentals (networking, endpoint management, system administration)
• Familiarity with AI technologies and their application in business environments
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with executive leadership and translate technical considerations into business terms

Preferred:

• Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or a related field
• Experience working at or alongside a managed services provider, with exposure across functions such as Helpdesk, patching and backups, client management, and strategic planning
• Track record of building or leading technical teams with multiple direct reports
• Experience implementing or managing cloud-based data platforms (e.g., Snowflake or similar)
• Experience with automation platforms such as Microsoft Power Automate or equivalent

Key Competencies

• Confident and credible presence with leadership, partners, and the Board
• Sound judgment in balancing internal capability development with continued partner delivery
• Comfortable operating as both strategist and direct contributor as conditions require
• Pragmatic, business-first approach to emerging technologies

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods sitting or standing at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, ethnicity or national origin, genetic information, disability status, sex, sexual orientation, military status or any other classifications protected under federal, state or local law or ordinance