Director of Technology and Innovation

DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION Since 1966, the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) has been dedicated to providing innovative, high-quality, and cost-effective educational programs and services to meet the diverse needs of children and adults in Greater Hartford. Serving 33 member districts and reaching additional communities statewide, CREC supports approximately 12,000 students annually through more than 120 educational programs.

Our offerings include professional learning and coaching for educators, specialized programming for students with diverse needs, and PreK-12 education across 16 interdistrict magnet schools. Additionally, CREC provides school operations and cooperative business services, while also delivering programs that help adults build real, job-ready skills.

Position Summary

The Director of Technology and Innovation (DTI) serves as CREC's senior leader across the full range of technology functions. Reporting to the Director of Operations, the DTI provides strategic vision and leadership for operational technology agency-wide while helping CREC identify and leverage emerging technologies that enhance educational services, organizational effectiveness, workforce productivity, and operational excellence.

With the support of a talented group of technology department leaders and employees, the DTI directs and oversees CREC's enterprise technology environment, including infrastructure, networks, cybersecurity, cloud services, enterprise applications, data governance, customer support services, artificial intelligence, and technology-enabled innovation initiatives.

The DTI works collaboratively with leaders across all divisions, schools, and programs to ensure technology investments are institutionally coordinated and align with CREC's mission, strategic priorities, and long-term organizational goals. Serving as a strategic advisor to leadership, the DTI guides the organization's digital transformation efforts, advancing its technological capabilities in order to elevate CREC as a premier leader in educational innovation.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership Translate organizational priorities into a comprehensive technology and innovation roadmap, with input from department and organizational leadership. Provide strategic leadership and direction agency-wide for technology operations, infrastructure, cybersecurity, enterprise systems, and customer support services.

Continuously identify opportunities to improve operational effectiveness, to leverage emerging technologies, and to implement innovative technological solutions that reduce organizational risk and advance CREC's mission. Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to advance technology and innovation initiatives, including building partnerships with school and program leaders, technology providers, higher education institutions, governmental agencies, and professional organizations.

Communicate complex technology concepts in clear, practical terms to diverse stakeholder groups. Technology Operations In partnership with the technology leadership team, develop a plan to implement the technology roadmap through articulated initiatives, timelines, and lines of responsibility. Direct the financial management of technology operations, including developing the budget, ensuring fiscal compliance through rigorous expenditure monitoring, and actively pursuing alternative funding sources.

Oversee the development and maintenance of proper technology governance practices, disaster recovery plans, business continuity strategies, and cybersecurity protocols. Lead, mentor, support, and develop technology professionals while establishing clear expectations and accountability. Create a technology team culture characterized by collaboration, responsiveness, security, continuous improvement, and excellent service.

Provide leadership and guidance on technology policy, cybersecurity, data governance, and digital transformation initiatives. Develop and monitor technology performance metrics and customer service outcomes to drive continuous improvement. Prepare reports, presentations, recommendations, and strategic analyses for leadership.

Innovation, AI and Digital Transformation Develop and lead CREC's enterprise strategy for innovation, artificial intelligence, automation, and digital transformation. Foster a culture of innovation, experimentation, and continuous learning across the technology team and the organization. Establish technology operational structures that will enable the organization to leverage AI and emerging technologies to improve efficiency, effectiveness, service delivery, decision-making, and educational outcomes.

Partner with agency leaders to redesign workflows, modernize business processes, and improve productivity through technology-enabled solutions. Establish frameworks and practices that promote the ethical, responsible, secure, and effective use of artificial intelligence. Monitor technology developments in AI, automation, cybersecurity, data analytics, and emerging technologies and assess their implications for CREC.

Evaluate, pilot, and scale innovative technologies that create value for CREC and its member districts. Serve as executive sponsor and strategic advisor to CREC's AI Ethics and Innovation Committee and related technology governance groups. Develop and implement opportunities to provide technology services and supports to CREC's member districts, including evaluating opportunities to reestablish regional/statewide technology councils.

Represent CREC in regional, state, and national conversations related to operational technology, emerging technologies in education, and innovation and digital transformation. Supervisor Responsibility This position manages and is responsible for the performance management of the technology leadership team and other employees of the department.

Competencies Integrity and Trust: Maintains the highest standards of ethics, confidentiality, fairness, and professional conduct. Sound Judgment: Demonstrates the ability to evaluate complex circumstances, consider multiple perspectives, assess risk, and make thoughtful decisions or recommendations to leadership. Service Orientation: Understands technology fundamentally as a support system dedicated to the daily success and well-being of the organization's departments and workforce.

Collaboration: Works effectively as part of a leadership team and builds productive relationships across organizational levels and functions. Credibility and Influence: Builds trust through expertise, consistency, communication, and follow-through and can influence decisions without relying solely on positional authority.

Strategic Thinking: Understands the broader organizational context and connects technology priorities to CREC's mission and strategic objectives. Operational Mindset: Is willing to move from strategy to execution and personally engage in the work when necessary. Adaptability: Effectively leads through organizational change, competing priorities, and evolving workforce needs.

Communication & Organization: Has strong project management, organizational leadership, and change management skills, and excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder engagement skills.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, Educational Technology, Business Technology, or related field required. Advanced degree or demonstrated alternative combination of relevant education and experience, preferred. Minimum of ten years of progressive experience in technology, innovation, information systems, digital transformation, or related fields, including at least three years of management experience.

Demonstrated success implementing strategic technology programs and initiatives within a complex, multi-location organization. Demonstrated experience leading enterprise technology operations and supervising multidisciplinary teams. Demonstrated commitment to collaboration, innovation, customer service, and continuous Improvement Experience with artificial intelligence, automation, or data analytics, preferred.

Experience working in a complex, highly matrixed, and mission-driven educational or public sector organization preferred. WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU? Group Health Insurance Plans Basic & Supplemental Life Insurance Long Term Disability & Short Term Disability options 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan with Employer Matching Contribution if applicable Flexible Spending Account Pre-Tax Savings for Health Care, Dependent Care, and Limited Purpose Post Deductible (if contributing to an HSA) Comprehensive benefit time package Employee Assistance Program Bereavement time & Religious Holidays Credit Union Access Tuition Reimbursement Program Employee Network Groups Access to professional learning opportunities with two fully paid courses through CREC University each year, empowering you to expand your skills and advance your career!

Benefit from our exclusive partnership with Springfield College, offering a 15% discount on tuition for next-level degree programs to support your academic and career aspirations! Based on terms and conditions during your employment, specific to your job classification and collective bargaining agreement. DIVERSITY , EQUITY , & INCLUSION STATEMENT: CREC strives to understand and confront the symptoms and causes of racism and prejudice�ranging from biases to aggressions to discriminatory policies, practices, and traditions�that harm people from systemically marginalized groups or that benefit privileged groups.

CREC staff and students acknowledge and respect people of all identifiers, such as race, socioeconomic status, gender identity and expression, education, age, ability, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, language, nationality, religion, and veteran status. DISCLAIMER STATEMENT : The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job.

It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or physical requirements. Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.