Vice President of Information Technology

The Vice President of Information Technology (VP of IT) provides strategic vision and leadership for all technology initiatives across the Omaha Zoological Society, ensuring that core systems, infrastructure, and security frameworks effectively support the organization’s mission, experience, and operational priorities. This role leads and develops the IT team, fostering a collaborative, innovative, and future-focused environment that embraces emerging technologies to improve operational efficiency, enhance the visitor experience, and enable data-driven decision-making.

• The VP of IT works closely with organizational leaders to align technology strategies with enterprise goals, ensuring that investments and system enhancements directly support long-term organizational needs.
• This position oversees cybersecurity, risk management, and regulatory compliance while advancing the adoption and integration of technology platforms that strengthen organizational performance, resilience, and sustainability.

Duties and Responsibilities/Essential Functions (include but not limited to):

• Responsible for the performance, reliability, and strategic direction of all technology systems, including infrastructure, networking, cybersecurity, enterprise applications, data systems, and analytics.
• Review current, evaluate future, and implement new mission-aligned technology solutions that enhance operational efficiency, improve the visitor experience, and strengthen organizational performance across the Zoo and Safari Park.
• Champion technology-forward and user-centric philosophies across the organization by influencing and implementing strategies that embed effective, secure, and intuitive technology into daily operations.
• Establish and maintain systems to gather and interpret technology performance and user-feedback, identifying improvement opportunities and proactively addressing friction points in technology workflows.
• Serve as a point of escalation for critical technology issues, ensuring timely resolution and implementing long-term solutions that reduce operational disruptions.
• Support the organization’s long-term success by leading or participating in strategic planning efforts that strengthen financial health, operational efficiency, and guest experience through technology.
• Develop and report on industry-standard IT performance metrics to monitor system reliability, security posture, technology adoption, and service delivery.
• Optimize IT performance by collaborating with direct reports to ensure staffing, workload, and resources align with team capacity and departmental budgets.
• Build and maintain strategic technology partnerships that support and advance the Zoo’s mission, including relationships with software providers, hardware vendors, consultants, and managed services partners.
• Manage vendor negotiations and ensure strong, sustainable partnerships, securing favorable contracts and service levels that meet organizational needs.
• Lead annual IT staffing strategy and participate in hiring and onboarding, ensuring the department has the technical expertise and cross-functional skills to meet organizational demands.
• Collaborate with leaders and staff across all departments to ensure technology solutions are aligned, integrated, and supportive of cohesive workplace operations.
• Regularly communicate IT performance, risks, and opportunities to the senior leadership team, providing clear recommendations and data-informed insights.
• Foster an inclusive culture by prioritizing communication, trust, collaboration, and principles of inclusive leadership within the IT department and in cross-departmental work.
• Promote workforce inclusion initiatives by ensuring technology systems and digital experiences are accessible, equitable, and user-friendly for both staff and guests.
• Lead the IT team with proactive, transparent, and consistent communication, ensuring staff understand priorities, responsibilities, and organizational expectations.
• Oversee staff performance, ensuring duties are assigned effectively, work quality is maintained, and all policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements are followed.
• Ensure that enterprise technology platforms, software tools, and workflows reduce friction for staff and guests, including systems such as ticketing, CRM, POS, membership, financial platforms, kiosks, scanners, and mobile applications.
• Oversee annual IT budgets and long-term capital planning, ensuring responsible financial stewardship, cost-effective purchasing, and alignment with organizational priorities.
• Represent the Zoo and Safari Park at industry conferences, technology forums, working groups, and vendor engagements to advance best practices and position the organization as a leader in innovative and mission-aligned technology use.

Key Competencies:

Inclusive Management:

• Create a collaborative and welcoming environment where diverse perspectives are valued and equitable opportunities are provided, leveraging the strengths of a diverse team to drive innovative strategies.

Problem solving:

• Identify challenges and develop effective solutions to align with organizational goals and drive business results.

Leadership:

• Guide and inspire the team, foster collaboration across departments, and drive alignment toward objectives.
• Lead with integrity, cultivate a culture of innovation and accountability.

Communication:

• Deliver exceptional verbal and written communication. Articulate ideas clearly and persuasively.

Decision making:

• Leverage data, insights and experience to make informed choices and take calculated risks where needed.

Creative:

• Innovative mindset to create and execute marketing strategies that resonate with diverse audiences and drive results.

Supervisory Responsibilities:
Directly supervise:

• Director of IT Network and Systems
• Director of Enterprise Solutions

All leaders are expected to:

• Foster connection, trust and transparency by leading with honesty, consistency, and inclusion. Leaders who embody these principles build a sense of community – creating an environment where team members feel seen, valued and united in purpose.
• This foundation enables teams to thrive and share in the joy of working together toward common goals.
• Maintain two-way communication by regularly connecting with team members and encouraging dialogue. Open communication fuels innovation by ensuring all voices are heard and ideas are shared, driving our collective impact.
• Create space for feedback—both giving and receiving—and follow up meaningfully. By valuing feedback, we promote an environment of care, where growth and improvement are supported, leading to impactful outcomes for both individuals and teams.
• Model accountability and responsiveness by owning outcomes and addressing issues timely. This demonstrates care for the team’s well-being and ensures that our actions have a meaningful, positive impact on the organization.
• Promote psychological safety by supporting open expression without fear of retaliation or judgment. A psychologically safe environment is fundamental to fostering joy in the workplace and enables everyone to contribute to our collective success with confidence

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong commitment to leveraging technology to advance mission-driven organizational goals and enhance the staff and visitor experience.
• Expertise in managing enterprise IT environments, including infrastructure, networks, cybersecurity, and large-scale system implementations.
• Comprehensive understanding of software platforms, hardware systems, data management, and analytics to support operational efficiency and strategic decision-making.
• Knowledge of best practices in enterprise architecture, cybersecurity frameworks, and technology governance.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and motivate a diverse IT team, fostering collaboration and cross-functional partnership across departments.
• Skilled in balancing strategic planning with hands-on technical problem solving and solution delivery.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously, setting priorities and meeting deadlines in a dynamic environment.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical audiences and collaborate effectively at all organizational levels.
• Demonstrated capacity to work independently with minimal oversight while making sound, timely, and informed decisions.
• Ability to build and maintain positive working relationships with staff, leadership, vendors, and external partners.
• Proficiency in data analysis and the use of analytics tools to drive technology improvements and organizational insights.
• Skilled in vendor management, contract negotiation, and evaluating technology partners to ensure favorable terms and long-term value.
• Advanced technical literacy, including the ability to read technical documentation, evaluate system requirements, and navigate enterprise-level platforms.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as common enterprise IT tools and systems.

Experience and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of professional experience in IT, including leadership roles within complex or enterprise-scale environments.
• A proven track record of success overseeing technology teams, managing large-scale projects, and implementing enterprise systems.
• Demonstrated experience leading cybersecurity initiatives, infrastructure upgrades, digital transformation projects, or similar mission-critical technology efforts.
• Experience collaborating with executive leadership and cross-departmental teams to align technology investments with organizational priorities.
• Candidates might be (depending on position) required to pass a pre-employment background check, drug test, negative skin tuberculosis test, and possess a valid driver’s license with a good history.

DISCLAIMER

• The information presented indicates the general nature and level of work expected of employees in this classification.
• It is not designed to contain, nor is it to be interpreted as, a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and objectives required of employees assigned to this job.
• Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer as defined by the EEOC.