Director, Technology Services 

Description

About Us 

Position Overview 

The Director of Technology Services provides strategic leadership for technology across Walton Arts Center and Walmart AMP, ensuring that technology investments, services, and partnerships support organizational priorities and effective business operations. The Director develops the organization’s technology roadmap, evaluates emerging opportunities and risks, manages key technology initiatives, and serves as the primary organizational relationship manager for third-party technology service providers. 

Two significant areas of strategic focus for the position are data and artificial intelligence. The Director will lead efforts to improve the organization’s use of data, reporting, analytics, and business intelligence and will guide the thoughtful adoption of artificial intelligence tools that improve productivity, decision-making, patron engagement, and organizational effectiveness.

Much of the organization’s day-to-day technology and event support is delivered through third-party providers. The Director is accountable for establishing expectations, monitoring service quality and system reliability, managing vendor relationships and escalations, and ensuring that external providers effectively support the needs of Walton Arts Center and Walmart AMP. 

The Director works closely with leaders and departments throughout the organization to identify business needs, evaluate technology solutions, manage risk, and promote successful adoption of new tools and processes. The ideal candidate combines strategic thinking with practical execution and is able to translate rapidly changing technology into useful, sustainable solutions for the organization. 

Requirements

Principal Responsibilities (Essential Functions) 

1. Technology Strategy and Planning: Develop and maintain a practical multi-year technology roadmap aligned with organizational priorities. Translate business needs into clear technology priorities, investment recommendations, project sequencing, and measurable outcomes. Advise leadership on technology opportunities, risks, tradeoffs, and resource needs, and evaluate emerging technologies for practical organizational use. 

2. Data and Analytics Strategy: Lead the organization’s development and use of data platforms, reporting tools, dashboards, and business intelligence capabilities. Coordinate efforts to integrate and make effective use of ticketing, fundraising, finance, marketing, patron, venue, and operational data. Establish expectations for data quality, ownership, governance, security, and accessibility, and partner with departments to expand data-informed decision-making. 

3. AI Strategy and Implementation: Lead the organization’s thoughtful adoption of artificial intelligence and related emerging technologies. Identify and prioritize practical opportunities to use AI to improve productivity, analysis, patron engagement, content creation, administrative processes, and decision-making. Partner with departments to evaluate and implement appropriate tools, establish standards for responsible use, address data security and privacy considerations, and build organizational capability through education, experimentation, and change management. 

4. Technology Operations and Vendor Management: Provide organizational oversight of technology services delivered by managed service providers, consultants, and other third-party partners. Establish service expectations and performance standards; monitor service quality, responsiveness, system reliability, and contractual commitments; manage vendor relationships and escalations; and hold providers accountable for results. Ensure technology providers understand the unique operating requirements of Walton Arts Center and Walmart AMP, including the need for reliable support of performances, concerts, and other high-impact events. Review significant incidents and recurring issues and coordinate appropriate corrective action. 

5. Technology Governance, Risk, and Business Partnership: Establish and maintain appropriate technology, cybersecurity, data, and AI governance practices. Coordinate cybersecurity risk management, business continuity, incident preparedness, and recovery planning with internal stakeholders and external providers. Manage technology budgets, contracts, major projects, and lifecycle planning. Work across departments to understand business needs, evaluate solutions, support implementation, and promote effective adoption of technology and new ways of working. 

Strategic Priorities 

• Develop and maintain a multi-year technology roadmap aligned with organizational strategy and available resources. 

• Strengthen accountability and performance management for external technology service providers. 

• Advance the organization’s data architecture, reporting, analytics, and business intelligence capabilities. 

• Develop and implement an organizational AI strategy, including priority use cases, governance, security, employee education, and            

   adoption

• Maintain appropriate cybersecurity, data privacy, business continuity, and technology risk practices. 

• Improve organizational adoption and effective use of technology through strong business partnership and change management. 

Minimum Qualifications 

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job. 

• Seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in technology, including experience with technology strategy, 

   operations, enterprise applications, data and analytics, project management, or related areas. 

• Demonstrated experience managing managed-service providers, consultants, technology vendors, or other outsourced 

   technology resources and holding them accountable for performance and results. 

• Demonstrated ability to evaluate technology from both a technical and business perspective and translate complex issues into 

   clear recommendations and priorities. 

• Experience with data platforms, reporting, analytics, business intelligence, or enterprise data initiatives. 

• Experience evaluating, implementing, or supporting AI-enabled tools and practical AI use cases; deep AI engineering experience is 

   not required. 

• Working knowledge of cybersecurity, cloud services, Microsoft 365, enterprise applications, data privacy, and technology risk 

   management. 

• Strong communication, project leadership, and change-management skills, including the ability to help nontechnical users adopt 

   new tools and processes 

• Bachelor’s degree in information systems, computer science, business, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of 

   education and experience. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience in performing arts, live entertainment, sports, hospitality, nonprofit, retail, or another high-availability, customer-

   facing environment. 

• Experience integrating ticketing, CRM, fundraising, finance, marketing, venue, and analytics platforms. 

• Experience developing data governance, dashboards, reporting standards, or business intelligence capabilities across multiple.

   departments 

• Experience developing organizational guidelines, governance, training, or adoption programs for artificial intelligence or other 

   emerging technologies. 

• Relevant certifications or advanced education in cybersecurity, Microsoft technologies, cloud services, data platforms, project  

    management, IT service management, artificial intelligence, or related disciplines. 

Leadership Characteristics 

• Strategic and forward-looking, while practical about organizational priorities, resources, risk, and readiness. 

• A strong business partner who listens well, communicates clearly, and builds trust across technical and nontechnical teams. 

• Skilled at leading through influence and coordinating internal staff, vendors, consultants, and department leaders. 

• Curious and disciplined about emerging technology, with the judgment to distinguish useful innovation from technology for 

   technology’s sake. 

• Focused on measurable outcomes, responsible technology use, adoption, accountability, and continuous improvement. 

Physical 

• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods while working at a computer. 
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds. 
• Ability to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, and through virtual collaboration tools.  
• Must be able to endure standing or walking for extended periods of time on various surfaces such as concrete, grass, and inclined surfaces.  
• Must be able to endure outdoor elements including cold, heat, wind, and/or precipitation 
• Must be able to work in large, crowded environments, with flashing lights, loud music and noises, pyrotechnics, and cannons as part of shows and events 
• Ability to operate standard office equipment, computers, and mobile devices. 
• Ability to work occasional evenings, weekends, and special events as business needs require. 
• Must maintain regular and reliable attendance consistent with applicable laws and organizational expectations. 

Working Conditions 

Work is primarily performed in a professional office environment with occasional travel between Walton Arts Center and Walmart AMP locations. Occasional attendance at performances, concerts, meetings, and special events may be required, including evenings and weekends. 

Walton Arts Center and Walmart AMP are equal opportunity employers and are committed to building a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, organizational needs, and applicable law.