Director of Business Applications

Description

The Director of Business Applications is responsible for the strategy, architecture, delivery, support, and continuous improvement of the Community Foundation's enterprise business application portfolio. This role ensures that business-critical applications, data integrations, and technology platforms effectively support organizational operations, service delivery, decision-making, and growth.

Reporting to the VP, Information Technology, the Director leads a small, high-impact team responsible for the full lifecycle of business-critical applications, including CRM (Salesforce), financial systems, grant management platforms, and custom-built web applications. The role oversees application strategy, platform performance, technical delivery, integration, and ongoing optimization while evaluating the long-term platform strategy for transactional applications to ensure technology investments remain scalable, reliable, secure, and aligned with organizational needs. This position works primarily from the Kansas City office.

The Director partners closely with business leaders to translate operational needs into practical technology solutions, establish application standards and roadmaps, manage vendor relationships, and maximize the value of the organization's application investments. Serving as a trusted advisor, this role helps ensure technology capabilities effectively support the organization's mission, operational objectives, and long-term growth.

Requirements

 Application Portfolio Leadership

• Direct application strategy, technical roadmap planning and operational health for the enterprise application portfolio, including Salesforce, financial applications and custom web applications.
• Establish and maintain application standards, technical controls, release management processes and support management processes across the application portfolio,
• Ensure reliable integration between systems and data flow across the application ecosystem.
• Balance build vs. buy decisions and evaluate new technology solutions against organizational needs and capacity.

Platform & Solution Management

• Manage internal application support resources and external implementation partners and consultants.
• Translate application portfolio strategy into platform roadmaps, governance standards, and best practices for enterprise applications and integrations.
• Identify and implement platform capabilities, automation opportunities, and AI features that support business-approved processes and operational requirements.
• Direct major platform implementations, upgrades, and optimization initiatives from initiation through delivery.

Leadership & Partnership

• Lead and develop a high-performing team of application, platform, and developer specialists by providing clear direction, defined accountability, active performance oversight, and ongoing coaching. Build a culture of continuous improvement, operational excellence, collaboration, and professional growth through mentoring and skill development.
• Act as a trusted advisor to leadership on enterprise application capabilities, technology opportunities, system constraints, and technology-enabled solutions.
• Partner with department heads and cross-functional teams to understand business requirements and translate approved priorities into technical plans and solutions.
• Support implementation, training, and adoption of new applications, enhancements and technology capabilities in partnership with business leaders and organizational change resources.
• Partner with the Center of Excellence and business leaders to ensure application solutions align with approved process designs, organizational priorities, training expectations, and operational requirements.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 6+ years of experience in business applications and enterprise applications management, with Salesforce experience preferred.
• 3+ years leading technical teams in a management position.
• Demonstrated experience managing application portfolios across multiple platforms simultaneously.
• Proven ability to establish or improve governance, change management, and accountability structures in a team environment.

Required Technical Background

• Proven track record designing and implementing enterprise application solutions at scale, with experience spanning multiple platform types, including financial systems, custom-built applications, and/or CRM or transactional platforms.
• Strong understanding of system integration patterns, data architecture, API design and integration, and enterprise data flows. Experience with Salesforce preferred, including system integration and data management practices.
• Experience with financial or fund management systems and custom application development 
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience navigating organizational change and driving adoption of new systems and processes.

Physical Requirements

• Office & Computer Work: Ability to work regularly at a computer terminal in a fast-paced environment with frequent interruptions.
• Noise & Communication: Able to work in an office with moderate noise levels. Ability to communicate and interpret detailed information effectively.

This job description serves as a summary of the employment-at-will relationship and is not a contract. Responsibilities may evolve, and other duties may be assigned as needed.