Vice President, Information Technology

at  First Book

FIRST BOOK HAS A MANDATORY COVID-19 VACCINATION POLICY (MEDICAL AND RELIGIOUS EXEMPTIONS PERMITTED). PROOF OF FULLY VACCINATED STATUS IS REQUIRED BEFORE AN INTERVIEW.

About First Book: First Book (https://firstbook.org/) believes that education offers children the best possible path out of poverty. Reaching 5 million children from birth to age 18 annually, First Book has also built the country’s largest and fastest growing network of educators serving kids in need: today First Book reaches 575,000 educators nationwide – and growing every week.
A global leader in social enterprise, First Book harnesses the strategies of the private sector to advance social change. First Book has built a family of social enterprises to serve its network of educators and support children in need including the First Book Marketplace, The First Book Accelerator, First Book Insights, and a range of other efforts. In fact, since 1992, First Book has distributed more than 225 million books and educational materials to children from low-income families. Because of its record of innovation and impact, First Book has been celebrated globally by such institutions as the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, the World Economic Forum and in case studies at Columbia Business School, Wharton Business School, the Yale School of Management, and the London School of Economics. Finally, Charity Navigator recently awarded First Book its highest rating, including a perfect 100% score for Accountability & Transparency.
About the position: (This is not a 100% remote position/ MANDATORY IN OFFICE: Tuesday & Wednesday)
Do you have a private sector head and a public sector heart? First Book is seeking a creative and entrepreneurial IT professional with a passion for leveraging technology to make a difference in the social sector – and in the lives of children nationwide. The Vice President of Information Technology at First Book will oversee all aspects of the organization’s IT infrastructure while driving innovative solutions to support cause-based marketing initiatives, the First Book Marketplace storefront and its back-end supply chain. This role involves managing full life-cycle projects (from conceptualization to implementation), optimizing our various applications and overall infrastructure, as well as leading the IT department.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 10+ years of experience in web-based application development, application management, and project management.
• Bachelor’s degree in computer information systems or equivalent field.
• Proven supervisory experience with hands-on capability in web-based application and infrastructure management.
• Familiarity with ecommerce platforms and nonprofit donation systems is highly desirable (experience with Salesforce and Magento a plus.)
• Strong project management skills with the ability to oversee complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Excellent communication skills, a collaborative leadership style and an entrepreneurial mindset are required.
• Passion for the First Book Mission.

• Provide strategic IT leadership in support of First Book ambitious scaling plan, including how to leverage AI and digital advances across the content we provide to our community members and our internal processes.
• Contribute to our innovative and entrepreneurial culture through the successful implementation of IT innovations, new systems, and a nimble and highly responsive IT team.
• Lead and manage the technical team, including application, database development, network management, and internal technical support.
• Design, implement, and maintain the First Book application and integrate it with other applications to optimize efficiency.
• Ensure data quality and standardization across the First Book application and other cloud platforms.
• Lead project management for system upgrades, integrations, and new implementations, with a focus on requirements gathering and design.
• Perform performance analysis, tuning, and technical troubleshooting to support First Book’s operations.
• Develop and implement cybersecurity strategies to protect organizational data and systems, ensuring compliance with industry standards and best practices.
• Oversee vendor relationships, including Salesforce, Magento, telephony providers, and outsourced development teams.
• Provide technical leadership for partnerships with business affiliates, such as warehouses and organizations serving schools and nonprofits.
• Collaborate with department leaders to determine IT project scope and priorities.
• Prepare strategic IT plans and budget projections for systems operations.
• Develop structured, documented programs and information systems to ensure organizational efficiency.