26-27 Director of Technology Strategy & Innovation

Description

Job Description

POSITION: Director of Technology Strategy & Innovation

REPORTS TO: Managing Director of Information Technology

POSITION TYPE: 12-month

START DATE: August 2026

COMPENSATION:$109,971 - $134,714 - Home Office Grade 11

At YES Prep, work for a mission that impacts the life trajectory of students and their families. YES Prep creates pathways to extraordinary opportunity through best-in-class development, competitive compensation and benefits, and recognition for your impact. Grow as an authentic leader and be part of a high-performing, team-oriented culture.

Some quick stats about us:

• 21,000+ Students
• 2,400 Team Members
• 16 Secondary Campuses
• 11 Elementary Campuses
• 92% Students Who Qualify for Free/Reduced-Price Lunch
• 96% Hispanic & African-American Students
• 90% Students Who Are Accepted to a 4-Year University
• 88% First-Generation College Students
• Ranked in the Top 100 High Schools in the Nation, U.S. News & World Report

We serve the students of Houston, Texas, the 4th largest city across the United States. There are over 20 public-school districts and other great public charter school options within Houston’s city limits serving our increasing population.

THE OPPORTUNITY

YES Prep needs a dynamic Director of Technology Strategy & Innovation with a strong range of experience, to make our mission a reality. As a YES Prep employee, you will achieve jaw-dropping results, create pathways to opportunity for our students, and build transformative relationships.

To put it simply, you will define the strategic direction of YES Prep’s digital portfolio and guide enterprise decision-making related to technology, innovation, and AI. You will align systems, investments, and cross-functional priorities to strengthen organizational effectiveness and ensure our digital ecosystem advances the needs of schools, staff, and students. You will also help position YES Prep for the future by identifying high-impact opportunities, advancing responsible AI use, and reinforcing strong governance across the organization.

THE ROLE

When you join the YES Prep team, some of the work and responsibilities will include:

• Executing the strategic vision for YES Prep's digital portfolio, ensuring systems, applications, and processes align with organizational priorities and mission impact;
• Leading portfolio planning and budget recommendations grounded in operational value, equity of access, and total cost of ownership;
• Partnering with campus, academic, and Home Office leaders to understand needs, validate solutions, and drive adoption across the organization;
• Overseeing software request intake, clarifying needs, vetting alignment, and issuing go/revise/defer recommendations before resources are committed;
• Coordinating dependencies across the digital portfolio to keep teams aligned and reduce rework;
• Collaborating closely with the Instructional Technology team to align enterprise systems, instructional tools, and the broader digital portfolio to support a connected, coherent experience for schools and staff;
• Supporting and championing YES Prep's AI adoption strategy, ensuring priorities, governance expectations, and rollout plans are aligned with organizational goals;
• Ensuring responsible AI use across YES Prep by reinforcing clear policies on tool approval, evaluation standards, and staff enablement;
• Staying informed on the evolving technology landscape and surfacing emerging opportunities that could reduce friction, increase capacity, or improve student outcomes;
• Advising senior leadership on innovation and AI, translating the team's work into clear, actionable guidance;
• Maintaining secure-by-default standards across the digital portfolio, including risk tracking and a governance cadence;
• Setting clear priorities and expectations, removing barriers, and building a culture of proactiveness, accountability, and continuous improvement;
• Investing in each direct report's growth through regular coaching, feedback, and professional development opportunities;
• Driving cross-system workflow improvements that reduce duplication, fragmentation, and operational friction for schools and the Home Office;
• Additional duties as assigned.

THE PERSON

We seek staff with a multitude of backgrounds, talents, interests, and ideas. Certain traits consistently shine through our most successful employees: passion for the mission, drive for results, care for students, and resilience. Other traits needed and desired for this role are:

THE MUST HAVES

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university
• 5-7 years of professional experience managing projects, leading teams, and applying technology to solve organizational challenges
• Knowledge of implementing and configuring enterprise systems such as SIS, ERP, or CRM platforms
• Working understanding of AI tools, emerging AI trends, and responsible AI use in an organizational setting
• Evidence of producing high-quality work products on tight timelines
• Strong presentation and facilitation skills, including experience presenting to large groups and executive leaders
• Ability to work outside of normal hours and on weekends

• Experience leading cross-functional projects and aligning technical and non-technical stakeholders

THE MUST HAVE BELIEFS

• Belief in and commitment to the mission and core values of YES Prep Public Schools
• Desire to disrupt systemic status quos in education
• Willingness to go above and beyond to disrupt said status quos
• Passion to develop resiliency through a relentless pursuit of jaw-dropping results
• Conviction that high expectations + high accountability = high performance and high growth

THE NICE TO HAVES

• Post-graduate degree in educational technology, information systems, business, public administration, or a related field
• 8-10 years of professional experience, including leading teams and complex cross-functional initiatives
• Relevant certifications in AI, project management, change management, or enterprise systems
• Teaching experience and experience leading large-scale, complex technology or transformation projects in a school system, district, or similarly complex organization
• Experience supporting innovation, systems strategy, or digital transformation work in a K-12, nonprofit, or similarly mission-driven organization

THE PERKS

• Compensation – This position is an exempt, salaried position; offers commensurate with experience.

• Health and Supplemental Insurance – A $0 monthly medical option or a $24 monthly option that includes $50 YES Prep Paid Health Savings Account contribution, in addition to a variety of supplemental benefits including Dental, Vision, Disability, Life, etc. Employees must work 20+ hours a week to be eligible for a full spectrum of benefits, and 10 hours a week minimum for medical benefits.

• Retirement Plans – Participation in Teacher Retirement System of Texas and an optional 457b Retirement Plan.

• Paid Time Off – Employees working 20+ hours a week receive 15 days of Paid Time Off in addition to the system closures during the Academic Calendar.

• Paid Leave Programming – In the event you need to be out due to medical needs (including maternity and paternity leave), YES Prep offers paid leave, paid out at 100%, based on eligibility and tenure.

• Professional Development - YES Prep values longevity and performance over time. We invest in developing leaders through high-quality programs, effective coaching, and ongoing professional development.

• Award Winning Culture – The strong cultures of our campuses and Home Office are just one of many reasons we were named Houston’s Best Place To Work in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2025. We won the 2012 Broad Prize for Excellence in Urban Education and were a 2016 finalist as well

YES Prep is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or parenthood.