Executive Director - Cybersecurity and IT Operations

General Summary of the Position

The Director of Cybersecurity and IT Operations leads cybersecurity, technology infrastructure, service delivery, cloud and on-premises platforms, and information systems across the Diocese of Dallas. The role protects information, maintains reliable operations, directs technology initiatives, and promotes responsible stewardship for the Pastoral Center, Parishes, Catholic Schools, and other Diocesan entities.

In collaboration with the Diocesan Leadership Team, the Director establishes policies and standards governing the appropriate use of technology, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence across all Diocesan entities. The Director is responsible for the security, reliability, performance, and strategic direction of the Diocese’s technology environment. Services may be delivered by internal staff, managed service providers, contractors, consultants, or other partners; however, the Director monitors performance, manages risk and retains accountability for results. The Director fulfills these responsibilities in accordance with the teachings, mission, values, and stewardship principles of the Catholic Church and the Diocese of Dallas.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities of the Position

Technology Leadership and Strategy

• Develop and execute the Diocese’s technology and cybersecurity strategy in alignment with ministry, educational, operational, and administrative priorities.
• Advise senior leadership regarding technology risks, investments, service needs, and modernization opportunities.
• Direct Diocesan technology personnel and external providers; establish priorities, accountability, and measurable service expectations.

Cybersecurity Governance and Risk Management

• Establish and maintain a risk-based cybersecurity program aligned with recognized industry frameworks and applicable Diocesan requirements.
• Oversee cybersecurity policies, standards, risk assessments, awareness, incident response, vulnerability management, and executive reporting.
• Coordinate protection of confidential clergy, employee, student, donor, financial, and operational information.

Artificial Intelligence Operations and Governance

• Establish an AI program that promotes the effective adoption of AI technologies to improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness.
• Oversee AI utilization by establishing governance, human oversight, vendor review, data protection, and lifecycle management processes.
• Coordinate the protection of confidential information used by or processed through AI systems.

Infrastructure, Systems, and Service Delivery

• Oversee networks, servers, cloud services, Microsoft 365, identity and access management, telecommunications, endpoints, data protection, and core business applications.
• Ensure technology services are secure, reliable, supportable, and responsive to organizational needs.
• Direct service desk and user-support functions and promote continuous improvement in service quality.

Business Continuity and Resilience

• Direct disaster recovery, backup, restoration testing, business continuity, and technology resilience activities.
• Ensure critical systems have defined recovery requirements, documented procedures, and tested recovery capabilities.

Applications and Technology Projects

• Oversee the secure acquisition, development, deployment, documentation, support, and lifecycle of internal and third-party applications. Experience overseeing the deployment of PERN-stack applications, including PostgreSQL, Express, React and Node.js is preferred.
• Lead major technology projects, architecture decisions, implementations, integrations, and change-management activities.

Vendors, Budget, and Procurement

• Manage the IT and cybersecurity budget, procurement, requests for proposals, contracts, licensing, and vendor performance.
• Direct third-party technology and cybersecurity risk management, including appropriate security, privacy, continuity, and contractual safeguards.

Schools, Parishes, Compliance, and Mission Support

• Establish Diocesan technology and cybersecurity standards and coordinate implementation throughout the Pastoral Center, Catholic Schools, Parishes, and affiliated entities within the position’s assigned authority.
• Provide consultative support regarding technology, privacy, cybersecurity, and regulatory obligations affecting the Pastoral Center, Parishes, Catholic Schools, and affiliated entities.
• Support physical-security, emergency-preparedness, and grant-funded initiatives through technical assessments, recommendations, implementation support, and documentation in coordination with designated program owners.
• Collaborate with clergy, religious, laity, staff, schools, parishes, leadership, and business partners in support of the mission of the Diocese.

Documentation, Knowledge Transfer, and Continuity

• Maintain current architecture diagrams, standards, inventories, configuration and vendor records, recovery and support procedures, and operational runbooks sufficient to provide guidance, oversight, troubleshooting assistance, and continuity during staffing transitions or emergencies.
• Prevent dependence on any single employee, contractor, consultant, or vendor for critical systems, services, credentials, or institutional knowledge.
• Ensure critical systems can be operated, maintained, supported, and recovered by authorized personnel using documented procedures.
• Promote cross-training, succession readiness, and orderly knowledge transfer throughout the technology function.

Position Requirements

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Broad knowledge of enterprise cybersecurity, risk management, infrastructure, cloud services, networks, identity, Microsoft 365, data protection, incident response, business continuity, and IT service delivery.
• Ability to establish technology vision, architecture, standards, priorities, performance measures, and implementation plans.
• Ability to direct internal staff and external providers while maintaining clear accountability for results.
• Ability to manage budgets, procurement, contracts, vendors, projects, and competing organizational priorities.
• Ability to communicate technical risks and recommendations clearly to non-technical audiences.
• Strong leadership, judgment, analysis, problem-solving, relationship-building, organization, and confidentiality skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a complex, decentralized, multi-site, nonprofit environment.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in information technology, computer science, cybersecurity, information systems, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• Eight (8) or more years of progressively responsible experience in information technology, cybersecurity, infrastructure, or related technology functions.
• Five (5) or more years of management or supervisory experience, including responsibility for personnel, technology operations, vendor relationships, project delivery, budgeting, and performance accountability.
• Demonstrated experience leading enterprise technology operations, cybersecurity initiatives, strategic planning, project delivery, vendor management, and budgeting.
• Experience leading technology functions in decentralized, multi-site environments serving schools, parishes, ministries, healthcare, nonprofit, educational, or faith-based organizations is strongly preferred.
• Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CCSP, CRISC, PMP, ITIL, Microsoft 365, Azure, Identity and Access Management, or comparable professional certifications are preferred.
• English proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing; Spanish fluency is a plus.

Special Requirements

• Ability to work flexible hours and be available or on call for significant cybersecurity incidents, outages, emergency needs, major implementations, and scheduled maintenance.
• Ability to travel to Diocesan locations as operational or project needs require.
• Practicing Roman Catholic in good standing is strongly preferred. Candidates must demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to supporting the mission and values of the Catholic Church and the Diocese of Dallas.

Physical Requirements Specific to the Job

• N/A

Ministerial Requirements

• Provide leadership, supervision, direction, coaching, and performance management for Diocesan technology personnel and contracted providers supporting the Pastoral Center, Parishes, Schools, and affiliated entities
• Provide consultative support to Parishes, Catholic Schools and other Diocesan entities with regards to network, hardware, software and technical support issues.
• Design and lead an artificial intelligence program aligned with Diocesan requirements and Papal guidelines

This Position Description is not intended to represent an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities of the position. The duties and responsibilities of the position may be changed at the sole discretion of the Diocese of Dallas Pastoral Center, which reserves the right to modify this Position Description without notice to the employee. This Position Description is not a contract and does not alter the employee’s at‑will employment status.