IT Director

Reports To: VP of Supply Chain and Technology Supervises: Technology and AI team, including AI engineering, systems administration, help desk support, and future technical hires Location: Onsite in Arcadia, FL Position Summary: The Director of Technology & AI leads the organization's technology strategy, AI initiatives, software platforms, data systems, and IT operations. This hands-on leadership role combines software engineering, AI innovation, IT oversight, cybersecurity, and team development. The ideal candidate is both a technical builder and people leader who can architect and maintain modern AI-powered applications, guide a growing technical team, and ensure reliable, secure, and scalable technology operations. This individual serves as the senior technical leader, translating business objectives into practical technology solutions while driving innovation and operational excellence. Key Responsibilities: Technology & AI Leadership Own technology and AI strategy, roadmap, and execution. Set technical standards and priorities across software, AI, data, and IT. Advise leadership on technology investments, opportunities, and risks. Translate business needs into scalable technology solutions. Software Engineering & AI Design, build, review, and maintain internal AI-powered applications. Ensure reliability, performance, security, and maintainability of production systems. Establish best practices for architecture, development, testing, deployment, and documentation. Evaluate and implement emerging AI technologies that create measurable business value. IT Operations & Security Lead IT operations, infrastructure, end-user support, and vendor relationships. Ensure reliable cloud environments, backups, disaster recovery, and business continuity. Establish and maintain cybersecurity, privacy, and access-control standards. Oversee technology governance, compliance, and data management practices. Lead, mentor, and develop technical staff. Build organizational capability through documentation, process improvement, and knowledge sharing. Prioritize technology initiatives based on business impact and risk. Manage technology projects, budgets, timelines, and stakeholder communication. Qualifications: Education & Experience Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, Data Science, or a related field; equivalent experience considered. 7+ years of progressive experience in software engineering, technology leadership, or IT management. Demonstrated experience building and supporting production software applications. Experience leading technical teams, managing vendors, and overseeing IT operations. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Hands-on expertise in software architecture, development, AI systems, cloud platforms, databases, integrations, and security. Strong understanding of generative AI, large language models, and AI-assisted development tools. Proven leadership, communication, and team-development skills. Ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. Strong business acumen, ownership mindset, and focus on operational excellence. #J-18808-Ljbffr