Head of Information Technology & Security

Excel Academy is a network of 5 schools in Massachusetts and Rhode Island that prepares students in grades 5-12 to succeed in high school and college and engage productively in their communities. The majority of our 1,700 students identify as Latinx or Hispanic and will be the first in their families to graduate from college. Families choose Excel because our students consistently outperform their peers in growth and achievement and are 5x more likely to graduate from college.

At Excel, we believe that every student- regardless of race, zip code, or economic status - deserves access to a free, high quality holistic education. During their middle school journey with us, students grow at a pace faster than most peers in their state. At our nationally ranked high school, students achieve at the highest level and are poised for success in their chosen college or career path.

The Director of Information Technology will provide operational and strategic leadership, direction (defining the path forward), and administration (facilitating execution) of technology services across the network. This role will develop, recommend, and implement technology systems, policies, and long-term strategy to ensure that technology is reliable, compliant, cost-effective, and aligned to instructional and operational priorities.

The Director of IT serves as the single accountable owner of IT across the network, responsible for both day-to-day system performance and long-term design and optimization of the technology ecosystem.

The Director of IT is expected to work on-site at schools or network offices at least 2 days per week

Travel between Massachusetts and Rhode Island schools is required; all travel is reimbursed

summer readiness, start of school, major events, testing windows), this role may require up to 5 days per week on-site based on school and network needs

The ideal candidate would start as soon as possible.

Serve as the single accountable owner of technology across the network, setting vision, priorities, and standards aligned to school needs

Translate organizational goals into a clear, multi-year technology roadmap that balances reliability, innovation, and cost

Build operating models that clarify ownership between network and school teams and drive consistent execution across schools

Lead change management for major technology initiatives, ensuring strong adoption and staff readiness

Technology Operations, Infrastructure & Service Delivery

Oversee end-to-end IT operations, ensuring responsive, reliable, and high-quality support to schools and network teams

Own infrastructure strategy and execution, including devices, networks, and core systems, to ensure consistent and secure performance

Monitor system performance and user experience, using data to proactively address issues and improve service delivery

Serve as escalation point for critical incidents and ensure strong readiness for high-stakes moments (e.g., testing)

Own relationships with technology vendors and managed service providers, setting performance expectations and ensuring accountability

Lead procurement strategy and RFP processes to secure high-quality, cost-effective solutions

Manage the technology budget and align investments to long-term organizational priorities and total cost of ownership

Oversee technology funding sources (e.g., Ensure all technology systems meet data privacy, security, and accessibility requirements (e.g., Build sustainable systems for data governance, risk management, and compliance that reduce manual oversight

Ensure strong integration and performance across core systems (SIS, Google environment, assessment platforms)

Set strategy and systems for staff and student technology, including device lifecycle, inventory, and readiness

Ensure schools are equipped with the tools, resources, and clarity to effectively manage technology at the site level

Partner with school and academic teams to ensure classroom technology supports teaching and learning

Maintain clear documentation and training systems to enable consistent execution across schools

Evaluate and guide adoption of new technologies, including AI, ensuring alignment to instructional and operational priorities

Balance innovation with practicality, ensuring new tools are scalable, compliant, and value-add

Build internal capacity to responsibly implement and manage emerging technologies across the organization

5-7+ years of experience in technology, operations, or systems leadership, including experience managing complex projects or functions

Experience owning or improving systems that support multiple teams, schools, or sites

Ability to lead vendors or external partners and ensure high-quality service delivery

Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to prioritize and follow through on key initiatives

Comfort working with technology systems and data, and the ability to learn new tools quickly

Familiarity with data privacy and security best practices in a school or similar environment

You share a commitment to and belief in all students and the mission of Excel Academy Charter Schools, including Excel's values and educational model;

Preference will be given to applicants who share points of intersection with our students, such as speaking Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, or a language commonly spoken by our students and families at an advanced level, being first generation college graduates, or having grown up low-income.

Excel Academy Charter Schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, disability, age, ancestry, athletic performance, special need, proficiency in the English language or a foreign language or prior academic achievement.

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