With over $600 million in assets, Northern Credit Union is a progressive financial institution located in Watertown, NY that serves the counties of Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Oswego, Clinton, Franklin, Onondaga, and Madison. Northern employees are People First, Visionary individuals who treat one another with respect, fairness & compassion. United by their Core Values, they are driven to improve the financial lives of those they serve through empowerment and personalized solutions. Committed to the Mission they are friendly and enthusiastic who work in a fast-paced, high-energy environment that’s a five-time Best Credit Union to Work For winner. As Northern Credit Union continues to grow and succeed, they are looking for an innovative technology leader to join their team as the Vice President of Information Technology.

As a member of the Northern’s Leadership Team, the Vice President of Information Technology (VP of IT) is accountable for recommending, planning, and leading the strategic direction of all IT initiatives. This includes ongoing analysis and implementation of Northern's technology infrastructure to support operational needs and future growth, enhance operational efficiency, and improve the overall member experience. As a visionary leader, the VP of IT provides strategic leadership to the IT Team; and oversees the expansion and optimization of our network through thorough assessments of IT systems and applications. In addition to strategic leadership, the VP of IT plays a vital role in mentoring and developing direct reports, and ensures they are highly engaged and focused individually and collectively as a team. By fostering a people-first approach and leading through a culture of innovation, the VP of IT guides the organization towards consistently meeting and exceeding expectations, all while aligning with Northern's mission, vision, and strategic objectives.

Essential Job Functions:

Effectively assists with the development of the Credit Union’s strategic direction by establishing short- and long-term goals by:

Participating in, and helping to facilitate, strategic planning discussions with Credit Union stakeholders, including Board and Supervisory Committee members.
Taking accountability for overseeing the successful implementation of business plans including specific short-term and long-term strategic goals for the IT team in support of the Credit Union’s overall initiatives.
Keeping informed of relevant developments, regulations, best practices, innovations, trends, market conditions, emerging technological advances, and competitor activities. Provides timely, insightful, pertinent analysis and recommendations to identify opportunities that create strategic advantages for the Credit Union.
Leading the development of the annual IT budget and participating in the preparation of the annual Finance and Operations plan.

Provides inspirational leadership in pursuit of becoming the Standard of Excellence by:

Effectively articulating a clear and compelling vision for the IT Team, aligned with the organization’s goals and objectives.
Coaching and inspiring the IT Leadership to reach their maximum potential, encouraging all IT team members to take ownership for their respective department duties and responsibilities, achieving results that positively impact internal and external owners as well as business objectives.
Being chiefly responsible for the selection, professional development, and performance evaluation of the IT Leadership team. Sets performance standards for areas of oversight, assesses individual progress toward meeting these standards, and coaches the leadership team toward improving performance.
Providing guidance and support to team leaders, provides internal owners with opportunities for growth in the understanding and application of leadership skills and techniques in credit union business and information security management.
Directing IT Leadership to ensure that the department is properly staffed, efficiently operated, and consistently focused on delivering outstanding service to internal and external vendor/members.

Displays a high level of leadership by taking an active role the IT Team’s vision through:

IT Strategic growth-

Leading in the development of the annual technology plan, aligning it with Northern’s strategic objectives by identifying priorities, assessing current infrastructure and systems, and defining a roadmap for future technology investments.
Overseeing and participating in the execution of the annual technology plan in partnership with IT Leadership; ensuring the plan supports business growth, enhances operational efficiency, and drives innovation.
Developing plans for implementation of new projects, coordinating processes with Key Leadership Team members and project leaders, all while providing well-defined deliverables including policies and procedures.
Maintaining a proactive approach, continuously monitoring, and assessing changing trends in technology that impact regulations in the credit union industry ensuring the department remains compliant while adapting to financial industry shifts to drive and maintain a competitive edge.
Developing and implementing vendor management strategies to optimize IT vendor relationships and ensure the delivery of high-quality products and services.

IT Governance and Regulatory Compliance-

Working closely in designing new IT-related polices with legal and third-party compliance vendors all while ensuring the IT Team updates and effectively communicates changes to applicable leaders and throughout the organization.
Regularly analyzing IT policies, standards, and objectives, in addition to directing necessary system training sessions.
Proactively ensuring the organization’s IT practices and policies are consistently audited along with ensuring timely and accurate reporting of recommendations and action plans to address findings.
Overseeing IT general controls and testing on an annual basis and provides board a report of its outcomes.
Ensuring Northern is in compliance with all IT and data Federal and State compliance and security regulations.
Ensures IT required annual audits are scheduled, coordinated, and performed in a timely manner. Responsible for directing audit finding resolutions withing the acceptable timeline.
Overseeing the creation and development of ITO ’s disaster recovery plan and IT components of Northern’s Business Continuity Plan in partnership with IT Leadership, Facilities Leadership, Northern’s Security Officer, and other applicable leaders in maintaining a plan for the network.

IT Infrastructure and Operations-

Collaborating with the IT leadership team and applicable IT vendor partners to assess and address potential vulnerabilities, implementing appropriate controls and safeguards.
Developing performance standards for the network and making the appropriate configurations.
Consistently implementing and monitoring controls to ensure network standards are maintained to provide Internal Owners with a fast, accurate, and a secure method to access information in order that members can be served in a highly efficient and effective manner.
Developing and maintaining the strategy and future direction of LAN technologies, protocols, voice over IP, telecommunications, hardware, and software.
Proactively monitoring emerging threats and trends in cybersecurity and, in conjunction with Northern’s Security Officer, implementing measures to protect the organization’s sensitive data and information assets.
Ensuring IT Leadership effectively coordinates efforts with relevant department leaders to ensure accuracy and seamless integration of systems and applications across different functional areas.
Developing IT department’s Request for Proposals (RFP), and overseeing the vendor selection, contract negotiation, and ongoing vendor performance management.

Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications, Skills, Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field, Master’s degree preferred.
Minimum 7-10 years of progressive IT leadership experience. Experience within a Financial Institution is preferred.
Broad background in the IT field such as system development, information security, disaster recovery, vendor management and operations. Experience with banking and financial services software preferred.
PMP and CISSP certification preferred.
Strong understanding of regulatory standards and compliance requirements relevant to the financial industry preferred.
Expertise in strategic visioning, planning, and execution of strategic initiatives.
Show a demonstrated relevant experience in building and sustaining relationships in partnership and expertise in leading multiple functional areas.
Possesses relevant expertise with financial products, services, and delivery channels and critical and conceptual thinking skills to observe and analyze data to innovate new methods, techniques, or processes to integrate issues and factors into a practical framework.
Possess positive influencing skills to bring others to new thinking and mindset.
Proven, high-level experience of decision-making within the discipline and authority of the role.
Demonstrate an embodied self-clarity and self-accountability as well as strong coaching skills for the development of others.
A strategic thinker and change agent with an ability to inspire internal owners at all levels of the organization to reach their fullest potential in support of Northern’s vision.
Is responsible for the annual IT vendor’s management completion. Assist in the organizational annual vendor management process by timely completing other vendor IT controls reviews.

Salary Range – $172,589-$226,524

Northern Credit Union - NY

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