IT Director

Nelnet Business Services (NBS), a division of Nelnet, Inc., provides payment technology, education services, and learning management solutions to education and faith-based organizations, serving more than 1,300 higher education institutions, 11,500 K-12 schools, 3,500 churches, and millions of individual students, families, and supporters across the globe. Our culture of service enables us to form long-lasting and trusted partnerships, while our focus on creativity and innovative solutions empowers our customer communities to thrive.

As a Nelnet company, the perks at NBS go beyond our benefits package. You’re part of a community, invested in you as an individual and united by our mission to create opportunities for people where they live, learn and work.

Looking for a professional IT leader who has technical expertise, leadership achievement, and business insight. This role involves shaping the technical vision and driving the organizational initiatives and structure needed to realize it. Success in this position requires an understanding of market demands, business constraints, and objectives, as well as fostering strong relationships with business leaders, particularly with Product. The ideal candidate will have the ability to deliver results that advance our products, deliver value to customers while adding and retaining revenue, and drive long-term business success.

How we work: This position reports to the CTO of Nelnet Business Solutions (NBS) and serves as the primary liaison for our Nelnet Campus Commerce (NCC) business segment. You will represent product development on the NCC leadership team. This enables you to gain insights into market needs and contribute a technological perspective. Additionally, you will be part of a team of IT Directors that are responsible for ensuring the well-being and success of all our NBS products.

Responsibilities and Duties: 

• Develops and shares a clear technology vision for NCC products and its alignment with market needs and business goals 

• Builds and leads high-performing teams, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement; provides mentorship, guidance, and support to team members to help them grow and succeed; uses quantified metrics to ensure team and individual performance

• Collaborates effectively with teams inside and outside of IT. Is an active member of IT and NCC leadership teams to ensure alignment across all aspects of the product lifecycle
• Provides software development and support process guidance to large, diverse groups of stakeholders

• Prioritizes and executes initiatives efficiently and effectively, ensuring on-time delivery and quality results; leverages best practices to streamline processes and maximize productivity 

• Prioritizes work based on short-term and long-term needs using insights to inform decisions; committed to delivering exceptional user experiences and driving customer satisfaction and loyalty 
• Comfortable presenting in front of large groups of both internal stakeholders to align processes and teams, and to external clients to assist Product/Sales in acquiring and retaining revenue 

• Embraces innovation and stays abreast of emerging technologies, market trends, and industry developments; adaptable and responsive to change, proactively identifying opportunities for innovation and improvement 

• Results-driven; sets clear goals and metrics, tracks performance, and makes data-driven decisions to optimize outcomes and drive business impact 

• Communicates effectively with stakeholders at all levels, articulating the product vision, technical strategy, and roadmap with clarity and conviction; builds consensus, inspires confidence, and influences decision-making to garner support for initiatives 

• Has experience and passion for the integration of teams with diverse backgrounds and ideally has experience in both small and large teams, with experience acquiring and assimilating technology products and teams 
• Understands the value in a modern product design practice and how it applies to the software development lifecycle 
• Lifelong learner, continuously seeking to expand their knowledge, skills, and expertise in technology, leadership, and related domains; embraces feedback and challenges as opportunities for growth and development 

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience 

• 10+ years of experience in information technology

• 5+ years of experience in management role 

• Ability to align short-term goals with long-term objectives 

• Can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty 

• Proven ability to effectively manage conflict 

• Proven success in building and leading high-performance teams 
• Wide technical knowledge with both back and frontend technologies
• Deep experience with Quality Assurance methodologies and frameworks is a plus

• Certifications in ITIL, PMP, Agile, or Change Management are a plus 

Pay range for this role is $170,000-$185,000 annually, depending on experience.

Our benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, HSA and FSA, generous earned time off, 401K/student loan repayment, life insurance & AD&D insurance, employee assistance program, employee stock purchase program, tuition reimbursement, performance-based incentive pay, short- and long-term disability, and a robust wellness program. Click here to learn more about our benefits: LINK.

Nelnet is an Equal Opportunity Employer, complies with Executive Order 11246, and takes affirmative action to ensure that qualified applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to race, color, religion/creed, national origin, gender, or sex, marital status, age, disability, use of a guide dog or service animal, sexual orientation, military/veteran status, or any other status protected by Federal or State law or local ordinance.  

Qualified individuals with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations in order to apply or compete for positions at Nelnet may request such accommodations by contacting Corporate Recruiting at 402-486-5725 orcorporaterecruiting@nelnet.net.

Nelnet is a Drug Free and Tobacco Free Workplace.