• Chief Information Officer, CIO

    Aspira Connect (Dallas, TX)


    Chief Information Officer Aspira | IT Leadership About Aspira

     

    For forty years, Aspira has been the market-leading software and services provider for the great outdoors, primarily for state and provincial parks and wildlife agencies. As part of our constant evolution, we're executing an aggressive multi-year transformation to accelerate revenue growth, optimize cost structures, and maximize shareholder value while expanding our market position.

     

    The leadership team has reset the company’s core values to drive our transformation: Customer Obsession, Forward Momentum, One Team One Dream, Radical Transparency, Win with Integrity, and Excellence guide everything we do.

    The Ideal Candidate

    The Chief Information Officer will lead the strategic development and modernization of IT for our organization. In this pivotal role, you will drive initiatives that manage our digital and physical assets and ensure adherence to regulatory and industry standards. By collaborating with cross-functional teams, you will establish and manage our hardware strategy, build an IT asset management and procurement lifecycle, lead security and compliance readiness, architect and deliver cloud and connectivity strategy, overhaul our IT operations, and rationalize and manage vendor software with clear ROI. Your leadership will be essential in cultivating a culture of reliability, enabling our company to innovate confidently.

    Key Responsibilities

    Strategic Leadership

     

    Develop and execute the overall IT Operations strategy in alignment with business objectives and regulatory requirements.

     

    Policy Development

     

    Create, implement, and maintain comprehensive policies, procedures, and frameworks that adhere to industry best practices.

     

    Security, Compliance, and Risk

     

    Oversee the identification, assessment, and mitigation of IT security risks, including the execution of vulnerability assessments and threat analyses, security audits, and maintaining client security and trust.

     

    Develop a plan for future FedRAMP certification.

     

    Incident Response

     

    Lead the development and execution of incident response and disaster recovery plans, coordinating with cross-functional teams to minimize the impact of security breaches.

     

    Payment Systems and Modernization

     

    Strategize and oversee Company’s payment processing and PayFac transition including remote update of payment processor patches.

     

    Infrastructure and Hardware Strategy

     

    Develop internal and external strategies for hardware management, procurement, standardization, optimization, and modernization.

     

    Vendor Management

     

    Oversee vendors and ensure that third-party service providers comply with established security and compliance standards.

     

    Regulatory Liaison

     

    Serve as the primary point of contact for regulatory bodies and auditors, maintaining transparent communication and thorough documentation of compliance efforts.

     

    Global Team Leadership and Culture

     

    Mentor, manage, and develop a high-performing global IT team, promoting continuous learning and adherence to best practices.

    Qualifications

    • Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to translate business objectives into technical solutions.

    • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams and influence key stakeholders.

    • Demonstrated ability to attract, retain, and develop top talent, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

    • Proven efficiency in collaborating with cross-functional teams to define project requirements, scope, and priorities.

    • Experience with Microsoft Entra and Active Directory. Microsoft Suites Intermediate Level: professional usage of suites in an office setting

    Desired Education and Experience

    • Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, or related discipline.

    • Minimum 5 years senior management experience leading large-scale technology initiatives.

    • Minimum 5 years of proven experience in team management, including onshore and offshore teams.

    • Experience working in medium to large-sized teams within financial institutions, payment processors, or fintech companies.

    • Familiarity with regulatory frameworks such as PCI DSS, GDPR, or relevant financial regulations.