Vice President of IT

About us:

Empower Brands was founded in 2022 as a product of the integration of Lynx Franchising and Outdoor Living Brands. Empower encompasses ten industry-leading brands across commercial and residential services: JAN-PRO, FRSTeam, Archadeck Outdoor Living, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives (OLP), Conserva Irrigation, Koala Insulation, Wallaby Windows, Superior Fence and Rail, Bumble Roofing and Canopy Lawn Care. Empower is dedicated to providing its customers with the highest quality products and services in the commercial and home services industry while simultaneously delivering its franchise owners committed personal support, tools and empowerment to pursue their own success. Empower Brands is a portfolio company of MidOcean Partners, a leading private equity firm with an excellent track record investing in successful, growth-focused franchise businesses. For more about Empower Brands, visit the company’s website at EmpowerFranchising.com.

 

Position Overview:

This is a key leadership role that will require both technical expertise and the ability to collaborate with senior executives across all departments. The Vice President of IT will play a critical role in driving Empower’s technology strategy forward, ensuring efficient IT operations, and leading cross-functional teams in various high-impact areas. This leadership role requires a seasoned IT professional with expertise in helpdesk management, overseeing complex IT projects, guiding product development and ownership, enhancing cybersecurity measures, and leveraging AI and data warehouses to improve organizational efficiency and decision-making.

 

Key Areas of Responsibility:

 

Strategic Technology Planning:

• Drive the strategic direction of IT, aligning technology initiatives with the organization’s overall business goals.
• Develop and execute the IT strategy aligned with the organization’s business objectives and growth vision.
• Lead the IT department, including recruitment, mentoring, and developing a high-performing team.
• Collaborate with other executives to ensure IT supports business needs and drives innovation.
• Continuously assess and integrate new technologies to improve operational efficiency, scalability, and innovation.

 

Team Leadership & Development:

• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing IT team, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Evaluate team performance and provide coaching and development opportunities to grow talent within the department.
• Oversight of Cybersecurity, Help Desk Operations, and Data Warehousing teams to ensure IT teams are delivering technology related needs to both internal and external customers

 

Project Management & IT Initiatives:

• Oversee and manage IT projects, ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget, and meet business objectives.
• Work closely with other departments to understand their technological needs and develop project plans accordingly.
• Establish clear project timelines, KPIs, and risk management strategies to mitigate potential issues. Function as the product owner for key IT-driven products and services, ensuring alignment with business goals.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to define product vision, features, and requirements.
• Collaborate with development teams to ensure product delivery aligns with customer and business needs.
• Lead the development and implementation of a robust cybersecurity strategy to protect the company’s digital assets and data.
• Ensure compliance with industry regulations and standards (e.g., GDPR, CCPA, etc.).
• Stay ahead of evolving cyber threats and work to safeguard the organization’s infrastructure and data

 

Product Ownership & Development:

Cybersecurity:

AI & Data Warehousing:

• Lead initiatives to implement AI solutions and machine learning algorithms that can enhance business operations and decision-making.
• Oversee the management and optimization of data warehouses, ensuring the organization can leverage data for insightful analytics.
• Collaborate with data teams to ensure data governance, quality, and accessibility standards are upheld.

 

IT Operations & Infrastructure:

• Oversee the architecture, design, and implementation of IT systems, networks, and platforms.
• Ensure the smooth operation of all IT infrastructure, ensuring maximum uptime, scalability, and reliability.
• Manage IT budgets, resources, and priorities to optimize costs and efficiencies.
• Negotiate contracts and manage relationships with third-party vendors and service providers.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of IT initiatives.
• Report on IT performance, projects, and risks to senior management and the board of directors.

 

Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience successfully leading IT teams and driving technology strategy in a dynamic business environment.
• Player Coach Mentality – must be a leader who is prepared to get their hands dirty as and when needed taking a collaborative approach to problem solving. Must be comfortable pivoting from board level discussions down to in-depth technological discussions at a moment’s notice.
• Deep understanding of IT service management (ITSM) best practices and helpdesk operations.
• Experience managing complex IT projects, with demonstrated success in delivering on time and within scope.
• Exceptional leadership, management, and mentoring skills, with the ability to inspire and lead cross-functional teams.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence and collaborate at all levels of the organization.
• Experience in either software development or having dealt with external software development resources with an understanding of VB.net and MS Access
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making abilities, especially under pressure.
• Strong background in cybersecurity principles, tools, and risk management.
• Knowledge of AI technologies, machine learning, and data analytics with the ability to translate them into actionable business strategies.
• Expertise in data warehousing and business intelligence platforms.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and people skills with the ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams.
• A strategic thinker who can balance day-to-day operations with long-term technology planning, including experience managing and prioritizing multiple key initiatives and projects in alignment with Senior Leadership Teams
• Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Computer Science, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
• Ability to travel up to 20% of the time for business needs, including site visits, meetings with key stakeholders, vendor management, and conferences. Some international travel may be required.

 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in multi-brand, multi-entity franchising or general franchising experience preferred
• Experience with digital transformation, cloud migration, or enterprise architecture.
• Knowledge of industry-specific regulations, compliance requirements, and best practices.
• Certifications such as PMP, CISSP, or other relevant IT management certifications.

    Note: 

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.  
Empower Brands is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Empower Brands makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.