Director, IT Operations & Strategy

Description ECI Group is currently hiring a Director, IT Operations & Strategy to lead the day-to-day technology operations of the organization. This is not a pure strategy role, nor is it a pure operations role. You will set the technology vision and own day-one execution. You will be equally comfortable presenting a three-year technology roadmap to the executive team and rolling up your sleeves to resolve a critical system issue. We are looking for a proven leader who understands that at a dynamic, growth-oriented company, great strategy and great operations are inseparable. If you are energized by building something meaningful, leading a team, and leaving the technology environment measurably better than you found it, join us! About Us ECI Group has been building communities and enriching lives for over 50 years by developing, building, investing in, and operating multifamily housing throughout the Southeast. While ECI is proud of its history, we are even more excited about our future. We are privately owned and fully integrated – developing, constructing, and managing our properties. ECI Group owns and operates approximately 7,000+ units, with more communities in active development. At ECI, we are guided by our core values, the heart of which is working as One Team, Better Together. What’s In It for You? In addition to competitive pay, ECI’s robust benefits package includes: Bonus potential 30% rental discount at ECI properties Health, dental, vision, and short and long-term disability insurance Paid time off and company holidays 401k plus 4% company match Wellness plans, flexible spending accounts, and dependent care Participation in professional development programming Requirements What You’ll Do This role carries accountability across two equally important dimensions. You will lead at the organizational level — setting direction, owning the budget, and building the team. And you will operate at the execution level — personally accountable for the reliability, security, and performance of our technology environment. Technology Leadership & Strategy Own the organization's technology vision and multi-year roadmap, translating business objectives into a structured plan for platform investments, retirements, and improvements as well as driving executive alignment around it. Maintain a current, holistic view of the technology landscape including all applications, integrations, infrastructure, and data flows. Serve as ECI's internal authority on how systems connect and depend on one another. Continuously evaluate the technology environment to identify redundancies, gaps, inefficiencies, and integration opportunities; develop and present prioritized, business-case-backed recommendations to senior leadership. Establish and enforce architectural standards and principles that guide technology decisions, vendor selections, and system implementations across the organization. Lead evaluations of new platforms and vendors, ensuring proposed solutions strengthen the overall architecture and deliver measurable business value. Own the full IT budget including annual planning, capital expenditure forecasting, and multi-year investment modeling; present technology financials and strategic recommendations to executive leadership. Define the IT organizational structure and staffing model to support current and future business needs; lead hiring, onboarding, and development of IT team members. Partner with functional leaders across property operations, accounting, leasing, and HR to understand evolving business needs and proactively surface technology solutions that reduce friction and drive efficiency. Document and maintain architectural artifacts including system inventories, integration maps, and technology standards to support planning, compliance, and organizational onboarding. IT Operations & Service Management Own daily IT operations across the organization including infrastructure, helpdesk, networking, and all technology platforms — setting standards and holding the team accountable for consistent, high-quality delivery. Oversee the full IT service management lifecycle — incident management, problem management, change management, and service request fulfillment — ensuring SLAs are defined, met, and continuously improved. Maintain deep working knowledge of the Microsoft 365 environment (Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, Intune, Azure AD / Entra ID); provide hands-on oversight and direction for platform administration. Oversee and support property management SaaS platforms (Yardi, HappyCo, EliseAI), coordinating with vendors and internal teams on escalations, upgrades, and roadmap alignment. Own the organization's information security posture — endpoint protection, identity and access management, email security, data loss prevention, and security awareness — ensuring we operate from a position of strength. Ensure business continuity through proactive monitoring, redundancy planning, and rigorously maintained disaster recovery procedures; lead incident response for significant outages or security events. Manage IT vendor contracts, software licensing, and hardware procurement; negotiate renewals and hold vendors accountable to service commitments. Maintain accurate IT asset inventory and oversee lifecycle management for all hardware and software across the organization. Manage, mentor, and develop IT staff and/or managed service provider (MSP) relationships; build a culture of accountability, customer service, and continuous improvement within the team. What You’ll Need Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business, or a related field. 10–15 years of progressive IT experience, with at least 5 years in a director-level or senior leadership role carrying both operational and strategic accountability. Willingness to work from our Atlanta office 3 days per week in accordance with our hybrid work schedule. Proven ability to operate simultaneously as a strategic leader and a hands-on operator setting organizational direction while maintaining personal accountability for execution quality. Deep expertise with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem (Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint, Intune, Azure AD/Entra ID) and the ability to provide authoritative guidance across all platform components. Demonstrated experience owning and managing an IT budget, including capital planning and executive-level financial reporting. Demonstrated ability to think and communicate architecturally, understanding how systems interconnect, where data flows, and how technology decisions create downstream risk or opportunity. Experience conducting technology assessments or audits and translating findings into actionable, prioritized roadmaps with clear business rationale. Proven track record managing IT service management processes at a governance level; ITIL framework knowledge expected. Strong cybersecurity knowledge including endpoint security, identity governance, and incident response; experience owning an organization's security posture end-to-end. Demonstrated people leadership experience including hiring, developing, and retaining IT talent; building high-performing teams and managing performance with clarity and care. Executive presence and communication skills including being able to present technology strategy, risk, and investment decisions credibly to C-suite and ownership audiences. What’ll Set You Apart Experience in the property management, real estate, or multifamily housing industry. Familiarity with property management platforms such as Yardi, HappyCo, and EliseAI. Experience scaling an IT function through a period of company growth, technology transformation, or platform consolidation. Microsoft certifications (e.g., AZ-104, MS-900, SC-900) and/or ITIL Foundation certification or above. MBA or graduate degree is a plus. ECI Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.