Director of Information Technology – National Nonprofit Organization

Overview
A nationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to shaping the next generation of physician leaders was entering a pivotal phase in its digital transformation. Operating fully remotely, the organization supports tens of thousands of healthcare professionals through online education, executive development programs, and institutional partnerships with leading universities.

After consistent growth (+8% YoY) and years of operational stability, leadership recognized the need for a strategic, hands-on Director of Information Technology to modernize legacy systems, enhance digital capabilities, and future-proof their IT infrastructure. This role would be critical to shaping the organization’s digital roadmap—from mobile platform expansion to robust security frameworks and integrated data architecture.

However, high application volume (100+ candidates) and lean internal HR capacity made it difficult to identify the right individual. The challenge wasn’t just technical—it was cultural. The ideal candidate had to bring both broad technical expertise and a collaborative, mission-first mindset suited to the nonprofit world.

The Challenge
The organization needed a multi-skilled IT leader to manage systems, strategy, security, reporting, vendors, and team leadership—all in one role.

Internal capacity was strained by the volume of applications, delaying progress.

Cultural fit was just as vital as capability: the ideal hire needed to thrive in a lean, purpose-driven, remote-first team.

The role demanded competency across:

IT Risk & Cybersecurity

Scalable System Architecture & Performance Monitoring

Data Analytics & Reporting Infrastructure

Mobile App & API Development

QA/Test Systems

Budget Management & Strategic IT Planning

Our Solution
Executive Coalition partnered closely with the HR Director and executive team to:

Redefine the brief to isolate top-priority capabilities and cultural markers

Align the role with sector-specific talent expectations and motivations

Launch a targeted search campaign within 48 hours, prioritizing candidates with:

7–10+ years of IT management experience

Nonprofit or mission-driven organization exposure

Proven ability to lead lean teams and complex integrations

Strategic vision and execution across risk, reporting, and performance systems

A leadership style rooted in empathy, innovation, and accountability

Tapping into our leadership network, we ran a focused search across nonprofit, healthcare, and mid-market tech environments.

The Outcome
In just 12 days, we delivered a refined shortlist. The successful candidate brought:

10+ years in IT leadership with deep knowledge of security and compliance frameworks

Experience in launching mobile apps and building robust reporting dashboards

A track record of modernizing systems without disrupting core operations

A strong leadership presence and coaching ability for team growth

A clear alignment with the organization’s mission, values, and long-term vision

They saw the role not just as a job, but as a platform to contribute meaningfully to the healthcare ecosystem.

Why It Worked
We cut through the noise with a sharply defined role profile and outreach tailored to nonprofit-aligned leaders

We balanced technical depth with emotional intelligence, ensuring the candidate could operate strategically while integrating seamlessly into the culture

Our mission-led approach drew in talent motivated by purpose as much as compensation

The end-to-end process—from brief to hire—was executed in under two weeks