Chief Technology Officer

Job Description Summary

To directly oversee the operations of several departments which provide mission services and facilitate the smooth functioning of the entire operations of Young Life. This is a key member of the Operations Lead Team, reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and is instrumental in Young Life’s continued growth and opportunity for global impact. This role is responsible for guiding Young Life’s overall technical strategy, leading the technical teams, and works closely with key internal and external stakeholders, including the executive team, board, and influential donors. Oversees departments and titles such as: VP of IT, Enterprise Architect, Product Lead, Support Lead, IT Development, etc.

Essential Prerequisites for all staff members (from Young Life’s Bylaws – Article VII):

“Because of Young Life’s exclusive Christian purposes of evangelism and discipleship as set forth in its Articles of Incorporation and in these Bylaws, and to reflect what has always been and will continue to be the position of Young Life, specifically the Christian belief that each and every employee and volunteer of the corporation should minister as a servant of God with the primary responsibility of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and, as such, is an integral part of the Christian mission and ministry of the corporation, Young Life shall only employ individuals or enlist volunteer leaders who: (a) profess a belief in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord; and (b) subscribe to the statements and policies required of all Young Life staff, including the Young Life Statement of Faith. Therefore, employees and volunteers of Young Life, during working and nonworking hours, shall: (i) be ready, willing and able to fulfill such ministry functions as may be required by the organization; (ii) refrain from conduct and statements that detract from the biblical standards taught and supported by Young Life, and (iii) abide by all policies and practices of Young Life including, without limitation, those related to religious belief or ministry activities.”

Essential Tasks & Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy

• Develop, maintain, and communicate a clear multi-year technology strategy aligned to organizational goals for a global ministry
• Serve as a thought partner to the COO, CEO, and Executive Team, translating mission objectives into actionable technology and product plans
• Integrate technology vision into the broader enterprise architecture and planning efforts
• Cultivate and steward relationships with technology-minded donors, connecting their passion for innovation with Young Life’s missional needs
  
  

Organizational Development

• Foster a globally minded technology culture that balances standardization with flexibility to meet the distinct needs of Young Life’s ministries around the world, including 6,500+ staff and 40+ physical properties
• Structure and resource technology teams for scale and effectiveness, including Corporate IT, Product Development, and Production Operations
• Evaluate and manage team capacity, implementing strategies to reduce cognitive load and expand capabilities for future growth
• Sets appropriate annual goals and monitors progress of key staff
• Prepares the technical department’s annual operating budget, monitors department’s performance on a monthly basis, and maintains an on-going forecast for year-end projections
  
  

Operational Excellence

• Define, measure, and improve service levels for critical systems (e.g. 99.95% uptime), and develop incident management procedures with clear accountability, response protocols, and performance metrics
• Build and operationalize a scalable security, risk, and compliance program (e.g., ISO 27001 readiness) tailored to the complexities of a global ministry, ensuring resilient systems across diverse infrastructures and regulatory environments
• Develop and execute a roadmap to reduce redundant platforms
• Lead business continuity planning and execution by developing strategies to mitigate risks that could disrupt technology access, including geopolitical events, natural disasters, and regulatory changes.
• Conduct regular vendor and partner reviews to ensure alignment with strategy and cost-effectiveness
• Ensure consistent communication and rollout execution around changes implemented at the global, department, and intra-team levels
• Design and scale a global technology practice that fuels Young Life’s mission in 110+ countries and serves the unique needs of staff, volunteers, donors, and alumni worldwide
  
  

Talent Development

• Attract, equip, and inspire high-performing teams through thoughtful recruitment and integration of leaders and specialists who elevate organizational capacity
• Foster a culture of learning, mentoring and continuous improvement that honors and develops the dedication of existing staff
• Design and lead structured growth programs to coach managers and empower talent to thrive within a mission-driven culture
  
  

Faith-Based Leadership

• Demonstrate a faith-informed ethical framework for evaluating emerging technologies that align with the Mission’s theological and social values
• Model Young Life’s Statement of Faith in all decisions and interactions
• Foster a culture of respect, collaboration, and service consistent with Christian values
  
  

Key Qualifications

• 15+ years in senior technology leadership, ideally in global, mission-driven, or nonprofit organizations
• Demonstrated personal record of success in technical functions, having led successful strategies and outcomes during career
• Strong people development orientation – committed to mentoring, coaching, and enabling others
• Deep understanding of operational practices (e.g., SLA definition, platform consolidation, security, vendor management)
• Experience designing and implementing compliance frameworks (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to communicate across functions, cultures, and with external partners
• A global orientation and knowledge of strategies and trends in global strategy
• Authentic alignment with Young Life’s Statement of Faith and Christian values
  
  

Leadership Competencies & Personal Traits

• A collaborative team player who will take the time to adapt and impact organizational culture within the technical team, across functions, and with the field, US & International
• An inspiring communicator who can articulate vision and direction to a dynamic team and serve as the connective tissue in weaving together ideas and strategies across the mission
• Possesses a strong growth mindset and is able to learn from setbacks
• Comfortable with ambiguity and can break it down as part of a cross-functional team
• Values diversity and takes pride in cultivating an atmosphere of inclusion of various thoughts, perspectives, identities, and expressions
  
  

Education/Working Conditions

• Bachelor’s degree required, master’s degree highly preferred
• May require working flexible hours, including nights and weekends
• Regular travel required
  
  

The anticipated range for this position can range from $153,900 - $198,400, depending on the relevant education, experience, and location.