Director of Technology

Company Overview

At the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), we crave speed. We race the fastest vehicles in motorsports at speeds of more than 330 mph, with power exceeding 12,000 hp. Our MISSION is to preserve, protect, promote, and evolve the sport of drag racing; furthermore, focus on the safety of the sport, while entertaining and educating all involved. At NHRA, we believe in Speed for All.

Our CORE VALUES are enabled and intertwined in all we do, on and off the track.

• Safety
  :
  In all aspects of our sport and workplace.
• Excellence & Professionalism
  :
  We strive for excellence in all we do and maintaining professionalism on and off the track.
• Collaboration/Teamwork
  :
  Commitment to working together and sharing as a team.
• Great Work Environment
  : A supportive and inclusive atmosphere that fosters creativity, innovation, and growth where our employees feel valued and motivated.
• Integrity
  :
  We uphold the highest standards of fairness and transparency in all decisions affecting our employees and stakeholders.
• Inclusion
  :
  An environment where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered.

The Director of Technology is a business‑first technology leader responsible for overseeing the IT team operation, and ensures systems are reliable, secure and scalable. Candidates will manage all internal and external resources to ensure overall alignment with the business objectives of the organization and overall vision for the IT operation.

• Formulate and deploy long‑term strategic plans for acquiring and enabling efficient and cost‑effective information processing and communication technologies using the latest technologies.
• Working knowledge of AI capabilities and limitations including the ability to evaluate AI tools for productivity, automation, and analytics; and ability to establish guardrails around data usage, privacy, and security.
• Evaluate competitive landscape, recommend and deploy solutions to innovate and constantly improve quality of our fan engagement and racing presentation.
• Where necessary, re‑engineer and recommend application support to ensure alignment with business requirements, processes, tactical planning and strategic vision.
• Analyzes IT infrastructure and current systems performance to assess operation costs, productivity levels, upgrade requirements and other metrics and needs.
• Diagnose and resolve technical issues across systems and departments.
• Establish and maintain communication with the organization’s executive department heads, and end users regarding pertinent IT activities.
• Authorize and oversee the deployment, monitoring, maintenance, development, and support of all hardware and software based on department needs.
• Maintains strong relationships with external IT vendors and service providers.
• Facilitates IT security audits or investigations.
• Other tasks and duties as relevant and assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field and 7+ years of progressive IT experience, including people leadership, with at least 3–5 years managing large‑scale or multi‑location IT operations, demonstrating clear career advancement and effective oversight of external vendors and partner organizations.
• Successful management of budgets and implementing policies that improve efficiency.
• Advanced background and knowledge in network and systems administration.
• Advanced background and knowledge in programming and software development.
• Excellent communication skills; able to translate between technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead in fast‑paced, high‑pressure environments with shifting priorities.
• Lead and develop a cohesive team culture that embodies adaptability, collaboration, and urgency.
• Proactive mindset; always looking for ways to leverage technology to create efficiencies.
• Able to stand for prolonged periods of time, to include bending/stooping; able to lift and move up to 35 lbs. with minimal assistance.
• Flexible schedule with availability to work evenings and weekends as required, including travel to other offices and event locations.

• 5+ years of experience in software development, with…