Director, Information Technologies

Aquarion Water Company is the public water supply company for more than 750,000 people in 72 cities and towns throughout Connecticut, as well as serving customers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. It is the largest investor-owned water utility in New England and among the seven largest in the U.S. Based in Bridgeport, CT, it has been in the public water supply business since 1857. Across its operations, Aquarion strives to act as a responsible steward of the environment and to assist the communities it serves in promoting sustainable practices. Aquarion Water Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eversource.

Job Summary

The IT Director provides strategic vision and leadership for AWC's use of information technology. The IT Director manages the planning, implementation, and operation of the enterprise-wide IT environment in support of business strategy and operations. This role will provide leadership and direction in identifying and developing the capability to use new technical tools, and in identifying and exploiting the enterprises knowledge resources. Additionally, the IT Director serves as a key member of the executive leadership team, driving enterprise-wide digital transformation, innovation, and technology-enabled business growth while ensuring operational resilience, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance. This role will report directly to the President of Aquarion Water Company.

Principal Responsibilities

IT Planning:

• Partner with the President to translate organizational vision into a comprehensive, multi-year enterprise IT strategy
• Provide strategic IT leadership as a key member of the senior leadership team, ensuring alignment between business objectives and technology initiatives.
• Lead enterprise-wide IT transformation to optimize processes, enable organizational change, and drive business growth.
• Establish priorities for IT investments by evaluating emerging technologies and identifying opportunities for innovation and competitive advantage.
• Oversee the development, execution, and continuous improvement of enterprise disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
• Communicate a clear and compelling IT vision, strategy, and roadmap to executive leadership.

IT Deployment, Operations, and Support:

• Direct and oversee the implementation, integration, and optimization of enterprise applications, infrastructure, and network systems.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with business units to identify requirements and deliver scalable, technology-enabled solutions.
• Drive cost-effective IT investment decisions through rigorous financial analysis, including ROI and risk assessments.
• Assess, manage, and communicate technology-related risks to executive leadership.
• Direct the operations of IT data centers, networks, and the customer support center.
• Establish and enforce robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard AWC's systems, data, and infrastructure.
• Lead the development and ongoing management of the corporate website and digital presence.
• Define, implement, and govern enterprise IT policies, standards, and best practices to ensure consistency and compliance.

IT Resource Management:

• Lead, develop, and manage a high-performing IT organization, including 28 internal staff and 15+ external vendors and partners.
• Oversee and manage IT financials, including an operating budget of approximately $8M and a capital budget of $7-12M.
• Negotiate and manage vendor contracts exceeding $3M annually, ensuring optimal value and service delivery.
• Define and deploy IT departmental goals, objectives, and operating procedures.
• Provide AWC with continuous delivery of IT services through active evaluation and improvement of IT systems performance.
• Develop and direct AWC's IT organization through strategic talent acquisition, development, succession planning, and retention of critical IT roles.

Preferred Requirements

IT Leadership:

• Demonstrated leadership experience with a proven ability to build alignment, drive consensus, and lead cross-functional teams in a collaborative environment.
• Proven success in developing and executing IT strategies that align with and support organizational goals.
• Strong track record of leveraging technology to deliver measurable business value and operational improvements.
• Extensive experience managing IT functions, including oversight of processes, budgets, and performance outcomes.
• Exceptional analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving capabilities.
• In-depth knowledge of program and project management methodologies, with the ability to lead complex initiatives to successful completion.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insights for business stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of human resource management practices, and procedures.
• Highly motivated and adaptable leader with a proactive, innovative, and solutions-oriented mindset.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively engage and influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization.

IT Background:

• Comprehensive experience leading IT functions within a complex business or enterprise environment.
• Proven success delivering end-to-end business systems solutions, from requirements gathering through implementation and ongoing support.
• Strong technical foundation across IT infrastructure, including networks, hardware platforms, enterprise applications, and third-party/outsourced systems.

Education/Certifications

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience leading and managing IT functions within a complex organizational environment.
• Demonstrated experience working with a hybrid of SAP systems (ECC/CRM, S/4HANA, & Successfactors) is required.
• Experience supporting utility industry systems, such as SAP, GIS, LIMS, and SCADA, is strongly preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in computer science, business, or a related field required; master's degree preferred.

Salary

• After 3 months of successful employment, this role will be eligible for a hybrid schedule (3 days office/2 days remote).
• Job is classified as an exempt position with a salary range of $150,160.00 to $187,700.00.
• This position is Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, with after-hours work as needed.
• This position is reporting out of our Monroe office (Monroe, CT).

Aquarion Water Company is an equal opportunity employer, and we prohibit discrimination based on age, color, disability, marital or parental status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or any other legally protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.