Senior Vice President, Director of Technology

Location: Pasadena
Posted on: June 23, 2025

Job Description:

Job Details Description At Whittier Trust, we arent just a financial institution, we are trusted partners with a long, rich history of successfully navigating the financial markets to preserve, protect, and enhance our clients wealth and well-being across generations As the oldest, privately owned, multi-family office headquartered on the West Coast, we operate with the singular focus of providing holistic, top-tier client service and highly personalized investment solutions to ultra-high-net-worth individuals and their families designed to advance and secure their long-term financial legacies and goals. With a dedicated team of approximately 220 professionals, we serve a community of more than 600 clients and their families, offering a diverse range of services that span investment management, consulting, fiduciary expertise, philanthropic support, and comprehensive family office services. Entrusted with managing approximately $24 billion in private family assets, we approach each clients unique needs with a consultative mindset, customizing solutions for even the most intricate family financial situations. What sets Whittier Trust apart is our team. We attract professionals who are driven by a genuine passion for serving our clients. Our organization operates with agility and a deep understanding of the evolving requirements of both modern-day entrepreneurs and legacy family members, even those several generations removed from the wealth creators. Our corporate culture is firmly rooted in client-centricity, fostering collaboration, setting high-performance standards, demanding accountability, nurturing a family-oriented ethos, and ensuring long-term career fulfillment. Our remarkably low employee turnover stands as a testament to our teams unwavering engagement and satisfaction in their careers. All positions are considered in-person with flexibility on a case-by-case basis. Job Purpose The primary purpose of the Director of Information Technology (DIT) is to play a pivotal role in managing and shaping the technological landscape of Whittier Trust. This is a player/coach role, and the successful candidate will have the desire and ability to not only operate at a strategic level but also perform operational duties as well. Whittier Trust is a relatively small, but rapidly expanding company and all senior managers have multiple responsibilities that often include primary functional duties in addition to broader management and strategic responsibilities. While data security is of primary importance, the second major goal of DIT is to promote an excellent user experience for internal customers of the IT Department. Communication and training will be extremely important. Rapid response to feedback will ensure a cultural shift that will foster close collaboration between the business units and the IT team. Essential Functions 1. Team Management – Lead and mentor a team of in-house technology professionals, manage outside vendor and consulting relationships, hire and train new professionals as the need arises. 2. Data Security – Maintaining the security of our clients’ personal information and data is mission-critical for our business and will be a primary focus of the DIT. Overseeing periodic penetration testing and firewall maintenance is of the utmost importance. 3. Strategy Development - work with the senior management team to anticipate technology needs, streamline existing tech stack where appropriate and develop new solutions alongside business unit managers. 4. Cyber Security and Compliance – Maintain and enhance our existing cyber security protocols, being ever vigilant against would-be attackers 5. Infrastructure Oversight – Manage existing infrastructure and support remote office locations. 6. Software Management – oversees the lifecycle of business-critical applications, ensuring they align with strategic goals. 7. Ad hoc projects, as required Desired Skills 15 years of experience in IT industry with an emphasis on client service. Proven experience in technology leadership roles, with a track record of assessing, strategizing, and implementing technology initiatives. Excellent communication skills, capable of engaging with stakeholders at all levels, including C-suite executives and users. Hands-on experience with various technologies and a willingness to dive into technical details when necessary. Demonstrated ability to build and develop teams, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Deep understanding of IT systems within the financial industry, with prior experience in a similar domain preferred. Strong leadership skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate teams to achieve ambitious goals. A proactive approach to problem-solving and a commitment to delivering results in a dynamic and fast-paced environment. Exposure to network security and adherence to company policy in a regulated environment. Strong background in general networking (TCP/IP) and some routing, including VLANs and proxies. System management including, but not limited to log analysis, traffic analysis, anti-virus monitoring, patch deployment, backup/restore testing and vulnerability management. Experience with current Windows server, workstation, and applications platforms. Experience with mobile device management platforms. Must have excellent interpersonal skills and work in a team environment. Must be thorough and detail oriented while maintaining efficiency. Must be hands-on and have a passion for IT. Ability and desire to keep certification current and continue learning is a requirement. Desired Qualifications BA degree or equivalent, relevant coursework Post-graduate degree preferred, not essential Compensation A competitive base salary, performance bonus, and benefit plans including medical, dental, vision, life, long term disability, and 401(k) with company match. Base salary range: $200,000 - $275,000. This is an in-office position. Alternative locations may include Newport Beach, California or Reno, Nevada. Qualifications Skills Preferred Analytical - Advanced WORD - Advanced EXCEL - Advanced Outlook - Advanced PowerPoint - Advanced Communication - Advanced Behaviors Preferred Thought Provoking: Capable of making others think deeply on a subject Team Player: Works well as a member of a group Leader: Inspires teammates to follow them Detail Oriented: Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well Dedicated: Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity Motivations Preferred Goal Completion: Inspired to perform well by the completion of tasks Growth Opportunities: Inspired to perform well by the chance to take on more responsibility Ability to Make an Impact: Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization Education Preferred Bachelors or better in Information Technology or related field.

Keywords: , Altadena , Senior Vice President, Director of Technology, IT / Software / Systems , Pasadena, California