Global Director of Technology

Introduction

VisionSpring is the trailblazing international social enterprise increasing lifelong earning, learning, safety, and well-being through eyeglasses for people vulnerable to poverty. We envision a world where everyone who needs eyeglasses will have them by 2050.

Why eyeglasses? Eyeglasses are a low-cost, high-impact, and scalable product that enables people to maintain their livelihoods, succeed in school, stay safe on the roads, and participate fully in society. Yet 1.1 billion people lack the eyeglasses they need. Most, 80%, require the most affordable and scalable solution: reading glasses, delivered by non-medical personnel.

Through VisionSpring’s social enterprise models, a $1 investment in eyeglasses yields $43 in increased income for people living on less than $4 per day. Our recent randomized controlled trial (THRIVE, 2024) found that reading glasses increased monthly income in rural Bangladesh by 33%. Eyeglasses also improve children’s learning gains, reduce road traffic injuries, and promote mental health and independence for aging adults.

Global momentum for change: In 2021, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the "Vision for Everyone" resolution, recognizing eye health and vision correction as key drivers of multiple Sustainable Development Goals. This spurred the WHO SPECS 2030 global strategy, which aims to increase effective coverage of refractive errors with eyeglasses by 40 percentage points by 2030.

An early pioneer championing eyeglasses as a livelihoods and development tool, VisionSpring is at the heart of a global movement to close the clear vision gap. With new evidence, systems-change momentum, a transformational gift from MacKenzie Scott and Bloomberg Philanthropies, and 25 years of delivery, we are scaling proven eyeglasses and vision service models that correct the vision of more than 3 million people annually.

What we do: We get corrective eyeglasses on faces, help others do the same, and work in coalition to close the vision gap within a generation through three interlocking strategies:

• Deliver

  – Bring vision screening and eyeglasses directly into low-income communities where people work, learn, and live.

• Catalyze

  – Equip NGOs, governments, and community providers with training, products, and delivery models to expand coverage.

• Influence

  – Use research, advocacy, and coalition-building to shift policy, mobilize resources, and embed vision correction into public health and economic agendas.

With operations in nine countries in Africa and South Asia, VisionSpring combines market-based solutions with multi-sector partnerships to ensure lasting, large-scale uptake of eyeglasses so people see well and do well. 

Position Overview

Global Director of Technology

The director oversees a team of six people, plus consultants, who manage systems, infrastructure, and services for nine countries: India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, the U.S., and across Africa. The Technology department ensures reliable, secure, and user-friendly systems for the remote and office-based staff of more than 400 people, standardizing platforms, integrating systems, and optimizing global service delivery. It works closely with in-country partners to meet ambitious timelines and resolve issues swiftly. The Director works without compromising the strength of relationships, striking a balance between assertiveness and empathy, ensuring accountability while fostering long-term trust.

About You  

• Strategic Navigator

  – You align global IT strategy with mission, growth, and business priorities, cutting through complexity to deliver scalable solutions for resource-constrained settings.

• Action Driver

  – You move technology initiatives from concept to execution with speed, mobilizing distributed teams and partners to achieve results across multiple geographies.

• Team Animator

  – You inspire and build trust across cultures, helping colleagues, vendors, and customer-facing teams adopt new systems and collaborate effectively.

• Iterative Problem Solver

  – You improve systems and products through continuous refinement and effective use of emerging technologies, driving better decisions, greater efficiency, and stronger customer experiences.

Job Requirements

Experience

• 15+ years of progressive IT experience, with at least 5 years in a multi-country/global context.
• Strong knowledge of cloud platforms (Microsoft 365, Azure, Google Workspace).
• Experience with enterprise applications (ERP, CRM, HRIS, collaboration tools).
• Expertise in cybersecurity, data governance, and regulatory compliance.
• Understanding of digital solutions for low-connectivity environments.
• Track record of leading distributed teams across multiple geographies and time zones.
• Proven success managing multi-country operations, especially in Africa and South/Southeast Asia.

Skills

• Strategic thinker with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Exceptional leadership and cross-cultural communication skills.
• Proficiency in information technology and data analytics.
• Ability to thrive in fast-paced, mission-driven environments.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Systems, or related field required, Master’s preferred.

Location & Travel

• The candidate will be based in India – preferably in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, or Ahmedabad – and will work across multiple time zones spanning the Eastern United States to Vietnam.
• Must be willing and able to travel and conduct site visits and training in low infrastructure settings in VisionSpring’s key markets.
  

Job Responsibilities

• Information Security, Cybersecurity & Data Governance

  : While you bring deep expertise, you establish global Information Security and cybersecurity standards and risk management frameworks. Ensure compliance with data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR, local data laws). Safeguard sensitive organizational, staff, and beneficiary data, build strong connections across departments – from production and last-mile delivery to sales and finance. Lead the development and implementation of the company’s information security management system (ISMS) and oversee all initiatives required to achieve and maintain ISO 27001 certification.

• Systems & Applications:

  Oversee enterprise applications – ERP (SAP), HRIS (HiBob), CRM (Salesforce), knowledge management (SharePoint and Power BI), and proprietary workflow systems, including our vision camp data platform (DigitEYES) and project finance (ProjectEYES). Partner closely with business units to identify and deploy digital solutions. Promote cloud-based and mobile-first systems that work in low-bandwidth settings.

• User Adoption & Digital Literacy

  : Drive organizational adoption of technology solutions by ensuring systems are intuitive, well-documented, and supported by training programs. Build digital literacy and confidence across teams by tailoring support to diverse user groups, maximizing uptake, efficiency, and impact.

• Innovation & AI

  : Foster a culture of experimentation and innovation, leveraging emerging technologies, including AI and machine learning, to enhance internal efficiencies (e.g., workflow automation, predictive analytics) and improve customer-facing experiences (e.g., chatbots, personalized services). Evaluate responsible AI use to ensure equitable outcomes and alignment with VisionSpring’s mission.

• Vendor & Partner Management:

  You manage global IT vendors, contracts, and technology partnerships. Negotiate cost-effective, high-quality services tailored to organizational needs and evaluate technologies for potential adoption and implementation.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration

1. Work closely with Finance, Supply Chain, Programs, Product, and People teams to align IT function with broader organizational priorities by creating and maintaining IT budgets and tracking IT spend.
2. Maintain and strengthen the company’s existing DevOps practices to ensure reliable CI/CD pipelines, automation, and seamless collaboration between development and operations teams. 
3. Apply and maintain ITIL best practices to ensure consistent service management, efficient incident response, and continual improvement of IT operations.” Experience with a ticketing system, such as ServiceDesk.
4. Leverage experience with ETL processes to ensure accurate, efficient extraction, transformation, and loading of data across enterprise systems and reporting platforms.  
   

• Team Leadership

  : You lead and mentor a distributed IT team (primarily in India and Africa), building technical capacity and ensuring high-quality support across time zones. Foster a collaborative, accountable, and inclusive IT culture.

Job Benefits

• Salary range is based on experience, education, and location.
  

- At VisionSpring, diversity, equity, and inclusion align with our core values, advancing equity. Our mission is predicated on removing a fundamental barrier to full economic and social participation—uncorrected blurry vision. The values that underpin our mission energize our commitment to a diverse and inclusive team. A diverse team also enables VisionSpring to approach problems with nuance and develop unique insights that drive a significantly positive impact in the world. We actively recruit, develop, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, supporting everyone to be authentic. VisionSpring is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes applications from people of all experiences, abilities, and perspectives.