Information Security and Systems Lead, (Associate) Director

About IDinsight

We're a global data and evidence advisory, working with governments, philanthropies, and non-profits to improve lives at scale, using technology and AI where they can deliver the most impact.

IDinsight is a global nonprofit that equips leaders with the data, evidence and technology to improve lives at scale. We partner with governments, NGOs, multilaterals, and funders to support decisions at every stage of their impact journey – from bold pilots to nationwide scale-ups. Our teams bring rigorous evidence and practical insights so leaders can make informed decisions that truly change lives. With our partners, we are pioneering the next frontier of social impact, where data and technology accelerate progress for millions. We help leaders overcome the three main barriers to impact:

• Figuring out what works

• Learning and improving

• Reaching and operating at scale

We work in multiple countries across Asia and Africa. Our work spans a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, education, health, governance, sanitation, financial inclusion, and other areas.

We have expertise in a variety of rigorous approaches and methodologies, which we tailor to each client depending on their needs and constraints. To achieve a positive social impact we:

• Support our partners with the full ‘data and evidence’ value chain – from primary data collection to data systems, monitoring evaluation and learning tools, and data science

• Inform funding decisions – toward high-impact initiatives and away from less effective programs or approaches

• Create cutting-edge AI-for-good products that make the delivery of social interventions and learning tools more cost-effective and scalable

Our diverse, growing team of roughly 250 outstanding colleagues operate in nearly two dozen countries around the world. Learn more about our mission, values, and principles at www.

IDinsight.org.

Joining IDinsight at this moment

IDinsight is entering an exciting new phase of growth. As demand for rigorous evidence and AI-enabled solutions accelerates across the sectors and geographies we work in, we are actively investing in our teams, deepening our regional footprint, and expanding the frontier of what data and technology can do for social impact. This is a moment of real momentum for IDinsight. We're looking for people who want to use data and evidence to improve lives at scale; who are energized by taking on problems without a playbook; and who want a hand in shaping what IDinsight becomes as we grow.

About the Information Security and Systems Lead Role

The Information Security and Systems team is the engine driving our uniquely dynamic, high-achieving, multicultural, multi-continental team at the cutting edge of how evidence is used to improve global development programs. This team's mandate is to build and maintain systems that enable IDinsight teams across 7+ countries to achieve social impact. We are looking for an Information Security and Enterprise Systems Leader to own that mandate end-to-end. You will lead a small, capable team of security and systems specialists, fractional resources, and external implementation partners. You will report to and advise the executive team. This role could be a fit if you have high-quality experience running both security and enterprise systems initiatives at a global organisation and you’re comfortable being the most senior technical voice in the room without being the only person who understands the decision.

Enterprise Systems Leadership

• Strategy and roadmap — Define and own the multi-year enterprise systems strategy for a remote-first, globally distributed organisation, and the priorities that follow from it.

• Systems implementation — Lead identification, selection, and implementation of new enterprise systems such as CRMs, ERPs, etc. Own architecture and integration decisions and the master data model that holds them together.

• Implementation partner management — Select, contract, and manage external implementation and support partners, including scope, commercial terms, and delivery accountability.

• Budget ownership — Lead annual budgeting and financial planning for organisational systems, and make the trade-offs that a non-profit budget requires.

• Change management — Champion adoption across regions and functions, so that systems investments produce behaviour change.

• Operational effectiveness — Identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies across the estate, streamline usage to reduce shadow IT, and ensure systems and support functions operate reliably across time zones.

• Leadership partnership — Work with functional and regional leadership on requirements, prioritisation, and the systems implications of organisational strategy.

Information Security Program Management

• Security strategy — Define and own the information security strategy in alignment with organisational strategy and recognised frameworks, and monitor delivery against the roadmap.

• Control framework — Lead implementation of security and privacy controls as regulation, client obligations, and risk require.

• Governance — Coordinate the Information Security Steering Committee and contribute to Enterprise Risk Management.

• Incident response — Own incident response planning, lead coordination during incidents, and drive the changes that follow.

• External assurance — Commission and support penetration tests, vulnerability assessments, audits, and own remediation.

• Risk management — Lead periodic risk assessment exercises and the ongoing identification, mitigation, and monitoring of information security risk.

• Due diligence — Serve as senior point of contact for funder, client, and government partner security and data protection due diligence.

• Investigations — Support Legal, Compliance, and Operations where digital evidence is relevant to policy violations.

Data Protection and AI Governance

• Multi-jurisdiction compliance — Own compliance with GDPR and the national data protection regimes in the countries where we operate, including data mapping, retention, subject rights, and impact assessments.

• AI governance — Define how IDinsight governs AI use on project and organisational data: tool assessment, acceptable use, and the controls that make responsible use the default.

• Policy — Own the information security and data protection policy set, and keep it usable enough that colleagues consult it rather than route around it.

Team and Function Leadership

• People management — Manage, develop, and grow full-time technology staff and fractional resources, including hiring and performance management.

• Capability building — Build depth and redundancy in the team so that critical knowledge is not concentrated in one person.

• Organisational contribution — Contribute to cross-functional leadership initiatives and to IDinsight's institutional practice on data ethics and responsible technology use.

Qualifications

We're looking for an entrepreneurial, “get stuff done” teammate with substantial leadership experience. Desired qualifications include:

• 8+ years of professional experience in technology roles, including at least 5 years of Information Security or Enterprise IT leadership experience (involving people management).

• Demonstrated ownership of an information security programme at organisational scale — strategy, control framework, governance forum, and incident response, not solely operations;

• Experience leading the selection and implementation of major enterprise systems such as ERP, CRM, including partner management and budget ownership;

• Hands-on depth across enterprise security controls — endpoint protection, network security, vulnerability management — sufficient to make architecture decisions and evaluate your team's work credibly;

• Strong command of identity and access management in enterprise environments, including SSO, MFA, LDAP, and federation protocols such as SAML;

• Experience with control configuration and security architecture in common cloud environments;

• Working knowledge of GDPR and of national data protection regimes in Africa or Asia, and of security frameworks such as NIST CSF, NIST SP 800-171, or ISO/IEC 27001;

• Experience administering enterprise systems for a globally distributed team, including workspace collaboration and human capital management platforms;

• Experience with enterprise systems architecture and data modelling;

• Information security leadership certification preferred — CISM, CISSP, CISA, or equivalent;

• Excellent collaboration, interpersonal, communication, and facilitation skills, with the ability to present to and influence audiences of varying technical fluency, including senior leadership;

• Strong internal and external stakeholder management skills, including with funders, government partners, and vendors;

• Experience managing change in a fast-moving, remote-first environment.

• Detail- and execution-oriented, able to take a task from high-level strategic idea to rapid execution with a large amount of autonomy and conscientiousness;

• Demonstrated track record as a self-starter and leader, including comfort with ambiguity and dynamic environments and work streams;

• Ability to handle sensitive information, data, and issues with mature and discreet professionalism;

• Ability to work with international, cross-cultural, and diverse teams across time zones.

• Nuts & bolts

• Start date

• The start date for this position is as soon as possible, with preference given to candidates who can start immediately. We expect a minimum two-year commitment, with regular professional development conversations and the potential for a long-term career at IDinsight.

• Work Authorization

• IDinsight is able to sponsor employment visas for all nationalities in the locations listed above; however, we will prioritize candidates who do not require IDinsight to sponsor work authorization in the aforementioned countries. All candidates who are not currently located in our country offices listed above will be expected to relocate to their office locations at the onset of their employment.

Compensation

Compensation and benefits are commensurate with the qualifications and experiences IDinsight is hiring for, and competitive within the global development sector. We are especially proud of the people-focused benefits we offer, including comprehensive international health insurance with mental health coverage; paid vacation, sick, and parental leave; relocation benefits; a travel stipend; technology and work-from-home stipends; a professional development budget; and more.

Please note that, as a non-profit, we are unable to provide compensation similar to leading private sector organizations.

Professional development

Skill and career development are core to IDinsight's values and long-term impact strategy, and have been noted highlights of teammates’ experiences. IDinsighters receive significant mentorship from IDinsight leadership, support from talented peers, and are given considerable autonomy when ready. They maintain professional development plans and are given "stretch" opportunities designed to strengthen a variety of skills. Real-time feedback is embedded in our culture and formal structure enables maximum professional growth. Additionally, teammates have access to an annual professional development stipend that they are encouraged to utilize to explore their career interests and develop their skills.

IDinsight’s commitme