Director, Information Technology

Company Description

Company DescriptionNOVAGOLD is a pure-play gold company focused on advancing the Donlin Gold project in Alaska, which is owned 60% by NOVAGOLD and 40% by Paulson Advisers LLC and certain of its affiliates through Donlin Gold Holdings LLC.

Donlin Gold is projected to be the largest single gold mine in the United States. The project is distinguished by its exceptional scale, high-grade open-pit mineralization, long mine life, significant exploration potential, and location in Alaska, a well-established U.S. mining jurisdiction. Donlin Gold is situated on private land designated for mining under agreements with Alaska Native landowners Calista Corporation and The Kuskokwim Corporation, with whom the project has built long-standing relationships. These relationships are complemented by extensive community engagement and support throughout the Yukon-Kuskokwim region.

For more information, please visit the company's website: www.novagold.com.

Role Overview

The Senior IT Leader will establish and lead the organization’s IT function, building the strategy, governance, systems, security, and operating practices needed to support the business today and as it grows. This role will partner closely with senior leadership to translate business priorities into a scalable technology roadmap while ensuring the organization appropriately manages cybersecurity, technology risk, data, and emerging technologies.

This is a hands-on leadership role requiring both strategic thinking and practical execution. The successful candidate will be comfortable building foundational capabilities from the ground up, managing external partners, and evolving the IT function as the organization grows.

Safety

Comply with legal obligations and NOVAGOLD’s safety policies and procedures. Cooperate with supervisors, coordinators and managers on management of safety issues, including compliance with any instructors. Intervene as necessary, to ensure the safety of others in the workplace. Provide safety leadership by always setting a good example.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

IT Strategy \& Governance

• Develop and execute an enterprise IT strategy and roadmap aligned with business priorities and growth plans.
• Establish and maintain IT governance, policies, standards, and controls appropriate for a publicly traded company.
• Partner with Finance, Internal Audit, Legal, and external auditors to support compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), including the design, implementation, documentation, testing, and remediation of IT General Controls (ITGCs).
• Develop and manage the IT budget, technology investments, and vendor portfolio.
• Establish appropriate technology architecture and standards to support scalability, security, and operational effectiveness.
• Advise senior leadership on technology trends, opportunities, risks, and investment priorities.
• Ensure appropriate controls are established and maintained across areas such as user access, segregation of duties, change management, system development, cybersecurity, data integrity, financial reporting, and IT operations.
• Support annual SOX planning, risk assessments, control testing, audit requests, deficiency remediation, and ongoing control improvements.

Cybersecurity \& Risk Management

• Develop and oversee the organization’s cybersecurity strategy and security program.
• Establish security policies, standards, controls, and employee practices appropriate to the organization’s risk profile.
• Identify, assess, prioritize, and mitigate technology and cybersecurity risks.
• Establish incident response, business continuity, disaster recovery, backup, and recovery capabilities.
• Manage security assessments, audits, testing, and remediation efforts.
• Partner with Legal, Finance, HR, and other stakeholders on data privacy, regulatory, compliance, and technology-related risks.
• Oversee third-party technology and cybersecurity risk.

IT Infrastructure \& Operations

• Establish and oversee reliable, secure, and scalable IT infrastructure and day-to-day technology operations.
• Manage identity and access, devices, networks, cloud environments, collaboration platforms, and other core technology services.
• Establish processes for user provisioning, access management, hardware/software lifecycle management, and IT support.
• Develop service standards and processes that provide employees with responsive and effective technology support.
• Manage external IT service providers and determine which capabilities should be developed internally as the organization grows.
• Ensure appropriate documentation, asset management, licensing, and technology controls are maintained.

Business Systems \& Technology Enablement

• Partner with business leaders to understand operational needs and identify opportunities to improve processes through technology.
• Assess, select, implement, integrate, and optimize enterprise business systems.
• Establish a scalable approach to system ownership, administration, integrations, data, and lifecycle management.
• Evaluate technology investments based on business value, cost, risk, usability, and scalability.
• Drive adoption and effective use of technology across the organization.

AI Strategy, Governance \& Policy

• Establish policies and governance for the responsible and secure use of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
• Define appropriate standards for the use of company data, confidential information, third-party AI tools, and generative AI.
• Partner with business leaders to identify practical opportunities to leverage AI to improve productivity, decision-making, and business processes.
• Establish processes for evaluating and approving AI tools and use cases based on security, privacy, legal, ethical, and business considerations.
• Monitor developments in AI and emerging technologies and recommend changes to company policies, practices, and investments as appropriate.

Leadership \& Organizational Capability

• Serve as the senior technology advisor to executive leadership.
• Provide periodic IT and cybersecurity updates to the Audit Committee and/or the Board

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• Build strong partnerships across the organization and ensure technology priorities are aligned with business needs.
• Develop the long-term IT operating model, including internal capabilities, external partners, and future staffing needs.
• Lead technology-related change initiatives and communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Build a culture of security awareness, technology accountability, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in information technology, computer science, business, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 10\+ years of progressive experience in information technology, technology operations, infrastructure, cybersecurity, or related functions, including 5\+ years in IT leadership roles with increasing scope and responsibility.
• Experience leading IT within a publicly traded company or similarly regulated environment, including responsibility for SOX compliance and IT General Controls.
• Experience building or significantly evolving an IT function, preferably within a growing or changing organization.
• Experience managing cybersecurity and technology risk, including incident response and business continuity.
• Experience selecting and managing technology vendors and outsourced service providers.

Skills \& Abilities:

• Demonstrated knowledge of SOX requirements as they relate to technology, including access controls, change management, segregation of duties, system operations, evidence/documentation, control testing, and remediation.
• Broad knowledge of IT infrastructure, cloud environments, cybersecurity, enterprise applications, data management, and technology governance.
• Working knowledge of AI technologies, associated business opportunities, and emerging governance and risk considerations.
• Strong financial and business acumen, including experience developing budgets and evaluating technology investments.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to advise senior executives and translate complex technology topics into business terms.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate/interface with all levels of the organization's management and staff
• Demonstrated ability to operate strategically while remaining willing to be hands-on when needed.

Work Location \& Travel

• Hybrid role: 1-3 days in the Salt Lake City office per week
• Minimal travel required: 10-20%