Vice President of Technology | Columbia Hospitality
Columbia Hospitality is seeking a dedicated Vice President of Technology, a strong communicator who is operationally excellent, service minded, and a people first collaborator who understands hospitality from the property up. This leader will continue to build the technology services function, manage large vendor relationships, and execute cross departmental technology initiatives that our team members, guests, properties, and owners depend on. This role is the operational heart of Columbia's IT organization. You will lead a team of IT professionals, own service delivery across all properties, and be the trusted partner to property General Managers, department heads, and corporate stakeholders. Success here is not just about keeping systems running and secure, it's about earning the confidence of every property team across a diverse polio and bringing partners and owners along with you. Your ability to build consensus across diverse stakeholders will be as important as your technical leadership.
This is a rare chance to shape an IT organization at a growing company. Critical skills to this role include technical knowledge across platforms in the hospitality sector, the ability to collaborate, build trust of the business by listening well, proactively planning projects, moving with urgency, and delivering on its commitments to every property.
Let’s start off with the most important part-what’s in it for you: The Perks *Eligibility of perks is dependent upon job status • Salary Range: $180,000 to $220,000 DOE • Cellphone Allowance • Incentive Eligible • Commuter/Parking Allowance • Get Paid Daily (Make any day payday) • Paid Time off & Holiday Pay (Because Balance Matters) • Benefits - Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, 401K • HSA/FSA Plans -with employer contribution • Values Based Culture (#OMGLIFE) • Culture Add (Creating Space for Fresh Perspectives) • Referral Bonus (Get Paid to Recruit) • Discounted Lodging, Dining, Spa, Golf, and Retail (Yes, Discounted Travel!) • Employee Assistance Program • “Columbia Cares” Volunteer Opportunities • Committee Participation Opportunities (Fun, Philanthropic, Diversity/Equity/Inclusion) • Task Force Work Opportunities (Grow your career in idyllic locations across the globe) • Online Learning Platform to Help You Grow! • Third Party Perks (Including discounts on Pet Insurance, Rental Cars, Movie and Concert Tickets, Theme Park and Attractions & so much more)
Our Commitment to you: “People never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou’s famous statement serves as a rallying cry throughout Columbia Hospitality and fuels our collective drive - and success. Our people are our purpose, and our brand is our people. We seek extraordinary individuals who drive our brand promise of Creating Exceptional Experiences. We are a people-first organization, ignited from the inside to succeed on the outside. We are a tight-knit, inclusive, values-driven team and we trust one another to have each other’s backs. We show up every day with open hearts, an inclusive mindset, and a genuine respect for those around us. We have fun, grow together, and strive to leave a positive lasting impression on everyone we meet.
What Success Looks Like: Your Impact Lead Technology operations, infrastructure and support services across all properties • Own day-to-day IT service delivery, ensuring properties receive responsive, reliable, and high-quality support • Establish and manage a tiered support model, including a Tier 1 helpdesk and technicians and/or partners for on-site support • Build and publish an IT service catalog with clear SLAs; hold the team accountable to them • Serve as the senior escalation point for complex incidents, issues, and critical property needs Build and develop the Technology team • Foster a team culture that mirrors Columbia's values - proactive, humble, and genuinely service-oriented • Partner with People & Culture on performance management and development planning for each individual team member • Identify skills gaps, and develop plans to close gaps in order to meet SLAs and exceed customer expectations Serve as the trusted technology partner to property leadership • Invest deeply in understanding how each property operates, its rhythms, pressures, and guest experience standards, so that technology solutions fit the operation, not the other way around • Build genuine, trusted relationships with property General Managers and department heads; be a visible, approachable presence across the portfolio • Conduct regular proactive on-site visits to properties; surface and resolve issues before GMs have to ask • Facilitate collaborative conversations with property teams when introducing changes, bring people along, don't just roll things out • Represent IT in property leadership forums; advocate for property needs internally and translate operational realities into technology priorities Own the technology stack and vendor relationships • Drive standardization (where it makes business sense) of hardware, software, infrastructure, and cybersecurity across the portfolio • Own vendor relationships • Lead vendor selection, negotiation, and contract management • Enhance existing ITSM/ticketing platform (Halo) to provide visibility into team performance • Increase use of IT Self Service portal, automated ticket workflows and enhanced SLA reporting Manage budget and governance • Own the IT operating and capital budgets • Update current property IT chargeback model over time, and evaluate the inclusion of a tiered support model based to manage expectations and costs • Establish lightweight governance for technology exceptions and property-specific requests • Ensure compliance with security, data privacy, and PCI-DSS requirements across the portfolio Build consensus and lead change across the organization • Engage stakeholders, property teams, corporate leadership, finance, people & culture, and operations early and often when evaluating or implementing technology changes • Lead with curiosity and humility: seek input before forming conclusions, and create space for diverse perspectives to shape decisions • Navigate competing priorities across a diverse portfolio with diplomacy and clarity, ensuring all partners feel heard and respected • Champion technology investments internally by making the business case in language that resonates with operators, not just IT professionals
What You Bring • 10+ years in IT leadership, with at least 7 years managing multi-site or multi-property technology operations • Hospitality, hotel management company, multi-location food & beverage, or multi-unit, multi-site IT background strongly preferred, you understand the operational realities of a property environment, not just the technology • Demonstrated experience working directly with property or operational leaders such as GMs, F&B directors, and front office managers, to understand needs, build trust, and deliver solutions that teams actually adopt • Proven track record of building consensus across diverse stakeholders: property teams, corporate leadership, finance, operations, and senior executives • Hands-on experience with hospitality technology platforms: PMS (Opera, Maestro, or similar), POS, booking engines, and property networking infrastructure • Demonstrated experience managing and developing teams • Track record of building or significantly improving IT service delivery in a decentralized, multi-property environment • Experience managing third-party vendors and co-sourced service partners
Don’t meet every single requirement? At Columbia Hospitality we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may just be the right candidate for this or other roles.
The Fine Print Columbia Hospitality, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive environment without regard to age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. We strive for excellence in every position within the company and select the most qualified people who embrace our service philosophy and these values.
Columbia Hospitality is a national management and consulting company with more than 25 years of experience in creating hospitality solutions and delivering exceptional experiences. Our portfolio includes award-winning hotels and resorts, premier residential communities, restaurants and bars, private and public golf clubs, conference centers, and distinctive venues. Columbia Hospitality has been consistently recognized as one of the Top Companies to Work for in Washington by Seattle Business Magazine and Puget Sound Business Journal for their commitment to creating a fun, dynamic and nurturing work environment for team members.
