Technology Director

Technology Director

Salute Hospitality delivers dining solutions for the military. American owned and mission ready, we support service members, families, and base communities each day, with wellness built into everything we do: menus designed for strength, energy, and endurance, from chefs who treat every meal as part of the job. Capability Built. Mission Ready. Here for the Full Journey.

The Technology Director is the senior technology leader for Aramark's Salute program our military and defense food service brand operating across U.S. military installations nationwide. This role drives the long-term IT and digital strategy for the Salute portfolio, overseeing technology implementations, digital transformation initiatives, and the systems that support efficient, compliant, and innovative food service operations across a geographically dispersed network of installations.

The Technology Director serves as the primary technology partner to Aramark's operations, marketing, culinary, finance, and contracts teams within the Salute program. This leader brings both strategic vision and hands-on project management capability, ensuring technology investments deliver measurable operational value while meeting the security, compliance, and governance requirements of a federal contracting environment.

Job Responsibilities

• IT & Digital Strategy
• Lead the overall IT and digital strategy for the Salute program, ensuring alignment with long-term business goals, operational needs, and Aramark enterprise standards.
• Drive and support strategic technology planning for sustainable competitive advantage across the Salute portfolio.
• Develop frameworks for digital innovation, process improvement, and technology adoption across the program.
• Identify, evaluate, and recommend technology opportunities that improve operational performance, reporting, and the overall dining experience at military installations.
• Provide executive-level reporting and presentations on IT strategy, project progress, and digital transformation outcomes to Salute and Aramark leadership.
• Project & Portfolio Management
• Direct and manage the full technology project portfolio, including system implementations, upgrades, and cross-functional initiatives across the Salute program.
• Project manage all technology and digital initiatives from scoping through delivery, ensuring on-time, on-budget execution with measurable outcomes.
• Lead project management efforts for technology components of new installation openings, facility refreshes, and micromarket installations.
• Utilize project management tools to track progress, manage dependencies, and provide stakeholder visibility across all active initiatives.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Serve as the primary liaison between technology and all other Salute business functions including operations, marketing, culinary, finance, and contracts ensuring seamless collaboration and communication.
• Partner with Aramark's corporate IT and enterprise technology teams to ensure Salute systems align with broader governance, security, and infrastructure standards.
• Provide technical, operational, and innovation expertise to internal departments and Salute leadership as a trusted advisor.
• Form strong working relationships with technology vendors and Aramark supply chain partners to source, evaluate, and implement solutions.
• Technology Evaluation & Optimization
• Perform detailed evaluation of internal and external technologies to identify opportunities for improved utilization and operational efficiency across the Salute portfolio.
• Benchmark technology performance and adoption, identifying gaps and driving continuous improvement.
• Create efficiencies that improve technology productivity, automate reporting and analytics, and reduce manual operational burden for field teams.
• Oversee capital equipment technology sourcing, specification development, cost estimation, and installation in partnership with vendors.
• Compliance, Security & Governance
• Ensure full compliance with Aramark IT governance standards, corporate security protocols, and applicable federal requirements governing technology use in a DoD contracting environment.
• Maintain and enforce technology standards across all Salute installations, ensuring systems meet security and data integrity requirements.
• Manage technology risk proactively, identifying vulnerabilities and leading remediation efforts in collaboration with Aramark's corporate IT security team.
• Team Leadership & Development
• Manage and develop technology support personnel within the Salute program, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and professional growth.
• Mentor operational leadership and staff on technology adoption, digital tools, and best practices to strengthen program-wide capability.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred. 6+ years of progressive experience in IT leadership, digital strategy, or technology management roles. Proven expertise in project management, with demonstrated ability to lead large, complex technology initiatives with measurable results. Strong background in IT strategy, digital transformation, and cross-functional collaboration in a multi-site or distributed operations environment. Excellent communication, executive presentation, and internal stakeholder management skills. Willingness to travel to support strategic business needs and new installation openings.

Preferred experience working in a DoD or federal government contracting environment, with familiarity with IT compliance requirements and security protocols applicable to federal contracts. Familiarity with military installation technology infrastructure, network limitations, or base-specific IT governance requirements. Prior experience with Aramark, Sodexo, Compass, or a large managed services or food service company. Experience in hospitality, food service, or consumer-facing technology environments. PMP, ITIL, or equivalent project management or IT service management certification a plus.