Director of Information Technology

Director of Information Technology
Flying Horse Capital | Dallas, TX (Remote U.S. considered) | Full-Time
About Flying Horse Capital
Flying Horse Capital is a Dallas-based permanent capital firm that acquires and holds founder- and family-owned lower-middle-market businesses. Unlike traditional private equity, we have no exit timeline. We buy good companies from owners who care about what happens after they sell, preserve the legacy they built, and invest in the people, processes, and systems that allow those businesses to thrive for decades.
Our portfolio currently includes two operating companies, with a third acquisition under LOI. We expect to continue acquiring businesses over the coming years, and we are building the shared infrastructure needed to support that growth.
The Opportunity
Every company we have acquired, and the one we are acquiring now, came to us without a true in-house IT function. Historically, IT was handled by outside providers, a part-time vendor, or whoever in the office "knew computers." Systems were often outdated, undocumented, and built up piecemeal over many years.
Since acquiring our first two businesses, we have upgraded their core systems and engaged an outsourced partner for support. That approach has served us well at our current size. As we grow, we are bringing the function in-house.
You will be Flying Horse Capital's first true IT hire. You will own technology across the entire portfolio, support our companies directly, and build a shared-service IT function that serves every business we own today and every business we acquire in the future.
This is a hands-on role. You will set strategy, and you will also configure the firewall, onboard the new hire's laptop, and sit with the office manager to walk through a new system. We need a builder and a doer who is energized by starting from zero.
What Makes This Role Different
You are building, not inheriting. There is no existing IT department, playbook, or team. You will design the function, the standards, and the operating model.
You will work across multiple companies. Each portfolio company has its own culture, history, and technology environment. You will bring consistency without losing sight of what each business needs.
Budgets are real. Our companies are lower-middle-market businesses. Every dollar matters, and every investment must earn its place. We need someone who knows how to get the most out of limited resources.
Change management is half the job. Many employees have used the same systems and processes for years. Success depends on earning trust and bringing people along, not simply deploying technology.
The horizon is long. We are not building for a three-to-five-year exit. We want someone who will help build this with us for the next 10 to 20 years.
Key Responsibilities
IT Strategy and Shared-Service Build
Develop and execute a multi-year IT strategy for Flying Horse Capital and its portfolio companies
Design a shared-service IT operating model that scales efficiently as we add companies
Define portfolio-wide technology standards for hardware, software, security, and support
Determine which services should be in-house, shared across companies, or outsourced, and build the roadmap to get there
Build the IT function over time, including future hiring, as the portfolio grows
Serve as the primary technology advisor to FHC leadership and portfolio company CEOs and CFOs
Infrastructure and Operations
Own networks, servers, cloud environments, endpoints, telecom, printers, and connectivity across all company sites
Manage Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace environments, including email, file storage, collaboration, and licensing
Implement and maintain identity and access management, including single sign-on and multi-factor authentication
Establish reliable backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity plans for each company
Standardize device procurement, deployment, and lifecycle management
Create and maintain documentation for systems, configurations, network diagrams, and procedures, often for the first time
Cybersecurity and Risk Management
Assess each company's security posture and close the most critical gaps first
Implement foundational controls: MFA, endpoint protection, patch management, email filtering, and access reviews
Develop IT policies covering acceptable use, access, data retention, and incident response
Lead security awareness training for employees across the portfolio
Coordinate with insurance carriers on cyber insurance requirements and renewals
Support compliance requirements specific to individual portfolio companies as needed
Business Systems and Applications
Evaluate, select, and implement business systems including ERP, accounting, CRM, field service, inventory, and HR/payroll platforms
Partner with finance teams on system implementations, data migration, and reporting
Identify opportunities to consolidate or standardize applications across companies where it makes sense
Manage integrations between systems and reduce manual workarounds
Evaluate practical applications of automation and AI tools that improve productivity without adding unnecessary complexity
M&A Technology Diligence and Integration
Conduct IT due diligence on acquisition targets, identifying risks, required investments, and integration costs
Build and refine a repeatable IT integration playbook for newly acquired companies
Lead Day 1 readiness and post-close technology onboarding, including account migration, security hardening, and vendor transition
Assess inherited vendors, contracts, and licenses at each new company and rationalize where appropriate
Lead the IT integration of our third acquisition as an early priority
Vendor, Contract, and Budget Management
Manage current outsourced IT providers and lead the transition of services in-house over time
Negotiate and manage contracts with software, hardware, telecom, and managed service vendors
Develop and own IT budgets for each portfolio company and for the shared-service function
Track IT spend, identify savings, and eliminate redundant or underused tools and subscriptions
Present investment recommendations with clear costs, benefits, and priorities
End-User Support
Provide hands-on support to employees across all companies, both remotely and on site
Establish a help desk process, ticketing system, and service expectations
Manage onboarding and offboarding of employees, including accounts, devices, and access
Build self-service resources and train employees to use their tools effectively
Leadership and Change Management
Build trust with owners, operators, and employees who may be skeptical of change
Communicate technology decisions in plain business terms
Plan and lead implementations with realistic timelines, training, and support
Respect each company's culture and history while raising the standard over time
Your First Year
First 90 Days
Meet leadership and key employees at each portfolio company and at FHC
Complete an IT assessment of each company covering infrastructure, security, systems, vendors, contracts, and spend
Identify and address the highest-priority security and operational risks
Take ownership of the relationship with our outsourced IT provider
Begin IT diligence and integration planning for our third acquisition
First Year
Deliver a portfolio-wide IT strategy and shared-service roadmap
Establish baseline security standards across all companies
Complete technology integration of the third acquisition
Stand up a help desk process and consistent support model
Document systems and environments for every company
Deliver a repeatable IT diligence and integration playbook for future acquisitions
Longer Term
Operate a mature shared-service IT function supporting a growing portfolio
Reduce dependence on outside providers where it creates value
Hire and develop additional IT team members as the portfolio grows
Make technology a competitive advantage for our companies and a reason sellers choose Flying Horse Capital
Qualifications
Required
8+ years of progressive IT experience, including leading the IT function for one or more small to mid-sized businesses
Proven hands-on technical skills across networking, infrastructure, cloud, endpoints, and security
Track record implementing new systems in organizations with limited or no prior IT structure
Experience working within constrained budgets and delivering practical, cost-effective solutions
Experience managing managed service providers and technology vendors
Strong working knowledge of Microsoft 365 and/or Google Workspace, Active Directory or Entra ID, and cloud platforms
Excellent communication skills with both t

Work arrangement
Yes