IT Director

About Working at Commerce 

Building a career here is more than just steps on a ladder. It’s about helping people find financial safety and success, helping businesses thrive, and making sure people and their money are taken care of. And our commitment doesn’t stop there. Our culture is about our people, the ones in our communities and the ones that work with us.  

Here, you’ll find opportunities to grow and learn, to connect with others, and build relationships with the people around you. You’ll have the space and resources to grow into the best version of yourself. Because our number one investment is you.

Creating an award-winning culture doesn't come easy. And after 160 years, we know Commerce Bank is only at its best when our people are. If this sounds interesting to you, keep reading and let’s talk. 

Compensation Range

Annual Salary: $180,500.00 - $214,500.00 (Amount based on relevant experience, skills, and competencies.)

At Commerce Bank, innovation and creativity are the driving forces behind our IT team's success. We are catalysts of transformation who power applications, secure networks, and implement cutting-edge initiatives that propel our business units forward. The banking industry's rapid evolution provides us with an exciting opportunity to continuously learn, grow, and harness new technologies that elevate the experience for our customers. What sets Commerce Bank apart is our company culture and leadership, areas in which we continually invest. This commitment fosters innovation, enhances customer and employee experiences, while reinforcing our belief that our diverse team is our greatest competitive advantage. We actively seek candidates who share our passion for technology and bring fresh perspectives to the table. A diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints allows us to develop truly innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our banking community. Join us in shaping the future of banking technology. At Commerce Bank IT, you'll find a culture of equity, belonging, and endless opportunities to make a lasting impact. Help us drive innovation that raises the bar for our industry. 

About This Job

The main purpose of this job is to provide strategic and operational leadership for the Core Banking Services technology portfolio, ensuring stability, modernization, and alignment with business objectives. Oversee critical banking platforms-including customer, deposit, lending, and payment systems-and partner with business leaders and vendor teams to deliver secure, scalable, and innovative solutions. Drive software development strategies and fosters a high-performing, adaptable team culture.

Essential Functions

• Define and execute technology strategies for core banking systems, ensuring alignment with enterprise goals and regulatory requirements

• Maintain ongoing collaboration with the IT Senior Leadership Team to foster strong partnerships, promote open communication, and ensure strategic alignment across all IT initiatives. This includes actively participating in leadership meetings, providing input on key decisions, facilitating cross-functional coordination, and monitoring progress to confirm that teamwork and shared objectives are consistently achieved throughout the IT organization.

• Lead, mentor, and motivate teams responsible for planning, designing, developing, testing, and deploying core banking applications and integrations

• Establish functional requirements, quality, and performance standards; ensure compliance with PCI, security, and regulatory standards

• Develop short and long-term initiatives that align with the company strategy and provide guidance, coaching and development opportunities appropriate to each direct report's individual needs

• Lead, mentor and motivate team members to implement the department strategy and be responsible for upholding the company culture and driving it within the organization

• Communicate decisions, priorities and relevant information to appropriate levels of staff effectively

• Oversee budget management, planning and expenditure

• Serve as escalation point for project issues and risks; monitor health of production systems and drive risk mitigation plans

• Build and manage strategic vendor and co-sourcing partnerships; establish governance and performance standards

• Participate in steering committees and product owner councils to prioritize backlogs and manage roadmaps

• Develop and implement departmental policies, practices, and procedures that support organizational strategy

• Perform other duties as assigned

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required

• Strong knowledge of core banking platforms, payment systems, lending systems, software development best practices, and regulatory compliance

• Ability to create and lead high-performing teams, drive strategic initiatives, and manage large-scale programs/projects

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to work across the organization and interact/influence/negotiate effectively at all levels of management and peers

• Ability to think critically, solve problems, make decisions and build trust across the company and effectively envision, develop, and implement new strategies to address competitive complex business issues

• Expert general management knowledge and skills, such as departmental goal setting and planning, budgeting and personnel administration

• Ability to remain adaptable and resilient to all situations with an optimistic outlook and cast a positive shadow that is aligned with our culture and Core Values

• Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Teams, and Outlook

Education & Experience

• Master’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience required.

• 10+ years experience managing IT organizations or functions that develop and support critical software or organizations experience required

• 7+ years leadership/supervisory experience required

• Demonstrated experience in strategic development/planning and execution of large programs/projects required, preferably in banking or financial services technology

 *Hybrid Schedule: In office 3 days per week minimum  

**Must be eligible to work in the US without sponsorship now or in the future 

***For individuals applying, assigned and/or hired to work in areas with pay transparency requirements, Commerce is required by law to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for some roles.  This compensation range is for the IT Director job and contemplates a wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to location, skill sets, education, relevant experience and training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for any applicable differentials (geographic, bilingual, or shift) that could be associated with the position or where it is filled. At Commerce, compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each situation. A reasonable estimate of the current base pay is $180,500 to $214,500 annually. This position will be eligible for additional compensation through performance-based incentive plan(s) that will correspond to meeting performance goals.

#LI-Hybrid

The candidate selected for this position may be eligible for the following employment benefits: employer sponsored health, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k), life insurance, paid vacation, and paid personal time. In addition, we offer career development, education assistance, and voluntary supplemental benefits.  Click here to learn more.

Location: 922 Walnut St, Kansas City, Missouri 64106

Time Type:

Full time