Australian not-for-profit turns a digital foundation into mission-driven AI strategy

IT leader Jacob Johnson secures board-endorsed AI and cybersecurity strategies for Settlement Services International

Settlement Services International (SSI) is an Australian not-for-profit organization and a national leader in human services delivery and social sector insights. Operating across more than 50 programs nationally, SSI supports thousands of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds through employment, humanitarian settlement, disability support, family preservation, social enterprise, and workforce training.

Jacob Johnson, Head of Technology & Digital at SSI, explained, “SSI’s mission is to improve quality of life by fostering hope, creating opportunity, and advancing equity and inclusion across Australia.” Since 2021, Jacob has led SSI’s investment in a secure and resilient cloud foundation across infrastructure, client management, finance, and HR systems. The results speak for themselves: ISO 27001 certification, 99.99% service uptime, and staff satisfaction with technology support rising from 62% in 2023 to 93% in 2025. “None of these achievements were possible without the strategic support of the leadership team, which enabled long-term investment and organizational alignment,” said Jacob.

Moving from technology delivery to innovation opportunity

For Jacob, the role has always been about more than technology delivery. “The main challenge has really been making sure that changes strengthen services rather than distracting from them,” he explained. “In practice, that means balancing risk, governance, and operational continuity while still moving the organization forward. I’ve found that the best way to do that is to lead with trust, keep governance clear, and stay focused on service quality, because that’s what creates real value for staff and the communities we support.”

That foundation set the stage for SSI’s next chapter. “Once the core technology foundations were in place, the main opportunity was to build on that momentum with a structured AI roadmap,” said Jacob. “For me, that was a significant opportunity to move from stabilizing the environment to creating new value through innovation, better decision-making, and improved service delivery.”

Building trust and securing board endorsement for AI strategy

Recognizing that ownership was crucial, Jacob took full responsibility for leading the development of SSI’s AI strategy. He focused first on building trust internally and with the SSI board, establishing a Board AI Committee made up of influential external experts spanning ethics, security, human factors, and business strategy. To bring rigor and pace to the work, SSI engaged Info-Tech Research Group as its strategic advisor, using its survey-based diagnostic programs including, CIO Business Vision and AI Readiness Assessment.

“With Info-Tech’s support, we began by conducting an IT Satisfaction Scorecard Assessment to evaluate how the organization perceived the IT function’s value and capabilities,” said Jacob. “The positive results confirmed our readiness to pursue AI initiatives.” The team then ran stakeholder engagement sessions to identify high-value AI use cases and an AI Readiness Assessment to validate IT’s capacity to deliver.

“Choosing to partner with Info-Tech has been one of our best decisions. They’re a dependable part of our extended team, always ready to deliver, and the flexibility of the engagement means there’s virtually no limit to what we can achieve.”
– Jacob Johnson, Head of Technology & Digital, Settlement Services International

Strengthening cybersecurity to accelerate strategic growth

In parallel, the IT team led the renewal of the organization’s cybersecurity strategy, ensuring it remained aligned with evolving threats and industry expectations. “Through engagement with Info-Tech’s IT Security Diagnostic Program, the team validated that the updated strategy was robust, current, and grounded in leading practices,” said Jacob.

Both the AI and cybersecurity strategies achieved board endorsement within six months – an accelerated timeline compared to similar initiatives. “Developing and securing endorsement for our AI and cyber strategy within six months demonstrates Info-Tech’s unique ability to accelerate strategic outcomes,” said Jacob. “We estimate this approach saved approximately three to four months of effort, while significantly enhancing the technology function’s profile and credibility across the organization.”

Winning with an extended team focused on outcomes

For Jacob, what stood out about the engagement was the practicality of the support. “What truly differentiates Info-Tech from other research and advisory firms is its focus on the ‘how’ as much as the ‘what.’ Info-Tech doesn’t just deliver research – it provides practical, step-by-step guidance that translates recommendations into real, actionable outcomes,” he said.

That hands-on style extended to the way Info-Tech worked alongside the SSI team. “The depth and accessibility of information on the Info-Tech platform make it a valuable day-to-day resource. Their flexible and collaborative approach allows them to adapt to our specific needs, which feels like having an extended team working alongside us,” said Jacob.

“What truly differentiates Info-Tech from other research and advisory firms is its focus on the ‘how’ as much as the ‘what.’ Info-Tech doesn’t just deliver research – it provides practical, step-by-step guidance that translates recommendations into real, actionable outcomes.”
– Jacob Johnson, Head of Technology & Digital, Settlement Services International

Building toward 2030 and beyond

SSI is now developing a data strategy aligned with its Business 2030 vision, with a focus on prioritizing the data that matters most for strategic decision-making. The organization also plans to draw on Info-Tech for oversight of AI initiatives, project management, and change management. “This will help strengthen organizational trust in our processes and position the technology function as a true business partner rather than solely an enabling service,” said Jacob.

Asked to sum up the ambition behind the work, Jacob didn’t hesitate. “I always go with Buzz Lightyear – ‘To infinity and beyond!’ That’s what I feel we’ve achieved: a structured way to deliver on that kind of ambition.”

“I always go with Buzz Lightyear – ‘To infinity and beyond!’ That’s what I feel we’ve achieved: a structured way to deliver on that kind of ambition.”
– Jacob Johnson, Head of Technology & Digital, Settlement Services International