Job Description

Position Summary

The Director of Data & Technology provides strategic, operational, and hands-on leadership for client's data, technology, and information systems The Director will lead a team that is responsible for technology operations, data governance, data architecture, IT Governance, cyber and enterprise risk analysis and mitigation, analytics modernization, enterprise applications, vendor relationships, and cross-functional technology initiatives supporting client's staff, members, campaigns, leadership teams, and operational departments.

The Director leads a team of data and IT professionals and manages relationships with external vendors and consultants. The ideal candidate is both a strategic thinker and a hands-on, execution-oriented leader who enjoys working alongside their team to implement solutions, solve problems, and ensure reliable, secure, and innovative systems. The Director will be a highly collaborative and emotionally intelligent leader who can balance strategic vision with operational execution and demonstrate commitment to the client's mission. The Director will be comfortable operating in a culture that is fast-paced, mission-driven, politically aware, and highly relationship-oriented environment while leading organizational modernization initiatives that directly support client's mission and member community. This role plays a critical part in change management, organizational effectiveness, and advancing the Union's mission through data-informed decision-making.

Essential Job Functions

• Leadership & Strategy
  • Provide vision, strategic direction, and operational leadership for the Data & Technology department.
  • Lead-by-example, mentor, and develop data and IT staff, fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and solutions-oriented team culture.
  • Partner with and establish trusted working relationships with executive leadership to align technology and data strategy with organizational priorities, campaigns, and long-term goals.
  • Support organizational change initiatives by guiding technology adoption, system improvements, and process transformation.
  • Continuously and effectively communicate complex technology issues to all levels of the organization and drive meaningful technology and data governance at the enterprise level.
• Data Strategy, Governance & Analytics
  • Lead enterprise data governance, reporting modernization, and analytics strategy initiatives.
  • Complete and optimize the organization's strategic data modernization efforts, including Snowflake modernization and data consolidation initiatives.
  • Update the organization's database architecture to meet operational needs as necessary.
  • Improve data quality, reconciliation processes, metadata visibility, and operational reporting capabilities.
  • Establish scalable reporting frameworks and improve self-service reporting capabilities across departments.
  • Ensure data security, privacy, governance, and access controls align with organizational and compliance requirements.
  • Partner with leadership teams to improve operational visibility and decision-making through data-informed insights.
• Technology Operations & Delivery
  • Oversee enterprise applications, infrastructure, helpdesk operations, integrations, reporting systems, and operational technology services.
  • Improve operational delivery maturity, project execution discipline, and cross-functional coordination.
  • Lead vendor and consultant management efforts, ensuring accountability, transparency, and cost effectiveness.
  • Reduce operational reactivity by implementing stronger prioritization, planning, communication, and governance frameworks.
  • Establish stronger documentation standards, change management processes, and operational workflows.
  • Support business continuity, disaster recovery, cybersecurity, and operational resiliency initiatives.
  • Drive operational efficiencies and modernization initiatives while balancing stability, scalability, and user adoption.
• Collaboration & Campaign Support
  • Partner closely with leadership, operations, organizing, finance, field teams, and other stakeholders to align technology investments with organizational goals, campaigns, and member engagement.
  • Build strong working relationships across diverse stakeholder groups and internal organizational entities.
  • Communicate complex technical concepts in clear, accessible business language.
  • Facilitate productive conversations across technical and non-technical teams while maintaining transparency and trust.
  • Maintain consistent communication regarding priorities, project status, risks, timelines, and operational outcomes.
  • Manage to equitable and transparent use of resources and capital through the use of industry best practices IT and Data Management
• Budget & Governance
  • Develop annual departmental budget recommendations and manage the approved operational budget
  • Manage budget variances required by changing requirements through established governance processes.
  • Make informed purchasing and investment decisions related to systems, software, and infrastructure.
  • Provide regular, accurate, and comprehensive updates to the Executive Board and senior leadership on technology initiatives, risks, and outcomes.
• May be required to do political work for candidates and member political education as part of job duties.
• Other duties as assigned.

Leadership Profile

• Lead with humility, accountability, and emotional intelligence
• Build trust through transparency and delivery
• Be highly collaborative and relationship oriented
• Operate with urgency while maintaining quality and operational discipline
• Be comfortable navigating ambiguity and organizational complexity
• Demonstrate curiosity, adaptability, and strategic thinking
• Support and reinforce client's mission, culture, and member-centered values
• Bring stability, clarity, and operational maturity to the Data & Technology organization

Skills & Abilities

• Strong leadership, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to define problems, analyze data, establish facts, and draw sound conclusions.
• Ability to interpret and apply complex technical documentation and system requirements.
• Strategic and systems thinking with the ability to balance short-term needs and long-term solutions.
• Proven ability to develop, prioritize, and execute action plans.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• High level of judgment, discretion, and accountability when working with sensitive data.

Minimum Qualifications: (Any equivalent combination of education and experience which provides the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the job may be considered)

• Alignment with the mission, values, and member-centered work.
• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Data Management, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience).
• 5-7 years of progressive experience in technology, data, or IT leadership roles.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing technical teams.
• Experience with database architecture, data systems, and enterprise applications.
• Familiarity with cybersecurity, disaster recovery, compliance, and operational resiliency frameworks.
• Proven project management and vendor management experience.
• Strong problem-solving and change management capabilities.
• Experience supporting organizational change management and culture transformation initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a union, nonprofit, advocacy, or mission-driven organization.
• Advanced knowledge of IT governance best practices, data governance, data management, data analytics, and reporting platforms; experience implementing data governance frameworks and self-service analytics capabilities.
• Experience supporting large-scale campaigns or distributed field operations through technology.
• Demonstrated experience in implementing cybersecurity frameworks, compliance standards, and risk management best practices.
• Experience leading large-scale system implementations, migrations, or major technology transformations.
• Background in coaching teams through organizational and technological change.
• Experience supporting decentralized or politically complex organizations.
• Experience with Snowflake, Power BI, Salesforce, enterprise reporting platforms, and data modernization initiatives.
• Familiarity with Agile delivery methodologies and iterative operational improvement frameworks.

Typical Working Conditions: The typical working conditions described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this Job, requirements include:

• Hybrid work environment.
• Frequent collaboration with staff, leadership, vendors, and external partners.
• Periodic travel between worksites or to meetings, trainings, or events.
• May be required work outside of normal business hours to include weekends, evenings, holidays, etc.

Physical Working Conditions: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this Job, requirements include:

• Ability to work at a computer for extended periods of time.
• Ability to attend in-person meetings and training sessions.
• Occasional lifting or movement of IT equipment (generally up to 25 pounds).
• Ability to move between office locations or worksites as needed.