Director of Data and Technology

Director Of Data & Technology

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:

• 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

• 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

• Ability to work at a computer for extended periods of time.
• Ability to attend in-person meetings and training sessions.