Director of Data and Technology

Job description

Are you passionate about economic fairness and social justice?

Do you want to improve the lives of working people and strengthen the labor movement?

If you answered, Yes! then the AFL-CIO may be the right place for you.

We are the largest federation of labor unions in the United States, and our team of dynamic professionals is dedicated to growing worker power and ensuring every working person has a voice on the job.

When you work at the AFL-CIO, you're more than just an individual employee'-you're helping to lead a movement with a proud history and a bright future ahead.

The Data, Analytics & Infrastructure Resource's (DAIR) goal is to generate lasting power for the labor movement by building the Federation's programmatic tools, web development, data systems and analytics capacity.

This team serves a broad range of clients across the labor movement, from other AFL-CIO departments, to AFL-CIO affiliates, to state and local labor bodies.

Through investment in central infrastructure, training and direct service work, the department aims to empower its partners to run stronger and more cost-effective political and legislative mobilization, digital, and organizing campaigns.

This position reports to the Chief of Staff.

The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) works tirelessly to improve the lives of working people.

We are the democratic, voluntary federation of 61 national and international labor unions representing nearly 15 million workers.

The Director, Data and Technology is responsible for leading one of the largest data, analytics and tech teams in the labor movement.

This position will be integral in leading innovations around technology and the use of data to grow the labor movement and build power for working people.

The Director will be a crucial part of developing and implementing the Federation's long-term vision on organizing, political, research, polling and electoral work, and in reimagining how unions can adapt to changes at the workplace to ensure that working people have a voice on the job.

The Director is responsible for engaging with other departments of the AFL-CIO and with external partners, including affiliate unions, state federations, central labor councils, partner organizations and allies.

While the Director should have strong management skills, the role is less about the day-to-day work assignments of the team and more about developing relationships with key constituencies for the AFL-CIO, building long-term goals for the department, and bringing a spirit of innovation to the organization.

The ideal candidate is an experienced team leader with a vision for harnessing the power of technology in new ways for the labor movement and a demonstrated passion for the issues and organizational mission.

The candidate should be able to navigate competing priorities from multiple partners and be committed to running a program based on an analytical and data-grounded mindset.

The candidate should have a background working in the labor or progressive data and tech ecosystem, with a strong preference for someone with experience with LAN or other VAN systems as well as data engineering and cloud-based data warehouse solutions.

The applicant should also be comfortable explaining complex ideas to nontechnical people and be a skilled presenter.

This position reports directly to the Chief of Staff.

Description of Duties:
● Work closely with AFL-CIO leadership, staff and affiliates to ensure that data, analytics, polling and research and data infrastructure are part of a comprehensive strategy to build power for the labor movement.
● Develop a long-term vision and plan for using new innovations in technology and using data to strengthen the organizing, political/electoral and other member engagement work of the Federation and affiliate unions as well as in service to the AFL-CIO's research and polling projects.
● Meet with affiliates, understand where they have shared needs, and use those assessments to help guide the department's priorities.
● Support the Deputy Director in the creation and implementation of the department's budget.
● Work with the department staff to define and execute their work, including their work to support the member mobilization program and develop member engagement technology.
● Organize the development of a department work plan and ensure that the work plan vision and goals are implemented across the team.
● Build sustained relationships with affiliated unions and AFL-CIO state federations, central labor councils and area labor federations, and vendors.
● Represent the department and the AFL-CIO internally and at conferences and meetings outside the AFL-CIO.
● Provide strategic guidance on data, technology, analytics and polling and research to the officers and executive offices.
● Work closely with the DAIR management team as they develop and support their teams.

Qualifications:
● At least five years of demonstrated experience managing a large team, with a preference for experience in overseeing technology practitioners (data, data engineering, etc.).
● The desire to push forward a vision of the technical ecosystem needed for the labor movement.
● Multiple years of experience working in the labor or progressive data and tech ecosystem, with a strong preference for someone with experience with LAN or other VAN systems as well as data engineering and cloud-based data warehouse solutions.
● Experience with synthesizing polling and research findings into actionable insights for presentations to internal and external audiences preferred.
● Proven commitment to building and leading diverse teams of people and creating a supportive working environment for all team members.
● Strong presentation skills and proven ability to represent the interests of a progressive or labor organization in a leadership role.
● Excellent active listening, interpersonal, communication and problem-solving skills with the ability to connect with different types of stakeholders, including your staff.
● Experience communicating complex technical concepts to nontechnical audiences;
● Able to handle multiple politically sensitive projects simultaneously in a rapidly changing environment.
● Demonstrated experience in developing work plans and goals.
● Commitment to team collaboration and fostering a culture of curiosity in learning new things across a team, including supporting and facilitating professional development opportunities.
● Knowledge of and experience with both national and local labor structures and experience working in the labor movement or working to build and maintain coalitions is a plus.
● Effective time management skills, including prioritizing and managing multiple tasks, and developing campaign and personal work plans and goals.
● Demonstrated ability to work effectively in politically sensitive and high-pressure environments.
● Ability to work well under tight deadlines.
● Ability to work long and irregular hours, including weekends, and to travel as needed.

Required Skill Profession

Operations Specialties Managers