Company Name: Merit America

Job Details: Be an Early Applicant Hiring Remotely in USA Remote 192K-192K Senior level

Job Url: https://builtin.com/job/head-data-technology/6442944

Job Description: The Organization:  Merit AmericaThe American economy is broken. Today, 53 million working adults–nearly half of the U.S. workforce–do not earn a living wage. These talented workers have few options to advance: college is too long and expensive, full-time boot camp programs don’t offer enough flexibility, and online courses don’t have the structure or support to translate learning into a new career. The result? Talented workers, disproportionately people of color and women, get stuck in low-wage roles with no way to build a better life for themselves and their families.Merit America is a national nonprofit that creates pathways to family-sustaining careers for Americans stuck in low-wage work. Our fast, flexible solutions are built for working adults: We start by analyzing tens of millions of job postings to identify in-demand, high-paying tech careers and then work with industry-recognized partners to train for these roles with part-time programs that combine flexible online learning with best-in-class coaching. Finally, we support our learners in their job search, helping them connect with a broad constellation of local and national employers such as JPMorgan Chase and Infosys to land higher-earning, family-sustaining jobs, driving an average wage gain of $24k three months or more after completing the program. Merit America is on a mission to build a scalable pathway for workers to join the middle class through merit, not money. Since our founding in 2018, we’ve generated a projected $1 billion in near-term wage gains for our learners. Role OverviewThe Head of Data & Technology is a pivotal leadership role responsible for creating and driving the vision for leveraging data, building structures and processes, and product development for the betterment of all involved at Merit America. This leader will craft and influence data culture and practices while overseeing the technical infrastructure and product development that enables us to scale our programs and impact. We seek an empathetic leader who is comfortable with ambiguity, is service-oriented, and is a collaborative and unifying leader.The Head of Data & Technology will lead our 6-person team of senior data scientists and engineers, focused on delivering insights through systems and processes, while maintaining and enhancing products that strengthen learner experiences and demonstrate organizational impact. This leader will create and implement a comprehensive data vision, including planning and supporting the deployment of data and technical projects (including applicant portal, LMS, internal coach tools), and guiding initiatives focused on responsible data use, scalability, and data-driven decision-making.This role will provide both high-level strategic direction and dive into tactical execution details, including day-to-day mentoring with senior individual contributors, recommending and rolling out new tools, and coordinating across teams to build and refine systems and processes.This is an exempt position reporting directly to the Managing Partner (similar role to a President) and collaborating closely with the Growth, Program, and Sustainability teams throughout Merit America.Interested in learning more?  We will be hosting an info session on Wednesday, June 18th at 4:30pm EST. Click here to RSVP.ResponsibilitiesStrategic Vision & LeadershipDevelop, champion, and deliver a comprehensive vision for data, engineering, and product that aligns with Merit America's mission and enables scalable impact for learnersDrive technical strategy and roadmap for learner and organizational data, product development, and engineering infrastructureFoster innovation in how we leverage data and technology to improve learner outcomes and organizational effectivenessData Strategy & GovernanceChampion full-cycle, comprehensive data strategy including data collection, data standards and governance, documentation, and analytics infrastructureEnsure data is collected, clean, and reliable across all business functions through effective processes and systemsCollaborate cross-functionally to execute data roadmap and facilitate data input and analytics, including:Administer data platforms, services, pipelines, and processes.Consult with teams to instrument high-quality user experience dataProvide transparency into data and reporting quality, coverage, and completenessEnsure data security within the organization and with data in transitBusiness Partnership & Decision SupportAct as a strategic business partner to functional leaders, ensuring they have the tools and insights needed to make data-informed decisionsFacilitate proactive insights that fill essential organizational knowledge gaps and drive strategic decision-makingCollaborate with external data sources to gather and securely store data for comparative monitoring and evaluation workProvide guidance and vision for AI tools or experiences that drive operational efficiency and improve learner outcomesProduct Development & EngineeringDetermine product and engineering priorities in collaboration with key cross-functional stakeholders, prioritizing projects with the greatest organizational impactOversee product maintenance and improvement with a focus on products that help to gather data to improve systems and demonstrate impactLead engineering best practices, including software development lifecycle, technical architecture decisions, and quality standardsDrive technical infrastructure planning, including scalability, maintenance, and system optimizationTeam Leadership & CultureLead a 6-person team of senior data scientists and engineers by investing in team members and ensuring high staff morale, sense of belonging, and commitment to the missionFoster a strong data culture across Merit America by encouraging data-driven decisions and teaching responsible data practicesBuild and mentor a high-performing team, while establishing clear career paths and growth opportunitiesEnsure retention of diverse technical talent aligned with organizational valuesSkills and CompetenciesWe recognize that individuals from marginalized backgrounds, including women, people of color, and those with disabilities, are often less likely to apply when they don’t meet 100% of the job qualifications. Don’t let that be the reason you miss out on this opportunity! We want to emphasize that your unique skills, experiences, and perspectives are valuable, and we encourage you to apply if you can demonstrate many of the skills and competencies. Below are the skills that are relevant for thriving in this role:Technical ExpertiseData Leadership: Expert understanding of data architectures, governance, models, and warehousing; proficiency in SQL and analytics. (Merit America has a well-integrated data pipeline consisting of dbt, fivetran, bigquery)Engineering Management: Experience with software development practices, technical architecture, and infrastructure management. (Merit America has a rails app using postgres, heroku with a heavy investment in honeycomb for fine grained telemetry.)Product Development: Understanding of product management principles and user-centered designBusiness Intelligence: Knowledge of BI tools such as Hex (preferred), Looker, PowerBI, and data visualization best practicesExperience with CRM systems and data integration across connected communication and collaboration platforms. Salesforce preferred, along with Canvas, Slack and other critical learner and internal toolsKnowledge of data and AI industry trends, including impact on data storage and usageLeadership & StrategyDecision-Making: Ability to drive decisions through data, leveraging A/B testing, causal inference, and analyticsStakeholder Management: Ability to work with diverse stakeholders and translate business needs into technical solutionsPeople Leadership: Expert experience as mentor, manager, and team builderSystems Thinking: Ability to create and operationalize organization-wide systems for fast-scaling environmentsChange Management: Comfort thriving in rapidly-changing environments with ambiguous requirementsMission AlignmentCommitment to Merit America's mission to create pathways to family-sustaining careers and break the poverty cycleEmbodiment of organizational values including Win & Lose Together and continuous learningDedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion with passion for fostering inclusive workplace cultureFocus on impact with shared responsibility for positive community outcomesDetails and LogisticsPosition Type: Full-time, exemptSchedule: 4-day work week (Fridays are operating days when there's a holiday closure during the week)Salary: $192,000Priority Application Deadline: Monday, June 23rdLocation: Remote (must be resident of one of the 50 United States or District of Columbia)We take care of our employees by providing the following perks and benefits: 4-day work week (Fridays are an operating day if there is a holiday closure during the week)Medical, Dental and Vision insurance (100% Paid Employee Only Coverage)Flexible Spending Account and Health Savings AccountDependent care Flexible Spending AccountHealth Reimbursement Account fully funded by MeritEducation & personal development reimbursementCatalog of courses for professional learning and developmentShort and long-term disabilityUnlimited vacation (after a 90-day introductory period)Paid Parental Leave and Adoption benefits (after 1 year of employment)11 federally recognized holidays1 week office closure in July (week of July 4th)2 week holiday office closure in December/January401(k) retirement plan with automatic Merit contributionWellness Benefits/Wellness ResourcesDiscount perks at work programPhone/technology stipendHome office setup stipendAffinity groups and community building via virtual, in-person, and/or regional meetups*Eligibility for some benefits may vary based on employment status, full-time or part-time. Eligibility will be outlined during the hiring process.Remote Work & SponsorshipCandidates must reside within the 50 states or District of Columbia and have full authorization to work in the 50 U.S. states & the District of Columbia (international work abroad, including the U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, and other islands are excluded). In addition, Merit America doesn't offer employment visa sponsorship. Equal Opportunity StatementBuilding an inclusive, high-performing team that is diverse across lines of personal identity is integral to our success and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.This means we do not discriminate against any job applicant or employee because of their race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This applies to all terms and conditions of employment.We actively strive and evolve to develop and maintain workspaces that are fully inclusive. We encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply.Still excited about our work?  You can learn more about our work in this video we made with our founding partner, Google.Fair Chance OrdinanceApplicants who have arrest or conviction records and are in unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County will be considered in accordance with the state’s fair chance ordinance law. Employment under the ordinance includes part-time work, seasonal work, contract work, contingent work, work on commission, and work through the services of a temporary or employment agency.E-Verify StatementThis employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the I-9 Form.