The International Refugee Assistance Project (“IRAP”) is a dynamic and growing legal and policy advocacy organization that works to develop and enforce a system of legal and human rights for refugees and displaced people around the world. We are the leading organization providing free and comprehensive legal services to people in need of a safe place to live and a safe way to get there. IRAP operates offices in the U.S. (New York City, Washington, D.C.), Jordan (Amman), Lebanon (Beirut), and Europe (Berlin). Our legal and advocacy teams work closely with a corps of pro bono lawyers from leading law firms and multi-national corporations, and students who have created IRAP chapters across the United States and Canada and are aiming to do so in Europe as well. Through this work, we aim to assist refugees and other displaced people to find safe passage and to transform the landscape of refugee right IRAP has over 130 full-time staff members. We are a nimble organization staffed by innovative and collaborative team that is committed to high standards of quality and close partnerships with our clients, peers, and colleagues. IRAP believes that diversity is critical to fostering a strong workplace and serving our clients well. We strongly encourage applications from people with lived experiences in the communities that we serve, members of other marginalized communities, and individuals whose identities are underrepresented in the legal profession.

Opportunity

IRAP’s Technology Team is part of the Operations Department and currently has 6 staff members based in the US, Germany and Jordan. IRAP is seeking a Senior Director - Technology to develop and lead tech strategy and direction at IRAP, driving advancement through the establishment of foundational systems that can be scaled, overseeing tech infrastructure, projects and initiatives, and ensuring data security and compliance.

The Senior Director - Technology will lead and manage a global, cross-functional Tech team and is a member of the senior management team (SMT).

The Senior Director - Tech reports to the Executive VP - Strategic Operations and Finance.

Responsibilities

Innovation and Strategic Leadership

Lead strategic planning for the Tech team which entails working with the team on developing a tech strategy and setting team annual goals that align with IRAP’s goals.
Lead the development and implementation of foundational technology systems and processes, ensuring operational excellence and providing strategic guidance on future technological developments to support IRAP’s growth.
Assess new technologies to see if IRAP should adopt them to further its mission.
Collaborate with internal stakeholders, including the executive leadership team and department heads, to understand their technology needs and priorities.
Communicate technology initiatives, solicit feedback, and ensure alignment with organizational goals and objectives.
Maintain relationships with Tech partners, evaluate vendor performance, and (as needed) negotiate contracts to ensure that technology solutions meet the organization's requirements and standards.
Proactively assess the impact of internal and external factors (limited resources, organizational changes, etc.) on operations and provide recommendations and contingent planning.
Develop and oversee the Tech budget and ensure cost-effective allocation of resource.
Participate in collaborative budgeting for software applications, enterprise information technology, information security.

Tech Infrastructure, Projects and Standards.

Conduct an org-wide tech mapping process, starting with an in-depth data collection, qualitative and quantitative analysis of: IRAP’s IT infrastructure, projects and initiatives, and data security, current tech situation and challenges, and current and future tech needs team and potential development.
Oversee and provide strategic guidance to the team members responsible for the organization’s IT infrastructure, including hardware, software, networks, and cloud services. This involves ensuring the reliability, security, and scalability of IT systems to support business operations effectively.
Oversee Tech projects from inception to completion, ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget, and according to specifications. This involves coordinating with Tech project lead in charge, allocating resources, and mitigating risks to achieve project objectives.
Lead digital transformation initiatives within the organization. This may include modernizing systems, adopting emerging technologies, and implementing digital solutions to enhance user experiences and streamline processes.
Ensure data security and compliance through safeguarding the organization’s data assets and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and standards, such as GDPR. This involves implementing security measures, conducting risk assessments, and developing data protection policies and procedures.
Develop SOPs and tech work policies and procedures that manage the normal tech workflow a operations including those related to software, hardware, cloud services, data collection/retention, and data privacy management, in addition to contingency planning for natural disasters, political uncertainty, and any other unforeseen events that could affect operations.

Team Supervision and Leadership

Lead a global and cross-functional Tech team to ensure IRAP’s tech organization-wide requirements are fulfilled.
Conduct a mapping process on the roles in the Tech team, get an in-depth understanding of the responsibilities and purpose of each role and the staff member performing the role.
Structure the team’s roles based on the organization’s tech needs, goals and strategy.
Work with each member to set goals with clear deliverables and timelines.
Provide continuous and regular feedback, thought partnership and brainstorming support.
Coordinate cross-functional efforts within the team, clearly delegate duties, and clarify responsibilities.
Foster a highly collaborative, integrating, mature and agile work environment that promotes learning, knowledge-sharing, transparent and open communication of decisions and reasoning.
Establish and lead a team-based work structure and protocols in planning, responsibilities and decision-making.
Ensure general engagement of the team and full involvement of the staffer in charge in all decisions a outward communication related to the team.
Hire, retain, and develop diverse talents, support professional development and growth, and manage performance.
Advocate for the Tech team and the essential role each member is playing across the organization and provide org-wide education on the team’s goals, as well as positioning Tech as a strategic partner within the organization.
Represent the Tech team within leadership and across the organization, ensuring its capacity, priorities, and contributions are understood.

Requirements

Qualifications:

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in relevant technology field (e.g., Computer Science, Information Science).
MBA with focus on strategy and leadership is a plus.

Experience

A minimum of 10+ years of work experience preferably in a global nonprofit or start-up.
A minimum of 5 years of leadership and supervisory experience. Supervisory experience within a unionized organization is preferred.
Previous experience building out the infrastructure of a team and restructuring as needed.
International technological experience providing a global lens on technology services.
Experience with Salesforce integrations is required.
Expertise managing security and privacy compliance and risk to include GDPR.
Experience with leading multiple projects from end to end, being accountable throughout the lifecycle.

Values, Competencies and Skills

Strong technical knowledge (IT infrastructure, projects, and data security).
Strong project management skills and process orientation to the work.
Highly adaptable with the ability to swiftly adjust priorities in dynamic environments.
Skilled at allocating resources effectively, managing limited resources, and monitoring budgets to achieve financial sustainability.
Excellent strategic thinking skills with the ability to operationalize concepts and transform ideas into actions.
Highly organized and motivated, with a solution-oriented mindset, excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills, and the ability to manage multiple tasks, projects, and high-volume workloads with effective time management.
Demonstrates a deep connection to IRAP’s mission.
Keen awareness of and attention to confidentiality.
Demonstrates exceptional interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills, effectively translating between technical and non-technical contexts, fostering consensus across diverse audiences, and facilitating cross-departmental engagement with diplomacy and cultural awareness.
Excellent people management skills that include ability to mentor and empower team members.
Self-motivated with the ability to work both independently and within a team.
Creativity and flexibility are key.

Job-related Requirements

This position requires travel 1-2 times per year to each IRAP office including but not limited to: Berlin, Amman, NY, and DC. Other travel to work with conferences, for retreats, and to meet with partners and/or donors may also be required. Travel minimum 4 weeks per year.
This position is 100% remote.
This position requires availability to work -5 to +3 GMT time zone.

Benefits

IRAP’s benefits vary across office locations, and IRAP seeks to offer equitable and generous benefits to all employees:

● Fully paid family health insurance.

● Retirement options.

● Extensive PTO (20 or more vacation days, 22 and more public/ org-wide holidays).

● Comprehensive leave time for sickness.

● Disability and parenting (5 months of parental leave).

● Reimbursement for work-from-home equipment.

● Generous opportunities for professional development.

To Apply:

Please submit the following:

1- Cover Letter customized for IRAP.

2- Resume.

3- List of three references.

Only complete applications with the required documents (cover letter customized for IRAP, resume and list of three references) will be considered.

Reasonable Accommodation

IRAP is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, IRAP will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, perform essential job functions, and/or receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please refer to your request in the cover letter.

IRAP is an equal-opportunity employer; people of color and individuals from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. IRAP does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, citizenship status, ethnic background, religion, political orientation, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or any other protected class. We consider all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of all local, state, and federal laws related to the Fair Chance Act.

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