Established in 1946, with headquarters in Arlington, VA, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance and capacity building services in the U.S. and internationally in health, education, workforce development, and social and community development. AIR’s mission is to generate and apply evidence to contribute to a better, more equitable world. In alignment with our mission, AIR provides services to and works in partnership with a growing roster of clients and stakeholders, including federal, state, regional, and local organizations, foundations, and AIR’s own Opportunity Fund.

AIR is seeking an Enterprise Digital Transformation Leader to serve as a strategic leader responsible for guiding the institution’s digital evolution. This role will spearhead the development and execution of transformative digital initiatives, driving innovation, and acting as a catalyst for organizational change. The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in orchestrating successful digital transformations, adeptly managing change, and leveraging a broad suite of technology solutions, including ERP systems, to optimize business processes and enhance operational efficiency.

This position can be hybrid, based out of AIR's offices in either Arlington, Virginia, or Chicago, Illinois.

As a key member of the leadership team, the Enterprise Digital Transformation Leader is responsible for assessing and reimagining the current digital footprint, defining a future digital vision, articulating the benefits and ROI of transformation, developing a risk-aware delivery roadmap, prioritizing emerging technologies, and engaging with leaders to secure buy-in. Responsibilities for the Enterprise Digital Transformation Leader include:

• Understand AIR’s Current Business Model: Collaborate with teams to thoroughly assess existing processes and technologies, identifying pain points, outdated systems, and technological risks to establish a foundation for transformation.
• Define the Target Digital Model: Develop and articulate a visionary framework for reimagining operating models across departments and teams, incorporating AI and other emerging technologies to drive innovation and operational excellence.
• Articulate Benefits and ROI: Communicate the advantages and return on investment of digital transformation initiatives, highlighting project synergies, potential risks, and dependencies.
• Prepare a Delivery Roadmap: Design a comprehensive, risk-aware plan detailing the steps, timeline, and resources required for successful implementation of the transformation strategy.
• Prioritize Emerging Technologies: Evaluate and integrate cutting-edge technologies into the digital transformation roadmap, optimizing infrastructure and managing large-scale technology projects to enhance organizational capabilities.
• Engage with Leaders and Key Contributors: Educate and influence staff, including executive leadership, to demonstrate the value of the transformation, secure buy-in, and collaborate closely with IT departments on technical aspects such as cybersecurity, data governance, and compliance.

Education, Knowledge, and Experience:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Business, Technology, or Engineering is required, with an advanced degree preferred.
• At least fifteen years in a similar role, with a track record of designing, implementing, and launching digital platforms in a mid-size organization.
• Proven experience as a digital thought leader in a tech-forward organization.
• Deep understanding of core business processes and their associated technical solutions.
• Demonstrated leadership in evaluating an organization’s digital footprint, identifying areas for improvement, and integrating digital solutions with existing systems and infrastructure.
• Experience in developing and executing comprehensive digital strategies aligned with organizational goals.
• Familiarity with data analytics tools and methods, with experience in making data-driven decisions.
• Knowledge of current and emerging technology trends and their potential impact on business models and operations.
• Relevant certifications such as Certified Digital Transformation Officer, Project Management Professional, or Agile methodologies are preferred but not required.

Skills:

• Ability to navigate and respect cultural differences, especially when working with international teams.
• Innovative and forward-thinking, with a disruptive mindset focused on continual improvement.
• Strong skills in influencing and collaborating with executives and colleagues.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate efficiently in a virtual work environment.

Disclosures:

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B sponsorship) is not available for this position. Depending on project work, qualified candidates may need to meet certain residency requirements.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.

AIR adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo reference and background checks.

AIR’s Total Rewards Program, is designed to reward our staff competitively and motivate them to achieve our critical mission. This position offers an anticipated annual salary of $200,000 - $230,000. Salary offers are made based on internal equity within the institution and external equity with competitive markets. Please note this is the annual salary range for candidates that are based in the United States.

AIR maintains a drug-free work environment.

Fraudulent Job Scams Warning & Disclaimer:

AIR is aware of individuals falsely presenting themselves as AIR representatives. Fraudulent job scams seek to extract sensitive information or money from victims. To protect yourself, please be aware that AIR recruitment will only email you from an “@air.org” domain. Please take extra caution while examining the email address, for example jdoe@air.org is correct and jdoe@aircareers.org is not a legitimate AIR email address. If you are unsure of the legitimacy of a communication you have received, please reach out to recruitment@air.org.

If you see a job scam, or lose money to one, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also report it to your state attorney general. Find out more about how to avoid scams at ftc.gov/scams.

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