Partner, IT & Business Enablement

Start Date: Immediate Role Type: Full-time Location: Flexible; fully remote/virtual team Reports to: Vanessa Mendoza, Chief Operating Officer Travel: ~1-2 trips per month, with some ebbs and flows throughout the year Who We Are Transcend is a national nonprofit that helps communities reimagine and redesign schools so every young person can thrive in a rapidly changing world. Across the country, communities are recognizing that classrooms built for the industrial age aren’t preparing learners for what’s next. Instead, schools must be designed for continuous evolution: relevant, resilient, and ready for the future. For more than a decade, Transcend has partnered with school and system leaders to build the capacity for bold, lasting change—change led by the people who live it every day. We’ve worked with nearly 500 schools and 200 districts serving over 225,000 students in 35 states. Together, we’ve seen what’s possible when communities lead redesign with proven methods, insight, and support. From that work, we develop and share tools, research, and models that help schools everywhere make the leap to extraordinary learning—for every child, in every community. For more information, visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn . The Opportunity Technology at Transcend serves two deeply connected purposes: a) enabling our internal operations, and b) strengthening the systems, tools, and infrastructure that support our programmatic work and impact with school communities. The Partner, IT & Business Enablement serves as Transcend’s lead technology and information operations leader. This role is responsible for ensuring that our organization has the systems, data architecture, security practices, and technology operations needed to work effectively, securely, and sustainably as we grow. This role also partners closely with our product and engineering functions to ensure that the infrastructure, governance, and information architecture beneath our programmatic tools are scalable, secure, and well-designed. This is not a product management or software engineering role. Rather, this leader acts as a strategic partner and enabler to those and other functions while owning enterprise technology implementation strategy, information operations, security, governance, and infrastructure across the organization. What Success Looks Like in Year 1 At the end of your first year in the role, you will have: Developed a clear enterprise technology implementation and information strategy aligned to Transcend’s organizational and programmatic priorities Strengthened core IT, security, and data governance operations for a fully remote organization Established clearer systems architecture, ownership, and operational standards across internal and programmatic technology systems Increased organizational AI fluency and adoption through practical tools, guidance, and capacity-building efforts Built strong cross-functional partnerships across operations, product, program, legal, finance, and leadership teams Improved the scalability, reliability, and security of the infrastructure supporting Transcend’s growing portfolio of programmatic tools and resources Clarified priorities, operating models, and longer-term staffing needs for the Information & Technology function Key Responsibilities Enterprise Technology Implementation Strategy & Operations Assess and map Transcend’s current technology landscape, identifying strengths, gaps, risks, and opportunities across systems, data, workflows, and tools Develop and evolve a forward-looking enterprise technology strategy and roadmap aligned to organizational priorities, operational effectiveness, and long-term scalability Lead implementation and change management efforts for high-impact technology improvements that reduce friction, strengthen operations, and improve teammate experience across the organization Lead the day-to-day administration, reliability, and continuous improvement of Transcend’s core technology ecosystem, including platforms such as Google Workspace, Slack, Zoom, core operational systems, and AI-enabled tools Oversee core IT operations and support for a fully remote organization, including enterprise systems administration, help desk operations, device management, onboarding and offboarding workflows, access provisioning, and technology asset management Establish and maintain operational standards, documentation, and technology policies that improve consistency, continuity, and organizational resilience Evaluate emerging technologies, vendors, and operational approaches to ensure Transcend’s technology ecosystem remains secure, scalable, effective, and streamlined Support (and often manage) small sets of internal staff, contractors, and external partner resources across IT and information security functions Information Security, Privacy & Governance Lead Transcend’s approach to information security, data privacy, and technology governance across both internal and programmatic systems, in close collaboration with Transcend’s Chief Operating and Chief Program Officers Ensure strong safeguards, policies, and practices are in place to protect sensitive organizational, partner, and student data and uphold Transcend’s privacy commitments Evolve Transcend’s approach to data privacy and governance, including how data is collected, stored, accessed, shared, retained, and used across the organization Oversee core security and access management practices, including permissions, MFA, endpoint protection, device management, monitoring, and incident response coordination Lead technical incident response efforts and security investigations in partnership with internal stakeholders and external experts Partner closely with General Counsel, leadership, and external partners on compliance efforts, security reviews, vendor governance, audits, and organizational risk management Establish practices around data access, system administration, and technology decision-making across the organization Contribute to organization-wide learning and capacity-building efforts that strengthen staff understanding of responsible technology, privacy, and security practices AI and Other Tech-Tool Enablement & Organizational Capacity Help shape and advance Transcend’s organization-wide AI strategy, identifying practical opportunities for AI to strengthen organizational effectiveness, teammate experience, and programmatic impact Evaluate emerging AI tools, platforms, and workflows and guide decisions about adoption, experimentation, and investment Partner across teams to support effective and responsible use of AI-enabled tools and workflows Support the implementation of staff-facing AI tools, workflows, and automations that improve efficiency and reduce manual work Contribute to organizational guidance, learning, and support that help staff use AI confidently, responsibly, and effectively Help ensure AI systems and workflows align with organizational expectations around privacy, security, ethics, and responsible data use Perform the responsibilities above for other non-AI tech tools supporting Transcend’s org functioning as well (Salesforce, Asana, Google Workspace, etc.) Programmatic Infrastructure & Architecture Own the infrastructure, systems, and data architecture that support Transcend’s growing suite of programmatic and AI-enabled tools Partner closely with product and engineering leadership to ensure programmatic technology is secure, scalable, reliable, and grounded in strong operational practices Contribute technical judgment to decisions about systems design, integrations, infrastructure, data architecture, governance, and infrastructure priorities Advise on external technical vendors, helping ensure relationships are effective, well-governed, and aligned to organizational needs Build strong understanding of Transcend’s programmatic work and partner experience so that technology decisions are grounded in real-world use and needs Who you are You are a thoughtful and pragmatic technology leader who knows how to make organizations work better through the quality of their technology foundation, and who finds genuine satisfaction in enabling others to do their best work. You're as comfortable thinking through data architecture and vendor tradeoffs as you are helping a non-technical teammate figure out how to use a new AI tool. You know how to set direction, build trust, and stay grounded in what actually matters. You understand that technology is in service of mission. That means you ask the right questions before reaching for solutions, build the relationships needed to make sound decisions, and hold firm on security and architecture tradeoffs that others might be tempted to shortcut. You're a natural peer to product and program leaders — someone who helps ambitious teams move faster and more confidently by ensuring the foundation beneath them is solid. You're genuinely energized by AI, and you've built real intuitions about where AI tools and workflows create meaningful value, where they introduce risk, and how to help an organization navigate both thoughtfully. You're eager to help Transcend become an AI-forward organization in a way that's principled, practical, and lasting; and to keep evolving thoughtfully as AI capabilities continue to rapidly change. Your colleagues describe you as humble, collaborative, patient with non-technical peers, and a skillful ‘bridge-builder’ between the technical systems that you’re a master of and the organization’s broader priorities and needs. To all of this, you bring many of the following strengths, experiences, and orientations: Experiences You've held meaningful ownership of an organization's technology and information operations – whether as a Director of IT, Director of Technology, or the most senior technologist in a smaller organization – and you're ready to step into broader strategic responsibility. Ideally, you've done this in a context that, like Transcend, combines knowledge work, mission-driven culture, and growing technical complexity. You've contributed substantially to shaping an organization's technology strategy, including decisions about enterprise software, data architecture, information security, and AI/emerging tools; and you're ready to own that strategy at Transcend. You've managed IT and/or information security functions – whether in-house staff, contractors, or a mix – and know how to build reliable, right-sized operations. You've owned data architecture and infrastructure decisions in a context where product and engineering teams depended on that foundation to build effectively. You've led data privacy and/or security functions, ideally involving sensitive data (student data, health data, or similar), and know how to partner effectively with legal counsel and other relevant experts on these questions. You've contributed meaningfully to an organization's AI adoption – helping set norms, evaluate tools, build staff capacity, and navigate the tradeoffs that come with rapid capability change. You've made sound build-vs-buy-vs-partner decisions and managed vendor relationships with appropriate rigor and trust. You've worked in education either in the education nonprofit or edtech space and are familiar with the landscape and needs. Skills Strong technical fluency across enterprise systems, data architecture, cloud infrastructure, and AI/ML tooling – enough to make credible decisions, ask the right questions, and earn the trust of both technical and non-technical colleagues. Excellent technology strategy skills: you can assess a complex landscape, identify what matters most, and craft a clear, actionable direction. Strong people leadership: you know how to manage and develop a small team, hold a high bar for delivery, and build a collaborative, mission-aligned culture. Clear, accessible communication: you can translate technical complexity for non-technical audiences and make the case for technology investments in terms that resonate with mission-driven leaders. Strong cross-functional collaboration: you work well with product, program, operations, legal, and finance, and you know how to build shared understanding across very different domains. A practical, grounded orientation toward AI: you know how to separate signal from hype, evaluate tools rigorously, and help an organization adopt new capabilities responsibly. Strong organizational instincts: you notice gaps, dependencies, risks, and opportunities early, and you act on them without waiting to be asked. Knowledge Deep familiarity with the enterprise software landscape and how to evaluate, implement, and manage tools like CRMs, project management platforms, HR systems, and AI platforms (including tools like Google Workspace, Salesforce, Notion, Slack, Greenhouse, Claude Enterprise, and ChatGPT Business). Strong grounding in data architecture and information systems design, including how data flows, where it lives, and how it should be protected across both operational and product contexts. Solid grounding in data privacy law and best practices, especially as they apply to nonprofits and/or organizations working with student data (e.g., FERPA, COPPA, state-level privacy frameworks). Familiarity with modern software engineering practices — including AI-enabled development workflows — at a level that allows you to be a credible infrastructure and architecture partner to product and engineering teams. Familiarity with the AI tools and capabilities most relevant to knowledge-work organizations, including LLM-based tools, agent-based workflows, and AI-enabled automation. Knowledge of K–12 education, school system change, or community-based design – enough to appreciate the context in which Transcend's programmatic tools are used and the communities they ultimately serve. Orientations Deep alignment with Transcend's mission and genuine excitement about how technology can help more young people thrive. A strong service orientation: you're energized by enabling others (your teammates, your partners, and ultimately the communities we work alongside), not by owning the spotlight. Curiosity, sound judgment, and comfort navigating ambiguity — especially in a landscape (AI, EdTech, nonprofit tech) that's changing fast and rarely offers clean answers. Energized by AI and the opportunity to re-design traditional tech workflows and processes to align with how this new technology is being leveraged in practice A bias toward clarity, simplicity, and follow-through: you don't over-engineer, and you don't let important things slip. A collaborative, low-ego working style: you build trust quickly, communicate openly, and make the people around you better. Excitement about helping a mission-driven organization become genuinely AI-forward — not because it's expected, but because you believe it matters. Application & Hiring Process We review applications on a rolling basis and are committed to a thoughtful and people-centered hiring experience that helps candidates feel what it’s like to work at Transcend. Here’s a sample hiring process at Transcend; the stages for this individual role may vary: Initial interview with the team via Zoom to learn more about your interest and experiences. Try-on activity to engage in a role-aligned exercise or an artifact submission discussion. This helps us get a sense of how you approach the work and gives you a feel for what the role might be like. Interview with the team, where you will meet with a small group of Transcend teammates with whom you would most likely collaborate in the role. 1-2 interviews with members of our executive team including Chief Program Officer, Chief Operating Officer and/or CEO. Reference checks to learn more about your superpowers and working style. Salary As a national team, we apply a cost-of-labor adjustment by adjusting salaries into 3 geographical bands (geo-bands) in order to offer competitive compensation for all employees across the US. These geo-bands help us tailor compensation appropriately based on the specific location of each teammate. Below are the three salary geo-bands for this role, and we will confirm the individual range for your location during this initial interview, if you move forward in the process. Geo Comp 1: Currently includes: NYC metro area, CA Bay Area, Boston City, LA City, Washington, D.C, Seattle $175,000-$235,000 Geo Comp 2: Currently includes locations such as: San Diego; New Haven, CT; Ventura, CA $166,250-$223,250 Geo Comp 3: Currently includes: Most other US locations $157,500-$211,500 A Few Nuts & Bolts We are an experienced team focused on extraordinary learning for all. We welcome candidates who are passionate about ensuring that all students thrive. We are also committed to providing our colleagues with a competitive benefits package and offer medical, dental, and vision coverage options, org-wide holidays, paid time off, paid parental leave, professional development opportunities, and fully remote work. We take pride in our collaborative environment, exceptional team, and shared commitment to principled, impactful work. We look forward to learning more about you!