Associate Director: Digital Strategy

Company Overview

Intentional Futures is an idea-to-impact consultancy. We work with visionary leaders to solve hard problems that matter. Our clients are change agents who believe the world can be better than it is. We seek an Associate Director of Digital Strategy & Innovation who will act as a trusted guide and thought partner to our team and clients.

We are a firm of researchers, strategists and designers that work on complex issues with corporations, nonprofits, and family foundations. We are looking for a self-motivated and skilled strategist with extensive project leadership experience to join our team

We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that having staff with diverse backgrounds allows us to better serve our clients, support one another, and fulfill our mission. As an equal opportunity employer, iF considers all applications without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, military service eligibility, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class. People of color, women, and LGBTQIA+ individuals are encouraged to apply.

We take leadership and craft development seriously and will invest in you and your goals.

Job Summary

The Associate Director (AD) of Digital Strategy & Innovation (DSI) sets a high bar for strategic thought leadership and seamless project and client management for large, complex projects involving technology applied to solving human and organizational challenges. They are able to effortlessly lean into a broad range of topic areas, maintaining deep familiarity with multiple projects and switching often between driving strategic development as the project lead and providing thoughtful guidance to strategist teams as a project sponsor. The AD is able to draw from their experience to surface novel insights and deliver them in easily understood language and visual representations, as well as construct iterative frameworks and design innovative solutions which elicit “a-ha” moments for our clients. The successful candidate can confidently apply human and equity-centered approaches to create technology strategies and solutions, messaging, and experiences which drive impact for organizations in technology, philanthropy, social impact, EdTech & development, non-profit and for-profit ecosystems. The Associate Director is a valuable thought partner to the Director of DSI and other iF practice areas, mentor to team members, and helps to grow our practice in new directions by fostering client new and established relationships and inspiring other iFsters with creative methods of problem solving.

We embrace non-traditional paths into iF; our team is full of people with unique backgrounds and experiences.

Who You Are

You have an infectious, thoughtful enthusiasm for the tech industry and digital technologies, and an insatiable curiosity about what’s going to make solutions successful in the market. You love going deep to learn a new topic. You thrive on interesting conversations and enjoy listening thoughtfully. You proactively develop new relationships and advance our craft to ensure iF has real impact. You thrive in a hybrid, often remote, highly collaborative environment, and motivate your teams and direct reports through empathy and a growth mindset.

Responsibilities and Duties

Project leadership and management 

• Lead multiple client-facing project types to develop impactful deliverables, often involving a high level of ambiguity
• Manage and mentor multiple project leaders and client relationships concurrently, delegating responsibilities and decisions to contributors in an environment of shared responsibility for client success
• Lead collaborative project teams that include strategists, visual/graphic designers, and technologists through scoping, budgeting, research, and delivery 
• Lead a multi-disciplinary team to develop research plans, craft points of view, generate frameworks and story narrative to teach audiences about a wide-range of topics in the form of interactive presentations, tech reports, visual representations or other forms
• Investigate and distill large volumes of information on a given topic (e.g., “AI in Education,” “The Future of Data Privacy and Security,” or “Digital Public Infrastructure”) into key insights and/or concise frameworks
• Contribute formally or informally to research, ideation, creative development, and delivery of project assets across iF practices
• Manage time across multiple demanding priorities (client projects and internal efforts)

Client management and business development

• Engage in business development activities and cultivating your network to drive lead development, relationship management, and crafting innovative, successful proposals
• Push back on clients and colleagues in ways they can appreciate, advocating for the project team if needed
• Manage key client relationships ensuring healthy and open communication that results in strong collaboration, ideas to improve our practice, and ongoing opportunities for partnership
• Participate in thought leadership publishing and public speaking engagements as appropriate

People Mentorship and Development

• Provide mentorship, coaching, and training around client management, project management, framework development, strategy development, and stakeholder alignment
• Maintain and share your current knowledge about the technology industry generally and within areas of iF practice, including in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, software development, and technology best practices thinking, among others
• Develop a complete understanding of your team and peers’ professional goals to support their career development – iFsters cultivate opportunity for one another 
• Refine and improve DSI methodologies, tools, and approaches

As Associate Director you will have the opportunity to both lead this work and support teams to hone their craft and improve methodologies to deliver exceptional results.

Core Qualifications and Skills

• 7+ years of experience in technology product development and/or technology market analysis, including project management, strategy, or consulting experience with demonstrated success
• BA/BS or equivalent years of related work experience 
• Expert facilitation skills and demonstrated ability to guide diverse groups of stakeholders through complex conversations in a strategic yet diplomatic way 
• Deep experience translating complex information into clear and compelling strategic narratives that can be understood easily by multiple audiences 
• Ability to think strategically and tackle problems from multiple perspectives and through a human-centered lens (combining both quantitative and qualitative inputs)
• Ability to build deep relationships with clients to help weather tough challenges and navigate ambiguity 
• Strong desk research skills and familiarity with qualitative and/ quantitative research methods

• A deep passion for innovation and emerging technologies
• Ability to discern, appreciate, embrace and nurture diversity, including cultural, workstyle, and interpersonal relationships 

• Goal-oriented, self-starter: someone who can manage multiple work streams, set and meet their own deadlines, budgets, and milestones while helping others track theirs
• Strong proficiency in standard office tools (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Google Suite) and interest in quickly mastering new tools (AI, Airtable, Hupspot, Parallax)

Bonus Experience & Skills

• An MA, MBA, or related masters level technology degree
• A solid understanding of, or experience with, design thinking and how it applies to strategy
• An interest in trends, from culture to people and business to climate, and their intersections with emerging technologies 
• Experience in financial analysis, EdTech, and business case development

Salary, Benefits, & Additional Information

At Intentional Futures, we conduct iterative and extensive market research to learn what is considered a competitive salary for each of our roles. However, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. With this context in mind, the salary range for this role is $95,000 to $120,000 annually as well as potential for an annual bonus based on performance. 

Along with this, iF offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes: 

• Healthcare coverage including domestic partner benefits
• Flexible Spending and Dependent Care Account options
• Life insurance 
• Short-term disability coverage
• Paid parental and adoption leave
• 4% 401K match
• Paid time off
• Learning and Development Resources
• Subsidized ORCA Card 

Our staff works from home often, but the ability to travel to iF’s Seattle-based office is preferred. We are not able to offer relocation packages. The preferred candidate will be someone who lives in the greater Seattle area or is willing to relocate, but we are open to candidates from other regions as well.

iF cannot offer work visa sponsorship at this time.

We will notify every candidate about next steps, you can expect a response 2-4 weeks from the posting date of the role, pending applicant pool. Preferred candidates will be moved forward to phone screens.

iF Values

• Imagination - We openly seek and explore novel perspectives, ideas, and approaches. 
• Excellence - We passionately pursue solutions that thoughtfully address the real issues.
• Teamwork - We collaboratively activate the combined strengths of clients, partners, and each other. 

If you love the endless pursuit of the unknown, apply

Job posted on 2024.08.12

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