Head of Technology

Alliance for Decision Education • Bala Cynwyd, PA

17h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Head of Technology will provide strategic oversight and hands-on management of the Alliance’s technology ecosystem. This role is ideal for someone who understands the unique landscape of K-12 education technology — including data privacy laws, school district tools, and the operational realities of a mission-driven organization. As our first dedicated technology leader, this role is responsible for building a cohesive, secure, and well-governed technology environment that supports our rapidly growing work with K-12 schools and districts, including the responsible collection and use of student data. The Head of Technology will report to the Director of Operations within the Operations department. This is a Director-level, exempt position with no direct reports at this time.

Requirements

• 5+ years progressive leadership experience overseeing K-12 education technology, ideally within a school district or EdTech-adjacent organization.
• Familiarity with tools commonly used in K-12 settings (Clever or similar platforms a strong plus).
• Working knowledge of K-12 data sharing laws and compliance frameworks (FERPA, COPPA, state privacy regulations).
• Hands-on skills across desktop support, cybersecurity, and systems analysis.
• Experience managing or auditing a multi-platform technology ecosystem.
• Ability to communicate technical risks and recommendations clearly to non-technical leadership.
• Strong judgment on vendor selection, technology vetting, and risk management.
• Comfortable providing hands-on or remote technical support as needed.
• Strategic Technology Leadership in Education Contexts: Proven ability to develop and execute technology roadmaps that align with the unique needs of K-12 environments, including data privacy, interoperability with school systems, and scalable solutions for growing student data demands.
• Ethical Technology Stewardship and Risk Management: Strong judgment and proactive mindset in balancing innovation with security, compliance, and ethical considerations—especially around student data protection and AI governance in an educational nonprofit setting.
• Detail-oriented and able to handle a fast-paced work environment
• Ability to work efficiently with a high level of independence and initiative; self-motivated
• Be proactive, solve problems effectively, and possess excellent communication skills
• Have excellent time management skills and a commitment to meeting tight deadlines
• Reflects the Alliance’s core values and standards: Humanism: valuing others as human beings Rationality: thinking and skills to help answer “What is true?” and “What to do?” Education: growth mindset; dedication to developing knowledge and skills Conscientiousness: diligent work ethic; professionalism; high-quality work Initiative: owners’ and founders’ mentality; leadership skills Mission Alignment: dedication to the organization’s mission and goals
• Successful completion of the pre-employment screening process.
• Comply with all company policies and procedures.
• Understand and demonstrate safe work practices to ensure a safe work environment.
• Complete special projects and other duties as assigned by management.

Nice To Haves

• Clever or similar platforms a strong plus.

Responsibilities

• Create a clear, organization-wide plan for how our technology should work together—covering current tools, system integration, new technology initiatives, and a timeline for improvements that support the organization’s evolution. This will include a needs assessment to support our rapidly growing work with schools and districts, as well as the collection of student data.
• Own technology budget and purchasing decisions, ensuring proper vetting, interoperability review, and ROI assessment before adoption.
• Define organization-wide standards, rules, and governance over data.
• Build and maintain a risk register with ongoing monitoring of cybersecurity and reputational exposure; develop crisis response plans and backup/recovery processes; and lead incident response in the event of a breach.
• Oversee AI governance and product evaluation for internal staff use and K-12-facing tools.
• Champion a culture of technology literacy across the organization — develop and deliver staff training on tools, security practices, and data hygiene; create accessible documentation and resources that reduce reliance on ad hoc support and build organizational confidence in day-to-day technology use.
• Ensure Salesforce and other core systems are well configured and maintained, and produce reports that meaningfully inform organizational decision-making.
• Manage Google Workspace security, access controls, and operational reliability.
• Lead compliance efforts around data sharing regulations relevant to K-12 organizations (FERPA, COPPA, state-level requirements).
• Achieve and maintain compliance with the organization's Document Retention and Destruction Policy.
• Advise leadership on build-versus-buy decisions and serve as an internal advisor for all technology-related discussions.
• Assess and advise on hardware needs for staff, including procurement recommendations, lifecycle planning, and device standardization.
• Evaluate website infrastructure, security, and functionality, with eventual internal management of those functions.
• Serve as an escalation point for technical troubleshooting.
• These responsibilities may change or expand over time, consistent with the organization’s needs and initiatives.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance (100% employer paid)
• Basic life insurance and AD&D (100% employer paid)
• Long-term disability insurance (100% employer paid)
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401(k) retirement plan with up to a 5% employer match (100% vested)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (healthcare and dependent care)
• Up to 20 days of Paid Time Off per calendar year (prorated the first year based on hire date)
• Unlimited paid sick time
• Paid lunch stipend while working on-site

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed