Senior Director, Data Transformation

International Rescue Committee • New York, NY

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About The Position

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future. POSITION SUMMARY The Senior Director, Data Transformation will lead the execution of IRC's organization-wide Data Transformation Roadmap, a critical enabler of Strategy100 Phase 2. This role will drive accountability, coordination, and timely delivery across 35 discrete data initiatives organized into 6 workstreams, ensuring IRC can access trusted, integrated information that enables faster, better decisions in service of programmatic impact, revenue/financial health, and organizational performance. The Senior Director will co-chair the Data Transformation Team (DTT), facilitate cross-functional sub-teams for high-priority initiatives, and ensure work progresses at pace across departments including ER, Finance, IT, and GSC in partnership with CRRD and RAI. This role requires exceptional program management skills, stakeholder engagement capabilities, data governance knowledge, and the ability to navigate complex organizational dynamics to break down data silos and drive enterprise-wide alignment.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in Data Science or related field preferred
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in program management, data strategy, digital transformation, or related fields
• Familiarity with the architecture and infrastructure used by data teams (e.g., Databricks, dbt, PowerBI) to effectively guide team technical decisions
• Experience in international NGO, non-profit, or humanitarian sector
• Demonstrated success delivering multi-year projects involving technology, process change, and organizational change management
• Deep understanding of IRC’s core business systems and of data ecosystems, including data governance, data quality, system integration, and analytics
• Strong program management skills with proven ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams and stakeholders
• Experience with project management methodologies and tools (Agile, waterfall, hybrid approaches)
• Familiarity with data and analytics tools, systems, and platforms (e.g., data warehouses, business intelligence platforms, CRM/ERP systems)
• Exceptional facilitation and meeting management skills; ability to drive productive discussions and achieve consensus
• Outstanding stakeholder management capabilities; able to influence without direct authority across all levels of the organization
• Proven experience leading analytical teams (minimum 3-5 years of people management), including performance management, career development, and building team capabilities
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills; able to quickly assess complex situations and identify solutions
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal); able to translate technical concepts for non-technical audiences
• High emotional intelligence and cultural competence; able to navigate diverse perspectives and organizational dynamics
• Results-oriented with a track record of driving accountability and delivering outcomes at pace
• Collaborative mindset with ability to build trust and foster partnerships across organizational boundaries
• Strategic thinker who can balance long-term vision with short-term execution needs
• Adaptable and resilient; comfortable with ambiguity and able to pivot as priorities evolve
• Passion for IRC's mission and commitment to leveraging data for humanitarian impact

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience implementing data governance frameworks or enterprise data strategies
• Knowledge of data management best practices and industry frameworks (e.g., DAMA, DCAM)
• Experience working with senior executives and boards
• Certification in project/program management (PMP, PgMP, or equivalent)

Responsibilities

• Drive delivery of the Data Transformation Roadmap
• Lead the delivery of the Data Transformation Roadmap on time, within budget, and meeting scope requirements.
• Co-Chair the Data Transformation Team (DTT): Co-Chair the Data Transformation Team with Senior Director, METAL (CRRD)
• Convene and facilitate monthly DTT meetings with designated focal points from all roadmap projects
• Drive accountability by ensuring focal points provide regular updates on progress, flag coordination needs, and proactively escalate risks
• Track progress against roadmap milestones and deliverables, maintaining visibility on timelines, dependencies, and blockers
• Establish and manage asynchronous communication channels for updates, escalations, and risk management between meetings
• Monitor resource allocation and capacity constraints across teams, flagging needs for additional support
• In partnership with CIO and Sr Director METAL, Report progress and risks to Executive Sponsors (CEO, Chief Scientist) and Executive Board as needed i Manage the IT Data team
• Leads and manages a central IT Data team responsible for organizational Data Architecture and promoting coherent Data Governance across functions.
• Foster an environment where new concepts, methods and approaches are developed and put into action as needed.
• Oversee High-Priority Sub-Teams
• Oversee and support dedicated sub-teams to drive intensive cross-functional initiatives of the Data Transformation Roadmap requiring targeted coordination, including: Data Governance: Coordinate Data Stewards across departments to establish shared terminology, precise definitions, and data ownership Combined Public/Private Business Development Reporting: Drive alignment across ER, OTIS/AMU, and CRRD on reporting requirements and D3/Interventions dependenciesNew sub-teams as needs arise
• Ensure sub-teams meet regularly (bi-weekly or as needed), maintain clear mandates, and deliver against defined scopes
• Coordinate handoffs between sub-teams and other workstreams to ensure seamless integration
• Facilitate Cross-Departmental Collaboration
• Navigate organizational complexity to ensure departments build on each other's efforts and prerequisite work
• Clarify roles, responsibilities, and decision rights for cross-functional data initiatives
• Foster a culture of transparency, knowledge-sharing, and collaborative problem-solving across the DTT
• Identify opportunities for simplification in processes or data flows and champion their implementation
• Ensure sustained engagement
• Establish Sustainable Data Governance
• Partner with IT and the Data Working Group chair to design and implement data governance structures and routines that embed into overall organizational technology governance
• Ensure clarity on data ownership, stewardship, and accountability across the organization
• Document lessons learned and best practices to inform future data transformation efforts
• Drive Organizational Change In partnership with the Senior Director, METAL
• Cultivate shared understanding and excitement around data transformation across IRC
• Champion data-driven decision-making and the value of high-quality, integrated data
• Support change management efforts to ensure adoption of new data systems, processes, and ways of working

Benefits

• We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days depending on role and tenure, medical insurance starting at $163 per month, dental starting at $6.50 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with immediately vested matching, disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees