Director Of Technology Strategy

Company Overview

Intentional Futures (iF) is an idea-to-impact consultancy. We work with some of the most notable leaders in the US to solve hard problems that matter. Our clients are visionaries and change agents who believe the world can be better than it is and trust us to be their thought partner. We are a 30-person-strong firm of researchers, strategists and designers that work on complex issues with corporations, nonprofits, and family foundations. 

We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment and believe this strengthens our ability to 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 strive to create an environment where all staff are supported, valued and respected.

Job Summary

iF clients come to us to help them envisage and build new business, or to enhance their existing business with new products, services, and experiences that create sustainable, profitable growth. 

As the Director of the Digital Strategy & Innovation (DS&I) team, you will guide a team of strategists and technologists through iF engagements. DS&I project teams deliver offerings from three categories: Learning & Discovery, Strategy Development, and Design & Envisioning. One example offering within Learning & Discovery is iF’s Intentional Learning Session. Designed to stretch the thinking of decision-makers, IL sessions engage them in a product and/or market immersive experience that requires iF to dive deep into a topic, distill it into actionable insights and offer novel frameworks for application. Past topics have included “Digital Identity,” “Web3,” “The future of Virtual Collaboration,” and “Robotics.” Projects across the DSI portfolio often require deep understanding and learning on topics such as these. Examples of past Strategy Development and Design & Envisioning projects include: Reimagining Workplace Productivity; Global Health UX/UI Research & Enterprise Data Visualization Design; and Quantum Computing Strategy. As 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.

As a people leader, you will help the team grow and develop. You are excited about spending time refining and improving our approach to digital strategy projects (focused on various stages of Technology maturity), developing team capabilities through coaching, mentorship, and contributing to an inclusive team culture.

As a team lead, you will work on business development efforts - developing relationships, crafting approaches, writing proposals, and presenting to prospective clients. You will play an active role in developing iF’s Digital Strategy & Innovation team and thought leadership.

Who you are

You have an infectious enthusiasm for the tech industry and digital technologies, and an insatiable curiosity about what’s going to make solutions successful in the market. You have experience with digital strategy, technology analysis, or technology consulting and love going deep to learn about new technology. You thrive in a remote and highly collaborative  environment, and motivate your teams and direct reports through empathy and a growth mindset.

Responsibilities and Duties

Practice leadership and management

• Manage a dynamic team by stewarding a culture of equity-centeredness, innovation & collaboration, driving to consistent productivity, and ensuring high-quality results
• Use data and conversations to ensure the health and well-being of the team while hitting practice goals (for example, hitting goals like utilization, quality and impact of the work, revenue, while anticipating and proactively solving project resourcing challenges, balancing team member workloads, matching projects with team members’ skill sets and interests, ensuring that the team is taking PTO, etc.)
• Oversee the DS&I’s team approach to consulting on technological impacts and implications in alignment with people, business, and planet
• Lead strategic definition of DS&I practice and manage internal projects
• Refine and improve DS&I methodologies, tools, and approaches

Client management and business development

• Engage in business development activities that include 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 management

• Provide mentorship, coaching, and training around client management, project management, framework development, strategy development, and stakeholder alignment
• Exercise both flexibility and consistency with direct reports around expectations and assignments
• Advocate for team members, be accountable as a leader, help them navigate situations where needed, and support their professional development

Project leadership and management 

• Lead multiple client-facing project types to develop impactful deliverables that often involve a high level of ambiguity
• Lead collaborative project teams that include strategists, visual/graphic/UX 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, or other forms
• Investigate and distill large volumes of information on a given topic (e.g., “Digital Entertainment” or “Data Privacy and Security”) into key insights and/or concise frameworks
• Manage time across multiple demanding priorities (client projects and internal efforts)

Qualifications and Skills

• 10+ years of leadership experience in digital technology and innovation
• A deep passion for technology and emerging technologies
• Experience as external consultant or professional services running project delivery, leading client and business development, and managing project teams with a diverse client portfolio 
• Experience with primary & secondary research 
• Experience writing and/or speaking publicly on business, strategy, innovation, and related topics
• Ability to discern, appreciate, embrace and nurture diversity, including cultural, workstyle, and interpersonal relationships 
• Excellent people management skills: you believe deeply in the importance of developing talent with a track record of motivating high-performing teams to achieve an ambitious result
• Ability to use data and insight to quickly assess situations/industries/needs/teams, skillfully manage ambiguities and contradictions, and bring a rigorous business acumen to a creative and entrepreneurial environment 

Bonus Experience & Skills

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

iF Values

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate how these values show up in their work:

Imagination - Openly exploring new ideas and approaches.

Excellence - Passionately pursuing solutions that thoughtfully address the real issues.

Teamwork - Collaboratively activating the combined strengths of clients, partners, and each other.

Additional Information

The salary range for this role is $125,000 - $175,000 annually as well as potential for an annual bonus based on performance. Along with this, iF offers a 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 are currently working from home full-time, but the ability to travel to Seattle-based office is preferred, but we are not able to offer relocation packages. The preferred candidates 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 you love the endless pursuit of the unknown, apply!

Job posted on 2023.10.09

Powered by JazzHR

35pGvNniK8