Director, Enterprise Applications and Data Analytics

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is hiring a Director of Enterprise Applications and Data Analytics in Baltimore, MD. This senior role involves managing the organization's enterprise application portfolio and ensuring system reliability and improvement. The position requires strong technical and communication skills to align technology solutions with organizational needs. It is a term-limited position for 2 years and is based in one of NRDC's U.S. offices.
NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council) works to safeguard the Earth, its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. NRDC combines the power of more than 3 million members and online activists with the expertise of some 800 policy advocates, lawyers, scientists, and communication experts to confront the climate crisis, protect nature, ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. As an international nonprofit environmental organization, NRDC is working to address the world’s most urgent environmental challenges, and advance innovative, science-based, and enforceable solutions.

Since our founding in 1970, NRDC has helped craft and deliver many of America’s foundational environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. Today, we continue to lead in advancing and defending strong environmental protections at the local, state, federal and international levels, as well as through the marketplace. Our team works across the United States and around the world, from offices in Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., as well as in Beijing, London, and New Delhi (a subsidiary of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd.).

Supported by our members and online activists, NRDC is driving impactful solutions that confront the climate crisis, defend nature and safeguard public health across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. At NRDC, we believe lasting change happens when people bring their talent, passion, and expertise together for a common purpose: to build a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient world. Learn more at nrdc.org.

NRDC is seeking a Director, Enterprise Applications and Data Analytics to work with the Information Technology team in any of our U.S. based offices.

This is a term-limited position for 2 years.

Position Summary

The Director of Enterprise Applications & Data Analytics is a senior technology leader responsible for the strategy, governance and operational performance of the organization’s full enterprise application portfolio. The role serves as the transitional technology partner to Development, Finance, HR, Advocacy, Digital and Program teams – ensuring that the systems, data and integrations those team depend on are well-architected, reliably operated and continuously improving. This leader bridges deep technical understanding with strong stakeholder communication – translating organizational needs into system solutions and translating system capabilities into business outcomes.

Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the following essential functions:

Enterprise Application Portfolio Management



Own the full lifecycle of the organization’s enterprise application portfolio transformational roadmap, including CRM, marketing automation and donor facing applications. Maintain portfolio governance framework that guides platform selection, investment prioritization, and alignment with reference architecture. Partner with business stakeholders to translate needs into clear system requirements and ensure platforms are configured and optimized to support those needs. Evaluate new technology solutions with rigor – assessing fit, total cost of ownership, integration complexity and vendor risk before commitment is made.

Data & Analytics

Assess and provide suggestions for the state of the organization’s data architecture and analytics function, including the data model, reporting infrastructure, and self-service analytics capabilities delivered to Development, Digital Advocacy & Fundraising and Finance teams. Assess and prioritize third-party data integration strategy, including demographic data and data append programs to establish a unified audience segmentation capability to advance fundraising and advocacy goals. Collaborate with Managing Director of Enterprise AI and Solutions to: Establish and enforce data governance standards: data definitions, quality controls, access policies and stewardship practices that ensure data is accurate, consistent and trusted. Provide the data foundation – clean, well-governed and accessible on which AI use cases are built.
Integration Ecosystem

Assess the organization’s integration layer - the middleware, APIs and data exchange patterns that connect enterprise applications to each other and external third-party platforms. Assess the payment ecosystem, including the digital donation platform, direct mail caging vendor, and third-party partner platforms that process or transmit donor payment data. Ensure payment-related controls are maintained in alignment with PCI DSS requirements and in close coordination with IT cybersecurity and Office of General Council (OGC) compliance teams. Lead vendor selection, contract negotiation and ongoing performance management for all application and integration vendors.

Stakeholder Partnership & Organizational Enablement

Serve as the primary technology partner to Development, Digital, Advocacy, Program leadership. Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing team of CRM administrators, developers, analysts, and data specialists. Clarify roles, responsibilities, and career paths to support engagement and retention. Foster a collaborative, service-oriented culture that balances responsiveness with strategic discipline.

Team Leadership & Culture

Lead, develop and retain a high-performing team spanning application administration, solutions, data analytics/engineering functions. Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and department heads on Enterprise Applications/Technology capabilities. Model cross-functional collaboration by actively engaging with peer domain leaders on shared initiatives and organization-wide technology decisions. Promote data literacy and adoption through training, communication, and enablement.

The above list of duties is not comprehensive but generally demonstrates the types of matters under this position’s responsibility. Other duties may be assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Data Analytics, Business, or a related field. 7+ years of previous work experience with technology leadership spanning software development, enterprise platform management, data analytics, or AI/ML implementation 3+ years of previous people management experience Demonstrated experience owning and scaling a CRM platform (Salesforce or equivalent strongly preferred), including roadmap ownership, governance, and cross-functional alignment Strong understanding of data analytics, reporting, and data governance principles. Proven ability to partner with non-technical stakeholders and executive leadership. Demonstrated experience leading enterprise project and portfolio management , including intake, prioritization, governance, and delivery of complex, cross‑functional initiatives. Experience with Moden Data Tools – Snowflake, dbt, Workato, Tableau Experience in Project/Portfolio Management. Experience in a nonprofit, mission-driven, or highly matrixed organization, preferred.

Skills, Abilities, Competencies

Strategic thinking and execution Data-driven decision-making Change management and influence Systems thinking and problem-solving Strong communication and storytelling with data People leadership and talent development Strong understanding of data analytics, reporting, and data governance principles Proven ability to partner with non-technical stakeholders and executive leadership Familiarity with fundraising, donor management, or constituent engagement data Familiarity with Project Management Tools – Asana Strategic thinking and execution Data-driven decision-making Change management and influence Systems thinking and problem-solving Strong communication and storytelling with data People leadership and talent development

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits , and a supportive working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and is commensurate with skills and experience. Internal equity will be reviewed and considered to determine a final offer. For this position, the salary range is $145,000 to $175,000.

NRDC operates under a hybrid work model. Employees are required to come to the office 8 days per month.

As a science-based organization, NRDC aims to do our part to help contain the COVID-19 public health crisis. For the sake of health, safety, and equity, we ask that people be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemption in accordance with state and local law. We consider a person to be vaccinated two weeks after receiving one full course of a CDC-approved vaccine. In accordance with state or local law, new hires will be asked to attest to vaccination, those wishing to do so may request medical or religious accommodations or other exemptions via NRDC Employee Relations. NRDC treats all vaccine-related data confidentially, in keeping with local, state, and federal laws.

To apply, visit www.nrdc.org/careers and upload your résumé and cover letter. Please mention where you saw this posting and upload any additional materials that showcase your abilities. Due to the high volume of applications, we will contact only those candidates we would like to interview. Please no phone calls, emails, or in-person résumé drop-offs.

If you experience technical problems while applying or if you are a person with a disability and need assistance applying online, please reach out to iCIMS Customer Care at 1-800-889-4422.

For more about NRDC, visit www.nrdc.org .