Associate Director of Implementation (Salesforce)

About Sweet Grass

Sweet Grass Consulting is a vibrant collective of dedicated researchers and community development advocates who provide professional, evaluative, and research services to promote and support asset-based development initiatives in economically burdened communities. Our consulting and services are grounded in truth, dignity, and respect. Sweet Grass is a certified B Corp, dedicated to balancing profit with purpose through social and environmental standards of performance, transparency, and accountability to our clients and employees. Join our dynamic team on a trajectory of rapid growth!

Job description

The Associate Implementation Director will support and interface with our clients who primarily utilize Salesforce’s Nonprofit Cloud and NPSP products, while applying both administrative and development expertise to deliver scalable, human-centered solutions. The ideal candidate will have experience as both a Salesforce Administrator and Salesforce Developer working hands-on with a variety of nonprofit organizations or clients.

The Associate Director is responsible for planning, implementing, and servicing Salesforce instances to fit our unique clients’ needs, empowering Native and nonprofit clients to manage relationships, report impact, and grow sustainably through the use of technology. This involves facilitating discovery and solution design; implementing complex integrations and leveraging tools such as Apex, Visualforce, and Lighting Components; building automations and flows; directing seamless data migration projects; leveraging standard and custom objects in Salesforce to meet client needs; and supporting clients post-implementation with technical assistance and support.

In addition, the Associate Director will support the Implementation Director in overseeing projects, team workload, and business development across the Implementation team. This role requires a relational and results-oriented leader who balances technical excellence with empathy, collaboration, and clarity, excelling in relationship development with a diverse range of audiences. The right candidate for the role will be a proactive individual with demonstrated success in the execution and management of a large portfolio of nonprofit clients and projects. The Associate Director will function in collaboration with the Implementation Director and the other Associate Director on the team to manage workloads, seek new opportunities, and implement technical developer and administrative solutions to our clients.

Responsibilities

Solutions Design & Architecture

• Collaborate with clients to deeply understand their organizational goals, operational needs, and pain points.
• Lead discovery sessions to gather and analyze requirements, translating them into thoughtful and scalable Salesforce solution designs.
• Design system architectures, including data models, user roles, automation strategies, and integrations, aligned with Nonprofit Cloud and NPSP best practices.
• Evaluate and recommend Salesforce apps, tools, and integrations that enhance client solutions and deliver measurable impact.
• Prototype, test, and iterate on solution designs to ensure they effectively meet client needs.

Salesforce Administration & Development

• Utilize expertise as both a Salesforce Administrator and Salesforce Developer to plan and implement Salesforce instances on NPSP, Nonprofit Cloud, and other similar products.
• Facilitate complex integrations and leverage tools such as Apex, Visualforce, and Lightning Components.
• Build automations and flows to streamline processes and enhance efficiency.
• Direct seamless data migration projects, ensuring data integrity and accuracy throughout the process.
• Employ standard and custom objects in Salesforce to create tailored solutions for clients.

Project Management

• Lead multiple projects simultaneously managing resources, timelines, and budgets effectively.
• Work with the Implementation Director and team to prioritize tasks, allocate resources, and mitigate risks to efficiently deliver projects.
• Make good use of time by reevaluating workload, priorities, and client inquiries daily.
• Monitor project progress and address any issues or obstacles that may arise, ensuring successful project delivery.

Client Engagement & Capacity Building

• Build strong, trust-based relationships with nonprofit clients, acting as both a strategic partner and technical advisor.
• Provide training, coaching, and documentation to help clients effectively use and maintain their Salesforce systems.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and long-term value for each client, proposing enhancements and new solutions as their needs evolve.

Proactive Leadership

• Proactively identify opportunities for improvement and take initiative to address them, at the company, team, and client levels.
• Lead by example, inspiring colleagues and team members to strive for excellence and embodying the company’s values and culture.
• Stay updated on the latest Salesforce features, best practices, and industry trends, sharing knowledge and insights with the team.

Team Management and Oversight

• Supervise managers and coordinators on the Implementation team, providing guidance and support as needed on projects collaborating on.
• Ensure that team members are effectively executing their responsibilities and meeting project deadlines.
• Foster a collaborative and supportive team environment, promoting professional growth and development.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education, professional experience, and lived experience AND 3-5 years of direct experience as a Salesforce administration and development experience (or 5-7 years of direct experience)
• Certified Salesforce Admin (required)
• Certified Salesforce Platform Developer I (required; Developer II preferred)
• Nonprofit Cloud Consultant or Nonprofit Success Pack certification (preferred)
• Experience Cloud Consultant certification (preferred)
• Proven experience leading Salesforce implementation projects, from requirements gathering and solution design, to deployment and post-implementation support for multiple nonprofit organizations or clients
• Extensive experience developing custom Salesforce solutions and integrations for nonprofit organizations
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate client requirements into scalable and efficient technical solutions
• Direct or lived experience working with or within Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian communities, or other Indigenous communities, including personal, familial and/or community-based experience (preferred)

Core competencies

• Communication and Relationship Building: Strong communication skills with the ability to act as a liaison between technical aspects of database implementation and the organization's staff, translating complex technical concepts into easily understandable terms.
• Cultural Sensitivity and Understanding: Ability to comprehend and respect the cultural nuances and sensitivities of mission-driven organizations and the communities they serve.
• Credibility and Trust Building: Demonstrated ability to establish credibility and build trust with clients and staff through delivering impactful results, fostering long-term relationships, and demonstrating expertise in the field.
• Problem-Solving and Solution-Oriented Approach: Aptitude for identifying challenges faced by mission-driven organizations in data management and impact reporting and proposing innovative solutions to address these challenges effectively.
• Manages Complexity and Ambiguity: Doesn’t shy away from the unknown and analyzes multiple and diverse sources of information to define problems accurately before moving to solutions.
• Drives Results: Persistent in accomplishing goals and tasks despite obstacles and setbacks.
• Commitment and Collaboration: Demonstrates dedication to the company’s goals through a strong work ethic, teamwork, a positive attitude, and a willingness to tackle challenges and coach others toward success.

• This role is a full-time, exempt position (40 hours/week)
• Yearly salary is $84,000-$100,000, depending on experience.
• Paid work hours for Salesforce certification and professional development.
• Upon hire, access to health/vision/dental insurance (self-paid), 80 hours of sick time, and paid holidays.
• After 3 months, benefits include 100% paid medical/vision/dental insurance, and 5 hours of accrued annual time per pay period. After 6 months, benefits include an up-to 4% matching 401k contribution.
• This position follows a flexible scheduling model with the expectation of working approximately 40 hours per week. Employees are responsible for managing their own schedules while ensuring that client needs are met, deadlines are achieved, and colleagues receive appropriate support when needed.
• Full-time employees receive all federal holidays off with pay and all business days between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
• Travel is not frequent but will be required 1-3 times per year.