Senior Technologist

Senior Technologist (Director)

Location: Flexible within the U.S. but requires access to a major U.S. airport for travel.

Position Type: Full-time

About Us

At Partners for Public Good, we believe that when government works, communities thrive. Launched in March 2025, we are a fast-growing nonprofit dedicated to helping state and local governments harness core operational functions – procurement, staffing, digital infrastructure, and budgeting – to drive public impact.

Our journey began in 2011 at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Government Performance Lab, where we set out to transform public procurement. Since then, we’ve worked with hundreds of governments across the country to make their procurement systems more efficient, fair, results-driven, and strategic. In 2022, we launched the Procurement Excellence Network, putting our tools and strategies in the hands of over two thousand public servants.

Today, our team of doers, coaches, and advisors partners with governments to create lasting, impactful change. Our vision is simple: every resident has a government they can count on, every day.

Position Overview

PPG seeks a creative and technically fluent leader to drive design, growth, and implementation of our technology and innovation strategy. Over the past decade, we’ve supported governments in improving procurement—and have increasingly encountered challenges around procuring and piloting emerging technologies, managing IT vendors, leveraging AI to optimize workflows, and ensuring robust safeguards while fostering a culture that embraces innovation.

This new leadership role will shape and execute PPG’s national strategy to help governments overcome these systemic challenges and seize opportunities for smarter, more effective public service delivery. From agile procurement and prototyping to AI adoption and vendor management, this leader will design and grow a cutting-edge portfolio of technical assistance, policy design and implementation, and collaborative partnerships.

As a member of PPG’s leadership team, this role will also guide PPG’s organizational growth—identifying new service offerings, publications, and partnerships that harness our deep operational expertise to close the gap between public sector procurement and the thoughtful, transformative use of technology.

Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership

• Develop and lead strategic direction for PPG’s Technology & Innovation Initiative to help state and local governments improve how they buy and implement technology, manage technology vendors, and incorporate new technology tools into their work.
• Oversee design and implementation of a suite of technical assistance offerings to help local governments effectively procure and manage technology and innovation. This will encompass direct technical assistance cohorts, trainings, pilot projects, and off-the-shelf resources like model Requests for Proposals (RFPs).
• Research and disseminate best practices in innovation and technology to state and local governments via convenings, publications, trainings, and other offerings that enable mass scaling of solutions.
• Track and evaluate outcomes and impact of the initiative.
• Support donor relationship management and reporting.
• Distill and package learnings that can be shared with and adopted by other governments.
• As a member of PPG’s senior leadership team, collaborate with Directors, the Vice President, the COO and CEO on organizational strategy, priorities, and programmatic initiatives.

People Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of high-performing Project Leaders and Associates, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and professional growth.
• Create management relationships within which staff feel supported, included, and valued. Help to build an inclusive and supportive team culture.

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with government officials, partner organizations, and funders to expand the reach and impact of the Technology & Innovation Initiative as well as PPG’s broader government operations work.

Business Development

• Identify, evaluate, and cultivate new project opportunities with government partners, and through relationships with philanthropy and partner organizations.
• Identify, lead, and participate in proposal writing, responding to RFPs, and other fundraising. Establish new funding relationships in the technology vertical.
• Represent PPG externally at conferences, industry forums, and networking events.

Organizational Leadership

• Collaborate closely with senior leadership to shape organizational strategy.
• Lead and support resource planning and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Positively shape organizational culture, promoting equity, transparency, and accountability across all PPG operations.

Qualifications

We’re looking for candidates who are:

• Strategic and analytic solution-builders. You quickly understand complex challenges and deliver clear, practical, and impactful solutions. You maintain a strategic long-term vision while effectively managing day-to-day operational details.
• Expert project managers. You skillfully oversee multiple projects, strategically manage resources, and ensure timely, high-quality results, in a remote setting.
• People-centered leaders. You are an experienced people manager whose leadership is rooted in coaching and mentorship. Individuals on your team excel, grow, and enjoy their work.
• Compelling connectors and communicators. You clearly and persuasively convey complex information to diverse audiences that include funders, senior government leaders, and external partners. You build partnerships with purpose, identifying opportunities to work across organizations, tackling challenges with low-ego and a collaborative spirit.
• High-polish professional skills. You independently create compelling and professional documents and presentations. As an editor, you give good feedback on both the substance and detail of others’ work.
• Change catalysts. You are experienced at driving organizational change initiatives, shifting culture, and building capacity among diverse stakeholder groups. You understand the unique capacity needs of public sector leaders to embrace, adopt, and ensure oversight of technology and innovation.
• Adaptable and collaborative team players. You thrive in a fast-paced environment, quickly learning and adapting to keep projects moving. You care for your colleagues and are quick to pitch in when someone needs help. You are comfortable giving and receiving direct feedback.
• Mission-aligned. You are motivated by the opportunity to help state and local governments harness core operational functions so that every resident has a government they can count on, every day.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required. Graduate degree in relevant field preferred. Equivalent years of professional experience will be considered in lieu of formal education.
• Seven or more years of relevant experience. This may include direct experience with software or technology development, government technology systems, engineering, government procurement, public sector operations, or consulting.
• First hand experience with artificial intelligence tools, data, software development and management methods, and technology innovation is required. Experience programming and/or in training others on the use of technology is a plus.
• At least four years of people management experience.
• Willingness to travel as needed.

Additional Information

Compensation & Benefits: The salary for this role is $150,000 plus benefits. This role is funded through February 2027, with the possibility of extension.

PPG offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package designed to support the well-being of our team members and their families. Benefits include healthcare coverage with an employer contribution, paid time off, employer-matched retirement plan, and parental leave.

Start Date: The desired start date for this role is Summer or Fall 2025.

Physical Demands: This position requires sitting, talking, listening, reading, and writing for up to 8 hours per day. Certain situations may require lifting items up to 20 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job duties.

Commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity

Partners for Public Good is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Partners for Public Good is committed to the inclusion of all qualified individuals in the hiring process, including but not limited to those with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation(s) to participate in the application or interview process, please contact info@partnersforpublicgood.org.