Digital Technology Lead, IT

First Book has a mandatory Covid-19 vaccination policy (medical and religious exemptions permitted). Proof of fully vaccinated status is required before an interview.

About First Book : First Book (https : / / firstbook.org / ) believes that education offers children the best possible path out of poverty.

Reaching 5 million children from birth to age 18 annually, First Book has also built the country’s largest and fastest growing network of educators serving kids in need : today First Book reaches 575,000 educators nationwide - and growing every week.

A global leader in social enterprise, First Book harnesses the strategies of the private sector to advance social change.

First Book has built a family of social enterprises to serve its network of educators and support children in need including the First Book Marketplace, The First Book Accelerator, First Book Insights, and a range of other efforts.

In fact, since 1992, First Book has distributed more than 225 million books and educational materials to children from low-income families.

Because of its record of innovation and impact, First Book has been celebrated globally by such institutions as the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, the World Economic Forum and in case studies at Columbia Business School, Wharton Business School, the Yale School of Management, and the London School of Economics.

Finally, Charity Navigator recently awarded First Book its highest rating, including a perfect 100% score for Accountability & Transparency.

About the position : (This is not a 100% remote position / MANDATORY IN OFFICE : Tuesday & Wednesday)

Essential Duties and Responsibilities :

To perform this job successfully, the individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The responsibilities listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and / or abilities required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Manage two Quality Insurance Engineers & oversee two consultants

Technical Leadership :

• Drive digital technology evolution roadmap and execution plan in a fast-paced environment.
• Bring 'out of box' thought leadership to take First Book to the next level of process efficiency and automation, to scale us through our next phase of growth.
• Lead and mentor a team of developers, business analysts, and quality assurance engineers by providing expertise and guidance within all technical aspects of digital tech DevOps to include design, build, and launch.
• Identify opportunities for innovation and quality improvements with the mindset of simplify, optimize, and modernize.
• Operate and guide through a 'Product Mindset' mode that puts our members at the center of all programs, processes, and systems design, delivering best in class and industry-leading experiences.
• Role includes responsibility over product management, UX / UI development, and front-end QA.

eCommerce Expertise :

• Set strategy, roadmap, and execution for key technologies across member-facing eCommerce and order management processes, in partnership with the marketing and eCommerce business teams.
• Articulate and implement eCommerce architecture, considering scalability, performance, and security.

Integration Mastery :

• Demonstrate a proven track record of integrating eCommerce systems with CRM, MarTech, ERP, shipping methods, and payment methods.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration and functionality across our web, eCommerce and marketing technologies.

Mobile-First Design :

Possess a deep understanding of mobile-first design principles and implement strategies to enhance the overall user experience with our digital properties across multiple devices.

Project Management :

• Manage development projects from inception to completion, ensuring timely delivery and adherence to quality standards.
• Effectively communicate project timelines, milestones, and potential risks to stakeholders.

Architectural Evaluation :

• Evaluate and recommend technical solutions, driving simplification of business processes and enhancing system efficiency.
• Stay abreast of industry trends and advancements to keep the technology stack current and relevant.

Cloud Environment and Deployment :

• Demonstrate familiarity with cloud environments and deployment processes.
• Oversee deployment steps and ensure a smooth transition to production environments.

Technical Proficiency :

• Expertise in PHP 8 and MySQL, with a strong ability to troubleshoot and optimize code.
• Familiarity with composable commerce architectures is a plus.
• The responsibilities of this role may increase at any time.

Qualifications :

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and / or ability required :

• eCommerce experience is required :
• 5-7 years of hands-on experience in eCommerce platform design and development, with a strong business and IT acumen in the private, public, government, or non-profit sector.
• Supervisory experience of at least 2 employees; contractor / vendor oversight experience is a plus
• Proven experience with Adobe Commerce / Magento as an engineer. Experience with other eCommerce platforms (e.g. Shopify, Salesforce Commerce, etc.) is a plus.
• Solid background and understanding of complex customer-facing applications, cross functional processes, and systems, including Marketing Technologies, eCommerce, ERP, shipping, and payment.
• ERP deployment and ERP process knowledge is a plus due to heavy integration to front-end commerce platforms. Proven track record of success leading eCommerce platform and teams in a dynamic, rapidly changing entrepreneurial environment.
• Project management skills to lead and guide DevOps teams. A background in agile methodologies and SCRUM certification is a plus.
• Technical and architectural proficiency in evaluating and simplifying business processes.
• Familiarity with cloud environments and deployment processes.
• Expertise in PHP 2 and MySQL.
• Understanding of composable commerce architectures is a plus.
• Possess an entrepreneurial spirit and continuously innovate to achieve great results.

Education :

Bachelor Degree or equivalent experience.

All full-time employees are eligible for the following benefits :

• Hybrid work environment - can work from home and office
• Dental & medical insurance
• Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage
• Vacation leave
• Sick leave
• Twelve Annual Holidays
• 401K and employer matching pension contribution
• Transportation benefits

TO APPLY :

Candidates are invited to submit a resume, and a cover letter that details your interest in the position. If you need assistance applying, please reach out to us at 202-499-5935.

About First Book :

First Book (https : / / firstbook.org) believes that education offers children the best possible path out of poverty. Since 1992, First Book has distributed more than 200 million books and educational materials to children from low-income families.

Reaching 5 million children from birth to age 18 annually, First Book has built the country’s largest and fastest growing network of educators serving kids in need.

Today First Book reaches over 500,000 educators nationwide with an additional 1,000 joining every week. In addition to our work in the United States, First Book also distributed books to children in more than 30 countries last year.

A recognized leader in social enterprise, First Book harnesses the power of the private sector to advance social change.

First Book has also been highlighted for its innovation and impact by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, the World Economic Forum and in case studies at Columbia Business School, Wharton Business School, the Yale School of Management, and the London School of Economics.

Finally, Charity Navigator recently awarded First Book its highest rating, including a perfect score for Accountability & Transparency.

All full-time employees are eligible for the following benefits : Medical insuranceDental insuranceLife and Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverageVacation leaveSick leaveEleven Annual Holidays401 K and employer matching pension contributionTransportation benefits