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Digital Promise

Director of Emerging Technology

🇺🇸 Remote - US

🕑 Full-Time

💰 $116K - $130K

💻 Project Management

🗓️ June 24th, 2025

IRB K-12 PK

Edtech.com's Summary

Digital Promise Global is hiring a Director of Emerging Technology. The role involves leading research initiatives focused on integrating emerging technologies like generative AI into educational settings to enhance learning experiences. The Director will collaborate with partners, guide strategy, and develop resources that promote equitable and innovative use of technology in education.

Highlights
  • Lead and manage research projects on AI and emerging technologies in education.
  • Develop evidence-based curricula, pedagogy, and assessments leveraging emerging technologies.
  • Secure and manage funding from national, state, and philanthropic sources.
  • Build and maintain partnerships with funders, educators, and policymakers.
  • Lead a team of researchers and project managers, providing coaching and performance direction.
  • Strong knowledge of AI, Digital Promise’s AI Literacy Framework, and education technology tools like Asana, Salesforce, and Google Suites.
  • Ph.D. or Ed.D. in relevant fields, with at least 5 years in leadership roles focused on emerging educational technologies.
  • Experience in K-12 public school districts preferred, with proven ability to manage complex projects and budgets.
  • Compensation ranges from $115,690 to $159,073 depending on location and experience, with benefits including health insurance and 401k contributions.
  • Responsibilities include strategic dissemination of research, internal alignment within Digital Promise, and up to 35% travel requirements.

Director of Emerging Technology Full Description

Director of Emerging Technology
Powerful Learning
Remote (United States)

About Digital Promise Global

Digital Promise is a global nonprofit working to expand opportunity for each learner. We work with educators, researchers, technology leaders, and communities to design, investigate, and scale up innovations that empower learners, especially those who have been historically and systematically excluded.

Our efforts are multifaceted and grounded in the real-world challenges facing learners and educators—from working to expand K-12 students’ access to high-speed internet, to providing adult learners with opportunities to earn micro-credentials that further their careers and secure their well-being.

About the Position
The Powerful Learning team ensures all learners have consistent and sustained experiences of powerful learning, thus empowering them to thrive in an increasingly complex and technological world. Our work involves engaging in research that contributes to the field of learning sciences; designing solutions that define, model, and provide examples of evidence-based insights that support the implementation of powerful learning; engaging strategic partners and communities to co-design and advance powerful learning solutions; and mentoring leaders within the education ecosystem. Our team, alongside our broader organization, is well-positioned to respond to the emergent needs of the field.

The Powerful Learning Director, Emerging Technologies is responsible for developing and leading research based initiatives that are responsive to trends in how emerging technologies, including generative AI, are applied in educational contexts. Central to the team’s mission is harnessing these technologies to support the whole learner, fostering powerful learning experiences that enhance creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. This includes developing evidence-based recommendations for (a) curricula and resources that support learners to understand, use and evaluate emerging technologies, (b) pedagogy that promotes best practices for the integration of AI and other emerging technologies into teaching and learning, (c) next generation assessments that leverage emerging technology recognize student growth in ways that promote multimodality, accessibility, and fairness. The Director will work closely with internal and external partners to ensure that research based insights are developed into actionable practices, including advocacy for the development and adoption of research based policies at the state and local levels. 

The Director reports to the Deputy Chief, Research.

Responsibilities
Research
  • Lead Emerging Technology Research Projects: Conceptualize and direct research projects that are responsive to trends in AI and emerging technologies in education to build knowledge and begin to highlight and even codify best practices on emerging tech implementation and use.
  • Connect Research and Practice. Design research initiatives that are relevant and responsive to the needs of educators and work with the wider Powerful Learning Research team to consider how pilot initiatives can be expanded upon and even scaled among Digital Promise’s wider network of school districts . 
  • Lead Research Strategy: Use research findings to identify themes across projects to iteratively inform strategy and partnership development goals. 
  • Monitor Evolving Innovations in Emerging Technology: Engage in continuous learning about new developments in generative AI and emerging technologies for educational applications by attending conferences and collaborating with thought leaders and external partners.
  • Commitment to Equity in Education Outcomes: A deep commitment to eliminating opportunity and achievement gaps for historically and systematically excluded learners.

Development
  • Lead and Manage Initiative Strategy for AI and Emerging Technologies, including securing national, state, and philanthropic funding for programming and the internal evaluation of program impact and effectiveness.
  • Funder Relationships: Form and deepen partnerships with funders to continue to expand the work, considering the contribution from Digital Promise in alignment and support of other projects within the funders’ portfolio. 
  • Sustainability. Identify opportunities across program areas to strengthen the impact and sustainability of our research based initiatives. 

Impact
  • Strategic dissemination: Build and maintain Digital Promise’s thought leadership on AI in education through strategic dissemination, such as attending and presenting at high impact conferences and/or webinar to share insights.  
  • External communication: Effectively communicate project work and impact to the field, including academic journals, conference proceedings, public reports, external partners, policymakers, and funders with a focus on responsible AI use in education.
  • Resource Development: Support the development of classroom, school, and district-facing resources (e.g., Toolkits, case study models) and knowledge dissemination to drive research-based insights into policy and practice alike.
  • Internal alignment: Effectively communicate and collaborate with internal Digital Promise teams to ensure alignment on AI initiatives across the organization

Team Oversight and People Management (Culture and Performance)
  • Lead the Powerful Learning Emerging Technologies team, responsible for educational research about emerging technologies, providing coaching, direction, vision aligned to Impact Goals 
  • Ensure organizational health and cultivate a positive and inclusive workplace culture and employee experience
  • Ensure all team members have the knowledge, skills, and attributes needed to fulfill their day-to-day responsibilities; ensure all team members understand their critical role in the overall organization
  • Provide direction and support to team members specific to the issues and opportunities that come from their responsibilities; intervene as needed to course-correct
  • Support Chief Deputy to hire and develop team personnel
  • Oversee and delegate appropriately to a team of researchers, project managers and project directors responsible for executing on
    • Developing competitive proposals that are responsive to trends in emerging technologies in education 
    • Managing the implementation of research projects, including data collection and analysis in alignment with ethics and privacy policy; experience designing and maintaining research protocols for Institutional Review Board (IRB)
    • Maintaining strong relationships with practitioners and partners integral to our research work
    • Delivering timely and high-quality outcomes as outlined in grants or contracts

Culture
  • Contribute positively to the culture of the team, department, and organization

Project Management
  • Able to manage multiple competing priorities and rapidly adapt and respond to district and school requests and timeline changes
  • Excellent project management skills with an emphasis on attention to detail, timelines, and quality of work
  • Lead projects and the development of SOPs as needed
  • Engage in Digital Promise projects that promote and advance digital equity and contribute meaningfully to achieving the organization’s impact goals
  • Keep key stakeholders in the loop of key action steps needed to drive the work forward
  • Influence and motivate others, building connections, anticipating barriers and inspiring action across various contexts to ensure work objectives are met
  • Stays abreast of project milestones, weekly project updates, risks and issues

Impact Goals
  • Monitor, track, and report progress on relevant goals, for self and direct reports

Other duties as assigned

Qualifications
  • Education: Ph.D. or Ed.D. in learning science, computer science, education leadership, educational technology, or related field. Equivalent experience will be considered. A background in education is preferred. 
  • Experience: A minimum of 5 years of experience in a leadership role related to emerging technologies in education, with a proven track record of successfully securing funding for research, managing a portfolio of projects and leading a project from concept through completion. 
  • Demonstrated ability to envision and lead the conception and implementation of innovative research, design and evaluation initiatives related to AI and emerging technologies, preferably across PK-16 educational settings, including co-design.
  • Demonstrated expertise on AI and education through leadership and dissemination. 
  • A thorough understanding of the Digital Promise AI Literacy Framework and competencies and the ability to apply this knowledge to support of schools and districts
  • Direct professional experience working in K-12 public school districts is preferred.
  • Knowledge of functions, features, limitations, and practical applications of the technologies available to support student learning experience and program management (i.e., Asana, Microsoft & Google suites, Salesforce, Qualtrics, etc.)

Leadership
  • Strong project management skills with the ability to develop compelling proposals, lead cross-functional teams, manage budgets, and deliver results on time. 
  • 3+ years track record of building and managing multi-functional teams to results, and of coaching and developing direct reports. 
  • Proven leadership skills with the ability to inspire, mentor, and guide a team toward achieving common goals.
  • Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to develop and execute long-term research and development projects and partnerships into strategies. 

Analytical and Data Skills
  • Experience with data analysis and reporting tools
  • Ability to research, analyze, and provide a solution to newly identified issues
  • Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to be flexible to project situations

Relationship Management
  • Proven ability to collaborate effectively with diverse teams, including educators, designers, developers, and administrators. 
  • Experienced and demonstrated knowledge of client/partner management
  • Highly collaborative, organized, and execution-oriented with strong presentation skills

Communication
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical constituents,  as well as impeccable interpersonal skills
  • Experience with communication and customer relationship systems such as Slack, Salesforce, and Asana
  • Skill in applying principles of active listening, such as focusing on what someone is saying, deferring judgment, and responding appropriately

Lifelong Learning
  • A deep passion for education, technology, and the potential of their intersection to transform learning experiences. 
  • Adaptability to evolving technologies and trends in the rapidly changing EdTech landscape.
  • Skill in acquiring new knowledge through professional development activities for one's self, such as participating in coaching, attending professional conferences, self-directed reading, and monitoring industry trends
  • Skill in developing, maintaining, and leveraging networks across a range of people and groups inside and outside the organization, such as influential people and learning and performance experts

At Digital Promise, we also seek candidates with: 
  • An interest in redesigning learning systems
  • Experience collaborating with cross-functional team members to ensure information is shared, projects are completed on time, and goals are reached
  • Stellar organizational skills and attention to detail
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage completing tasks, deadlines, requirement, and decisions
  • A team mentality, with a creative and positive, "can-do" spirit

Working Conditions
Digital Promise Global is a hybrid organization. The position is primarily working in a remote environment. Employees are expected to travel at least 4 times a year for in-person meetings and the annual staff retreat. Additional travel may be required based on role and responsibilities.

Physical/Sensory Demands: Fast-paced working environment. Extensive computer usage and online engagement & communication. Must be willing to build inclusive relationships and collaborate with employees at all levels within the organization and external partners.

Travel up to 35%

Special Provisions: Occasional work outside normal business hours, such as weekends and evenings required. 

Compensation
We consider candidate experience and location when determining where a candidate may fall within that range. Digital Promise Global offers a competitive total rewards package including coverage of 85% of health insurance premiums for employee coverage and 75% of health insurance premiums for dependent and family coverage, 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 3% 401k employer contribution, 3% employer 401k match, and a flexible work environment.

The full-time salary range for the position is based on geographical regions, with exact salary depending on relevant experience.

California: $141,398-$159,073
DC Metro Area & NYC: $128,544-$144,612
National: $115,690-$130,151

To Apply
Please apply and submit your resume, cover letter, and salary requirements. Applicants are encouraged to submit their materials as soon as possible. Submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis until the search is successful.

Digital Promise is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applications without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex/gender, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status.