Advocacy Technology Manager

Overview

AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health and financial security, and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation's largest-circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and the AARP Bulletin.

AARP’s Community, State and National Affairs (CSN) Group includes Government Relations, Programs, Volunteer Engagement, Community Outreach and Advocacy at the federal, state and local levels. It delivers on AARP’s social mission by educating and engaging people 50-plus and their families, strengthening communities, and championing issues that help give people financial and health security.

The Advocacy Technology Manager serves as the business lead for AARP's advocacy and constituent engagement technology ecosystem, partnering with stakeholders across advocacy, campaigns, state offices, and technology teams to support grassroots engagement and public education initiatives. This role oversees the planning, governance, and continuous enhancement of advocacy and fundraising technology platforms, including constituent engagement, digital campaigning, and integrated marketing solutions. The position translates business requirements into scalable technology solutions, prioritizes platform enhancements, manages operational processes and intake workflows, and collaborates with vendors and cross-functional teams to ensure systems are effectively implemented, optimized, and aligned with organizational objectives.

Responsibilities

• Manages technology projects and collaborates with cross-functional teams to determine resources needed and responsibly stewards them, tracks progress against established timelines, plans for and supports adoption through stakeholder engagement and training coordination. Collaborates across teams during the discovery phase to assess value, usability, and feasibility and organizational impact of enhancement concept and experience.
• Provides strategic guidance on the department's technology roadmap and manages the process of designing and implementing improvements and new functionality in technology applications.
• Creates product strategies and roadmaps based on a deep understanding of the product technology stack, department goals and consumer needs. Leads technical engagements utilizing an agile planning and development methodology.
• Acts as a business liaison with technology and vendors and support end users through coordinated communication, training and rollout activities. Provides counsel to other business units in the execution of technology initiatives and digital engagement. Collaborates with stakeholders to identify opportunities to streamline technology processes that support the business unit. Engages with internal and external vendor teams to establish priorities, manage work requests, and ensure on-time delivery of enhancements.
• Gathers an in-depth understanding of the enterprise's technical landscape, data management practices, workflows, and data available across the enterprise. Advises on data accuracy and integration best practices, as needed.
• Defines and translates strategic business ideas into technical product implementations utilizing actionable, digestible user stories and acceptance criteria, ensuring all organizational, regulatory, and strategic compliance requirements and objectives are met.
• Utilizes technology to advance AARP and organizational priorities. Serves as a resource within their business unit on appropriate tools/software and shares expertise openly and accessibly to advance business unit priorities and projects and to meet critical goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Business Administration, Computer Science, Data Analytics, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years of experience managing business technology solutions, digital platforms, enterprise applications, CRM systems, or constituent engagement technologies.
• Experience translating business needs into technology roadmaps, product enhancements, operational processes, and implementation plans.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives involving business stakeholders, technical teams, vendors, and external partners in Agile or similar delivery environments.
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into business-focused solutions.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting advocacy, fundraising, constituent engagement, membership, or nonprofit technology platforms, such as Engaging Networks, Springboard, Luminate Online, Salesforce, Marketing Cloud, EveryAction/Bonterra, Blackbaud, or similar solutions.
• Experience managing platform migrations, technology modernization efforts, intake and governance processes, or digital transformation initiatives.
• Experience working in nonprofit, association, membership, advocacy, public affairs, or mission-driven organizations; relevant certifications (PMP, CSPO, Scrum Master, Salesforce Administrator, or similar) a plus.

Additional Requirements

• Regular and reliable job attendance.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Exhibit respect and understanding of others to maintain professional relationships.
• Independent judgement in evaluation options to make sound decisions.
• In office/open office environment with the ability to work effectively surrounded by moderate noise.

AARP will not sponsor an employment visa for this position at this time.

Hybrid Work EnvironmentAARP observes Mondays and Fridays as remote workdays, except for essential functions. Remote work can only be done within the United States and its territories.

Compensation and BenefitsAARP offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including a 401(k); 100% company-funded pension plan; health, dental, and vision plans; life insurance; paid time off to include company and individual holidays, vacation, sick, caregiving, and parental leave; performance-based and peer-based recognition and tuition reimbursement.

Equal Employment OpportunityAARP is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture. AARP does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, color, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, mental or physical disability, genetic information, veteran status, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.