Description

About Association of Corporate Counsel

ACC is a Global Legal Association that promotes the common professional and business interests of in-house counsel who work for corporations, associations, and other organizations through information, education, networking, and advocacy.

ACC VISION
ACC aims to be the premier global legal association serving the diversified needs of in-house counsel by:

• Anticipating and understanding the needs of the in-house bar.
• Helping members deliver services to their corporate clients efficiently and promote the value of in-house services.
• Influencing the practice of law as it affects the in-house bar.
• Delivering a mix of relevant, timely services, including information, education, networking, and advocacy.

ACC VALUES
ACC’s primary responsibility is to our members. We continually strive to develop resources and programs that respond to and anticipate member needs. To ensure that we fulfill this commitment, we have adopted the following core operating values:

• Represent in-house lawyers as full and equal members of the legal profession.
• Foster excellence among in-house practitioners, helping them represent their clients effectively and deliver services efficiently.
• Advance the highest ethical standards governing the practice of law in a corporate setting.
• Promote global inclusiveness within ACC and the in-house community as a whole.
• Encourage public and pro-bono service.
• Foster a sense of collegiality to facilitate networking and interaction among in-house counsel and foster professionalism, openness, and candor among members.

The Position

The VP & Chief Technology Officer is responsible for developing and executing the technology strategy for the enterprise that is in full alignment with and support of the overall organizational strategy as well as the support of key business operational functions. The CTO will be responsible for the successful integration, operation and functioning of all technology tools used by ACC, whether internally by staff or externally by members, customers, and stakeholders. The CTO reports directly to the CEO and will oversee a team of nine professionals who are responsible for web strategy, digital experience, IT infrastructure and applications, including two direct reports: the Sr Director of IT and the Director of Web Development and Digital Experience.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES USER EXPERIENCE

• Develop an enterprise-wide strategy to achieve a seamless experience for ACC members and
  stakeholders. This objective involves, wherever possible, the removal of barriers, steps and
  friction for the member or stakeholder in using or accessing ACC’s technology tools and
  platforms, including the organization’s website, search engine, and affiliated systems.
• Monitor the ACC “net-promoter score” to strengthen the user experience and address/resolve
  any technology-related concerns. The “net-promoter score” (NPS) is a measure of how likely a
  member or stakeholder is to recommend ACC to a friend or colleague.
• Identify and implement an effective database and search management tool that can effectively deliver high-quality results for search queries from ACC members and stakeholders. The objective is to provide a “best-in-class” search experience whereby queries result in relevant results for the user. This will require coordination of an effective search engine tool, as well as collaboration with other ACC departments to accurately develop and implement the appropriate information architecture.

OPERATIONS SUPPORT

• Develop a written technology strategy that is updated at least annually and describes how ACC technology will specifically support and advance the overall ACC organizational strategic pillars and objectives. The technology strategy will prioritize simplicity, interoperability, ease of maintenance and support, and the expected life cycle of the tools and assets selected. (e.g., the avoidance of bespoke systems that require expert programmers to maintain.)
• Establish and manage the ACC technology budget, including forecasting 1-3 years in the future to anticipate any major infrastructure or technology investments that may be required.
• Maintain an overview of all technology assets whether owned, leased, or licensed, and to include hardware and software, and the terms for acquisition, lease, or license of same. Evaluate all existing ACC technology assets and tools, whether owned, leased, or licensed, to determine which are relevant / best for continued use and which are not fit for purpose going forward.
• Work in collaboration with the ACC Chief Legal Officer to ensure compliance regarding all data privacy and security regulations. (e.g., opt-out features, acceptance of cookies, etc.). In addition, the ACC CTO will work with the CLO to enact policies and procedures that support the ACC risk management policies for protection against hacking and other security measures for the technology platforms (e.g., data privacy, anti-phishing practices, cybersecurity).
• Work closely with department heads to meet the expectations and needs of ACC staff/departments for IT support and tools. (Examples: Membership department – Membership management tools; Communications Department – tools related to social networks, emails, website; Legal Resources – database management and search capabilities, etc.). The CTO will collaborate effectively with department heads to understand how to leverage and use technology assets and capabilities to achieve ACC’s strategic objectives across the enterprise.
• Conduct a thorough assessment of all ACC internal staff requirements for technology tools and skills to execute the department level objectives and strategies. This needs assessment will distinguish between “must-haves” versus “nice-to-have” requirements and will strive for updated and continuous improvement as needs and available tools evolve.

LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNICATION

• Clearly and consistently communicate the organization’s global technology strategy, emerging trends, and user / member pain points, along with actionable solutions, to the ACC Board of Directors and senior leadership.
• Keep the CEO and members of the Executive Team (COO, VPs, AVPs) regularly informed of business and technology issues and be responsible for the ongoing timely update of the technology status - including budget, operational effectiveness, staffing, legal (contractual, licensing) and staff training/utilization issues.
• Lead a team in developing clear, data-driven progress reports for the ACC Board of Directors that highlight measurable improvements in members’ user experience.
• Assure that the CTO’s team educates, informs, and trains ACC staff on the effective use of technology assets and capabilities, along with awareness of technology trends and alerts.
• Maintain a dashboard that has the capability of providing a report on key metrics for management reporting on-demand. Reporting includes information directed to the CEO as well as prepared reports on the performance of ACC’s technology functions and platforms to the ACC Board of Directors, as needed.

Requirements

The Candidate

The ideal candidate is a forward-thinking, strategic technology leader with a proven track record of developing and executing technology roadmaps, elevating both internal and external user experiences, and driving an organization's mission forward.

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Minimum of 15 years of technical functional experience. Someone who brings earlier experience working with an association or not-for-profit industry areas would be considered a plus.
• Prior experience leading IT management as part of a larger globally distributed organization would be considered a plus.
• Experience in setting vision, roadmap, prioritization of features, cost assessment, and software delivery through multiple release cycles. Must be able to review, understand and comment on technical documentation including design specifications.
• Demonstrated experience leading a technology digital transformation based on a new strategic plan that has a heavy focus on driving better customer experience and customer service for internal and external constituents, and more collaborative systems.
• Experience with broad-based IT management, including IT risk management and cyber security, commercial applications, company website/internet, membership systems, mobile application development, CRM systems, infrastructure, etc.
• Skilled at developing customer-facing websites and software technology products with experience evaluating build/buy/partner for best solution development.

COMPETENCIES

• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written) with the ability to build effective work relationships with internal and external stakeholders and gain commitment to new ideas.
• Able to engage in technical conversations and architecture discussions while also being highly effective at communicating complex technology concepts to non-technical executive team members and stakeholders.
• Brings a visible level of passion, a growth mindset, and a strong entrepreneurial, roll-up-your-sleeves mentality.
• Collaborative, strategic leader who can have difficult conversations and has the ability to create consensus across various teams.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year institution in Computer Science, Information Systems or a related field is required; a Master's degree / MBA is preferred. IT or project management certifications are a plus.

LOCATION AND RENUMERATION

The Vice President & Chief Technology Officer will operate within ACC's hybrid work environment, balancing in-person collaboration with flexibility.

This role requires a regular on-site presence at ACC's Washington DC headquarters for a minimum of two (2) days per week, with the remainder of the work schedule conducted remotely. While ACC will make reasonable efforts to accommodate preferences regarding in-office days, final determination of required in-office attendance will be made by the Association based on organizational needs. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Little to no travel is required.

ACC offers a competitive executive compensation package commensurate with the seniority, scope, and impact of this role. The compensation structure is designed to attract a proven development leader capable of driving transformational, mission-aligned revenue growth.