Role: Digital Systems Manager
Location: Remote with preference for Central, Eastern, and Mountain Time Zones
Status: Full-Time Exempt
Travel Expectations: 0% - 5% team meetings and to experience programming
Reports to: Director of Operations
About the Surge Institute
The Surge Institute is an education leadership accelerator with a simple but important mission: Develop and elevate leaders of color who create transformative change for children, families, and communities.
The Institute’s signature programs were designed to develop and unite emerging BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) leaders and change the education landscape by providing them with a unique leadership development experience. We go beyond training. We connect, support, and elevate; and we do it all in love and through community. Learn more about Surge’s strategy and impact.
Surge’s success has brought the organization increased support and influence as Surge strives to make a positive impact in communities across the country through representative education leadership. This is an exciting time for Surge, and we hope to find motivated, disciplined, mission-driven individuals to join our team!
Job Summary
The Digital Systems Manager is a cross-functional systems thinker and project manager who will lead the internal technology function at the Surge Institute. Reporting to the Director of Operations, this hands-on role is responsible for overseeing key IT systems, managing digital infrastructure, and ensuring tools are well-integrated, secure, and effectively used across the organization.
A key priority for this role will be project-managing the implementation of Surge’s first company-wide Salesforce CRM, supporting a successful rollout and ongoing user adoption across departments.
This is a great opportunity for a systems-savvy professional who enjoys building structure, driving adoption, and enabling teams through thoughtful tech design and training. This role will closely partner with an external IT vendor to support hardware and software management and ticketing for IT issues.
Key Responsibilities
CRM Implementation & Project Management (70%)
- Serve as the internal project manager and system administrator for Salesforce, Surge’s first organization-wide CRM.
- Lead cross-functional implementation efforts in collaboration with consultants, internal teams, and leadership.
- Develop and execute change management, communications, and training strategies to drive user adoption and effective rollout.
- Conduct ongoing user engagement cycles to gather feedback and refine system design post-implementation.
IT Systems & Infrastructure (20%)
- Own and execute Surge’s IT systems roadmap and annual implementation calendar.
- Maintain a full inventory of software tools (SaaS), manage licenses and renewal schedules, and monitor system utilization.
- Lead quarterly access and security audits to ensure compliance and reduce risk.
- Coordinate staff onboarding and offboarding processes for account setup, permissions, folder access, and systems training.
- Maintain clean file systems and folder structures (e.g., Google Drive), supporting internal knowledge management and system hygiene.
- Update and maintain tech policies, SOPs, and documentation for digital tools and processes.
Organizational Enablement (10%)
- Act as the primary internal point of contact for digital tool support, training, and troubleshooting.
- Design and facilitate user training sessions and resources to build team-wide digital fluency.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement by proactively seeking feedback and iterating on systems to meet evolving team need
Desired Attributes
- Tech Translator: Able to bridge technical and non-technical audiences, making systems approachable and user-friendly.
- Project Manager: Skilled at creating structure, building timelines, and coordinating stakeholders toward shared goals.
- Change Leader: Understands the human side of systems work and designs implementation with empathy and intention.
- Organized & Detail-Oriented: Comfortable managing complex digital environments and keeping systems clean and up-to-date.
- Mission-Aligned: Believes in the power of community, equity, and education as core drivers of change.
Professional and Personal Qualities
- Demonstrates a deep connection to communities of color and commitment to transforming K–12 public education
- Takes initiative, adapts quickly, and embraces hands-on problem-solving
- Maintains precision and focus while managing multiple priorities
- Communicates clearly and translates complex ideas into accessible language
- Brings positivity, humility, and consistency to team interactions and deliverables
- Embodies Surge’s mission and through accountable, results-driven work
Required Qualifications
- 3–5 years of experience in digital systems, IT administration, or operations in a nonprofit or mission-driven setting.
- Demonstrated experience managing technology projects and CRM implementations, ideally Salesforce.
- Demonstrated experience with change management in nonprofit organizations.
- Strong familiarity with Google Workspace, SaaS tools, and basic IT security principles.
- Comfort facilitating training and providing tech support in a virtual environment.
- Experience with change management or user adoption strategies preferred.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to maintain regular work hours, with occasional flexibility to accommodate collaboration with team members in Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific Time Zones (e.g., early morning or late afternoon meetings). The Director of Operations uses the Eastern Time Zone for regular work hours.
Compensation, Hiring Process, and Equality Opportunity Employment
Surge Institute offers a competitive total rewards package and consistently benchmarks our offerings to the nonprofit sector. The salary range for this role is $65,000–$85,000, depending on experience and qualifications. Offers are made with consideration for internal equity and budget parameters. A comprehensive benefits package includes unlimited PTO, company holidays, 401K with up to 5% match, and employer-paid healthcare contributions ranging from 60–80%, depending on plan selection.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Candidates are encouraged to apply by April 25, 2025, as interviews are expected to begin in early May. The process will include 2–3 rounds of interviews, and candidates invited to complete a performance task will be compensated for their time.
All applicants will be informed of the status of their application. Due to internal capacity, we are unable to accommodate meetings or informational interviews with prospective candidates prior to the formal interview process.
Surge Institute does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or other characteristics covered by law with regard to employment opportunities. The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of job functions, responsibilities, or requirements and does not include the general job performance expectations applicable to all employees (e.g., regular, timely attendance).