VP, Data & Analytics

Today, 67% of students and 82% of low-income students can’t read at grade level by the end of third grade. That’s when students are supposed to go from learning to read to reading to learn. It’s America’s number one education crisis and we know how to fix it.

Ignite Reading delivers one-to-one virtual tutoring that teaches every student the foundational skills they need to become a confident, fluent reader. We pair students who need extra support with expert reading tutors who provide daily, 15-minute, Science of Reading-based instruction that rapidly closes their decoding gaps. We focus on the foundational reading skills—phonics, phonemic awareness, and sight words—kids need to master so they can decode a sentence. Students in Ignite Reading’s program achieve over 2 weeks of reading skills growth per week of instruction, and notably all students achieve the same outstanding results including students with IEPs, multilingual learners, students of color and those receiving free or reduced-price lunch.

Ignite Reading is a mission-driven public benefit corporation. We believe we can do well for our team members and shareholders while we solve one of the nation’s biggest challenges. We believe we will be more successful with a diverse team and are seeking candidates who have lived experience related to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Your Role

The Vice President of Data & Analytics is a strategic executive leader responsible for shaping Ignite Reading's data vision, building world-class capabilities, and establishing data and analytics as a strategic enabler across the organization. This executive sets the long-term vision for how data drives organizational success, influences key business decisions at the highest levels, and builds the infrastructure, teams, and partnerships needed to unlock insights that accelerate impact for students and educators.

Reporting to the CEO, the VP owns the organization's data strategy end-to-end—from governance and infrastructure to advanced analytics, AI integration, and organizational data literacy. You will be joining at a pivotal moment as we evolve our data organization structure. This role represents Data & Analytics at the executive leadership table, shapes priorities, and ensures that data remains deeply embedded in how Ignite Reading operates, innovates, and scales.

The VP will champion the thoughtful, ethical integration of AI and emerging technologies across the data function, establishing frameworks that balance innovation with responsibility while building competitive advantage through data excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute a multi-year data and analytics vision aligned with Ignite Reading's mission, strategic plan, and growth objectives

• Serve as a key member of the senior leadership team, contributing to enterprise strategy and helping shape organizational priorities through data-driven insights

• Build the business case for data investments, manage budgets, and allocate resources strategically across the data function

• Drive enterprise-wide data literacy and a culture of evidence-based decision-making across all levels of the organization

• Partner with Data Engineering to set the vision for AI integration across the organization, balancing innovation, ethics, and equity

• Partner with the executive team to identify transformational opportunities where data and AI can create sustainable competitive advantages

Organizational Data Strategy & Governance

• Establish comprehensive data governance frameworks that ensure data quality, security, privacy, and ethical use across all organizational functions

• Define and enforce enterprise-wide standards for data collection, storage, sharing, and usage that align with regulatory requirements (FERPA, COPPA, state privacy laws) and industry best practices

• Leading and developing the BI team and ensuring that BI supports the needs of the organization

• Drive enterprise data architecture decisions in partnership with Engineering leadership

• Ensure all data practices advance Ignite Reading's commitment to educational equity and student outcomes

Data Infrastructure & Technology Ecosystem

• Own the strategic roadmap for data platforms, tools, and infrastructure investments

• Partner with Engineering to build scalable, modern data infrastructure that supports current needs and future growth

• Evaluate emerging technologies (cloud platforms, AI/ML capabilities, real-time analytics, etc.) and guide adoption decisions

• Establish architectural patterns and technical standards that enable agility, interoperability, and long-term maintainability

• Ensure the data stack supports sophisticated analytics, experimentation, and AI/ML workloads while maintaining security and compliance

Advanced Analytics, Insights & Decision Science

• Build and lead a world-class analytics organization that delivers transformational insights across multiple functions

• Oversee research and advanced analytics initiatives that measure program impact, identify improvement opportunities, and inform strategic decisions

• Establish rigorous standards for experimentation, causal inference, and impact measurement

• Guide the development and deployment of predictive models, recommendation systems, and AI-enabled capabilities that enhance student and educator experiences

• Partner with Product to ensure analytics outputs are accessible, actionable, and tailored to diverse stakeholder needs—from frontline educators to board members

• Implement enhanced quality assurance processes to ensure all work produced by the data and analytics team meets Ignite Reading's high-quality standards.

• Develop strategies, processes, and tools that enable the data and analytics organization to be more responsive to ad-hoc requests in support of customers.

Organizational Structure & Collaboration

• Partner closely with the VP of Engineering, who leads the Data Engineering team, to align data infrastructure, platform roadmap, and analytics capabilities

• Establish joint governance and prioritization frameworks with Engineering to ensure seamless collaboration between Data Engineering and Analytics teams

• Define clear interfaces, SLAs, and escalation paths between Analytics and Data Engineering functions

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, translating complex data insights into strategic recommendations

• Partner with the Product Team to embed analytics throughout the product development lifecycle and accelerate AI-powered product capabilities

• Collaborate with Academics, Customer Experience, and Marketing teams to measure and improve instructional effectiveness and student outcomes

• Support the Revenue team with analytics that drive customer acquisition, retention, and expansion

• Build strong relationships with senior leaders and non-technical stakeholders, presenting key insights and metrics that inform governance and oversight

AI-Aware Team Leadership

• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing team of data professionals who use AI thoughtfully to enhance efficiency and analytical depth

• Provide guidance and support for the responsible use of AI in analytics workflows, including prompt best practices, QA expectations, and documentation standards

• Champion a culture where AI supports, but does not replace, human judgment and rigor

• Establish performance standards and develop leaders within the data organization who can drive impact independently

Tools, Technology, and Emerging Capabilities

• Evaluate and implement data analytics tools and technologies that enhance the team’s capabilities and efficiency, including those that incorporate AI

• Stay at the forefront of trends in education data, AI ethics, learning sciences, and analytics best practices

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Data Science, Mathematics, Business Analytics, or related field

• 15+ years of progressive experience in data and analytics leadership roles, with at least 7-10 years in senior leadership positions (Director level or above)

• Proven track record of building and scaling high-performing data organizations (teams of 40+ professionals)

• Prior experience scaling teams and functions through periods of rapid organizational growth

• Deep expertise across the full data lifecycle: governance, infrastructure, engineering, analytics, data science, and business intelligence

• Demonstrated success influencing executive decision-making and driving enterprise strategy through data insights

• Strong executive presence with exceptional communication skills—able to translate technical concepts for diverse audiences from engineers to board members

• Track record of delivering measurable business impact through data-driven initiatives

• Strong fluency in SQL, Python, and statistical programming; ability to engage credibly with technical teams

• Deep understanding of data visualization and BI platforms (Tableau, Looker, Power BI, etc.)

• Knowledge of machine learning, AI/ML operations, and emerging AI technologies

Preferred / Emerging Skills

• Comfort evaluating AI-powered tools and identifying responsible use cases within analytics and reporting

• Experience guiding teams in using AI assistants for analysis, documentation, and insight generation

• General understanding of foundational AI concepts (generative AI, predictive analytics, automation)

• Experience in education technology, EdTech, nonprofit, or mission-driven organizations

• Background in learning sciences, education research, or student outcome measurement

• Understanding of data privacy regulations, security frameworks, and compliance requirements in education (FERPA, COPPA, etc.)

• Experience working with external stakeholders

We believe in building and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace environment. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer where all applicants are considered for employment without attention to color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. Research shows that candidates from underrepresented backgrounds often don't apply for roles if they don't meet all the criteria – unlike majority candidates meeting significantly fewer requirements. We strongly encourage you to apply if you’re interested!

We are seeking candidates who have lived experience related to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are a virtual organization with headquarters in the California Bay Area.