Quality Engineer II, IT Operations Excellence

ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Quality Engineer II, IT Operations Excellence in the Information Technology Department of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month. This position may be approved for remote work from a different U.S. location.

The Information Technology (IT) department provides technology-based services and support for a more than 600-person National staff at our New York, Washington D.C., San Francisco, the Dakotas, Puerto Rico and Durham offices, including staff based in remote locations, and Affiliate offices nationwide that participate in the Affiliate Technology Services program. ACLU IT support staff ensures that business critical services are available to all staff.

This position is part of a collective bargaining unit. It is represented by ACLU Staff United (ASU).

WHAT YOU'LL DO 

Reporting to the Chief Information Officer (CIO), the Quality Engineer II, IT Operations will ensure that enterprise information systems, operational processes, and support infrastructure power workforce productivity and collaboration while reducing operational risks through empirical analyses, continuous improvement, and digital quality engineering industry best practices.

In addition to traditional IT governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) responsibilities, they will design and implement comprehensive IT operational metrics in a structured manner that include process engineering in an IT Service Management (ITSM) setting, root cause analyses, operational key performance indicators (KPIs), standard operating procedures (SOPs), change and configuration management, among other quality-driven methods to effectuate a high-performance, resilient, compliant, and scalable IT enterprise.

YOUR DAY TO DAY

• Working closely with the CIO and IT leadership as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) on Quality Engineering (QE), apply principles, standards, and practices, design the overall QE strategy, coverage landscape, comprehensive roadmap, and adoption management for all functions within the Information Technology department, including but not limited to:
  • service desk operations, systems administration, user experience,
  • network and system operations,
  • technical project and portfolio management, and
  • enterprise architecture,

ensuring that quality controls, measurements (quantitative and qualitative), and processes integrate optimally to effectuate repeatable, predictable, positive outcomes.

• Quality Engineering Principles: Embed QE principles in every facet of IT operations (quality by design). These principles include but are not limited to proactive quality management, continuous improvement, customer focus, evidence-based decision making, cross-functional collaboration, risk management, and adherence to standards.
• IT Governance, Risk, Compliance (GRC) Management: Create, lead, and operationalize an IT GRC program that consists of an integrated technical risk registry in close collaboration with adjacent teams including: Information Security, Privacy and Data Governance, Business Operations, and Security Operations.

Develop IT governance framework for testing, reviewing, and monitoring IT operational processes including regulatory horizon scanning and evidence management, vendor product and service licensing, feature release due diligence, regression testing, and compliance audit, and systems audit readiness, response, reporting, and coordination with auditors.

• IT Policy Management and Enablement: Responsible for policy lifecycle management of all IT policies, SOPs, and procedural documentation including framework and templates development, distribution, attestation, governance, and technical and non-technical staff training on quality standards, practices, and documentation.
• Change and Configuration Management: Lead technical change and configuration management best practices, create and operationalize a Change Control Board (CCB) to establish a risk-informed, business impact-assessed framework to categorize, assess, approve, and coordinate change plans to production environments, including routine and ad-hoc systems maintenance, system config changes, new feature / version software releases, and process changes, working collaboratively with in-house staff and external vendors (e.g., managed service providers or MSPs).
• Organizational Change Management (OCM): Structure and operationalize an OCM program that consists of communication strategies, training services, and change socialization tailored to diverse stakeholders using compelling and easy-to-digest infographics, visual aids, presentations, regular open office hours, and content preparation for and in collaboration with National Learning and Development, taking a human-centered approach to support and enable staff productivity and collaboration.
• KPIs and Analytics: Devise, adopt, and drive service delivery performance and quality metrics through quantitative and qualitative analyses and industry benchmarks to produce KPI reporting and dashboards for technicians, management, and leadership that align with and support organizational objectives in close collaboration with cross-functional experts in various operational roles that integrate with IT.
• Operationalize QE and Governance Standards: Embed and enforce QE standards and IT governance through the implementation of an enterprise work management platform, ServiceNow ITSM, as well as other functionally supportive applications in the NOW platform including HR Service Delivery (HRSD) and others.
• Continuous Improvement Discipline: Practice, train, and devise a structured implementation and tracking of continuous improvement (Kaizen) initiatives that translate IT efficiencies gained into organizational benefit in quantitative and qualitative measures.

FUTURE ACLU'ERS WILL 

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• A degree in Engineering, Quality Assurance, or a related field including professional roles that demonstrably utilize quality engineering principles and practices
• Strong statistical analysis, process engineering, critical thinking, and presentation skills
• Proficiency in quality control tools, methodologies, and practices, including but not limited to technical requirements and/or feature defect analysis, test planning and execution including regression testing and analysis, continency planning and exception-handling, and evidence-based decision-making frameworks
• Proficiency in analytical and dashboarding tools with elevated aesthetic skills to develop compelling visual aids from a variety of data sources (internal and industry benchmarks)
• Exceptional attention to detail with an unwavering commitment to quality in all matters
• Strong research experience using tools and methods of inquiry, statistical analysis, literature review, benchmarking, testing and validation, peer review, and other evidence-based methods
• Strong written, documentation, and verbal communication skills to capture, critically analyze, and convey operational workflows, requirements (business, functional, technical), use cases, and incidents including root cause analyzes (RCAs), post-mortem reports, lessons learned, SOPs, knowledge base articles, blog posts, and other communication tools
• Adept at analyzing human behavior and adapting change strategies accordingly
• Experience with Lean Management, Six Sigma, DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) improvement cycle, Total Quality Management (TQM), Kaizen, or any structured implementation of quality engineering principles and practices
• Experience with Microsoft 365 Office, Exchange, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive; Asana, MS Planner; Visio, Miro; PowerBI, Tableau
• Occasional travel to various National and Affiliate locations to conduct QE audits and lead QE-centric initiatives
• Membership with American Society for Quality (ASQ) and attainment or enrollment in education towards attaining professional certifications in the field of Quality Engineering highly desirable (e.g., Certified Quality Engineer, Certified Quality Auditor, Certified Six Sigma Green Belt, Certified Quality Technician, Certified Quality Improvement Associate, Certified Quality Process Analyst, Certified Quality Inspector, Certified Software Quality Engineer)

COMPENSATION

WHY THE ACLU

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people.

We know that great people make a great organization. We value our people and know that what we offer is essential not just their work, but to their overall well-being. 

At the ACLU, we offer a broad range of benefits, which include:

• Time away to focus on the things that matter with a generous paid time-off policy
• Focus on your well-being with comprehensive healthcare benefits (including medical, dental and vision coverage, parental leave, gender affirming care & fertility treatment)
• Plan for your retirement with 401k plan and employer match
• We support employee growth and development through annual professional development funds, internal professional development programs and workshops

OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY, EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Accessibility, equity, diversity and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change.  We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression, anti-ableism, and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us.

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.    

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email benefits.hrdept@aclu.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

The Department of Education has determined that employment in this position at the ACLU does not qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.