Dallas Ecommerce Jobs: Boy Scouts of America seeks a Director of Web Operations (Irving, TX 75038)

This search is a thrill for me because of my personal attachment to scouting. I have six children, three of them boys. My oldest son is an Eagle Scout and I’m hopeful that his brothers will rise to that challenge.

Nearly 10 years ago I blogged about the professional value of an Eagle Scout designation. Some of the most successful execs I’ve ever placed were Eagles, and one such exec was prouder of his Eagle ranking than his Harvard MBA.

Having said that, as a former Pack Committee Chair for Troop 985 in Roswell Georgia, I can relate firsthand that the BSA’s tangled web of digital assets is a mess. Without the web, the level of paperwork involved in scouting is stifling.

Still: Modern technology has so much potential to help each BSA stakeholder stay atop the mountain of required permission slips, insurance forms, activity logs, safety checklists, background check forms, volunteer manuals, and merit badge forms — which are a nightmare to find, download, and manage.

Speaking as a parent, I dreaded my involvement with any BSA website — and I would have LOVED it if the BSA’s site had made my life easier. Your job is to lead the team that makes that happen.

The BSA is a wonderful nonprofit that’s totally committed to making a difference in the lives of America’s boys. Could there be anything more important than that? The sad fact is, the BSA is one of America’s few remaining institutions that understands that if you don’t teach your son what it means to be a responsible young man, the internet will do it for you.

For now, all you need to know is that the BSA’s family of sites must appeal to 1.) parents, 2.) boys — ie, current and potential scouts, 3.) volunteers, 4.) visitors, 5.) alumni, 6.) donors, 7.) sponsors, and 8.) the media. For the organization to function (which it has for 100 years), each of those stakeholders must find value in the BSA’s sites.

Imagine trying to appeal to that many types of stakeholders, each of differing ages, sexes, races, agendas and backgrounds — all on different devices. And it’s not like you can simply do what’s most profitable because the BSA is a nonprofit.

Until now, the BSA has maintained separate websites to satisfy these disparate interests. But that’s not really practical, and it leaves a LOT to be desired from a UX standpoint. And the BSA’s systems need re-examining, upgrading, and integrating.

As Team Lead, Web Operations, your job will be to eliminate the friction between how BSA’s headquarters interacts digitally with the rest of the organization. At a national level, BSA has 60+ websites and micro-sites, and many of its local troops and organizations have their own websites.

Scouting.org is the BSA’s flagship domain, and it can be nearly impossible for people to find specific documents and resources buried in the BSA’s network of sites. I say this as a BSA parent, donor, and a past volunteer.

Go to Archive.org and you’ll see that in the last 9 years the BSA’s homepage is unchanged. Users see either duplicate content or NO content. If you’re lucky, the site says the same thing about the same topic — although many times it says different things about the same topic. From a UX standpoint, the site is a tarpit and it’s functionality is incredibly dated.

This is a big problem, given that all 2.5 million Boy Scouts are members of Generation Z, a cohort that expects brands to continually evolve. Gen Z’ers have been shaped by social media, ecommerce, and on-demand services, using technology to customize the information they receive, the products they buy, and the interactions they have.

There’s no real infrastructure for running the website, and the assets themselves are maintained mostly by vendors and consultants. Chief Digital Officer David Young wants to build a website operations team to design, develop, relaunch and run a first-rate digital presence for the BSA. David’s first step is to find a leader for that team.

Your job will be to lead the team that enhances and amplifies the BSA’s serve and retain members through its online presence. You’re gonna set a new standard of excellence for web experiences by ensuring all digital touch points are useful, simple, consistent, user-centric, and available anywhere at any time on any device. Simple but not easy.

To make this happen, you’ll need a knack for operational decision-making, deep technical skills, an ability to coach and develop others, compelling communication skills, a sharp business acumen, and phenomenal project management capability.

It’s a new era at the BSA, with leadership committed for the first time ever to bring the organization’s digital experience up to speed. Not only has the BSA made major investments in technology and talent (like David Young and Vijay Challa), but the Director of Web Operations’ tasks are listed among the CEO’s key strategic initiatives. You’ll have an opportunity to overhaul the digital footprint of an iconic brand that’s woven into the fabric of America.

I can’t think of too many jobs that provide an opportunity to do something so meaningful and fulfilling on a personal level, and so significant career path-wise. As Web Operations roles go, this one’s a doozy.

All told, my team and I spent nearly 120 minutes on the phone with the BSA’s hiring committee teasing out the nitty-gritty details of this position. What you’ve read so far is just the tip of the iceberg. We’re loaded with proprietary intel that can help you land this job, and you do NOT want to apply without it.

To request this information, simply text “[your name] + BSA” to (404) 281-2025. Or simply use the email link below. Either way, we look forward to working with you!