Fast Facts
Gradient Learning is seeking a Managing Director of Partnerships & Growth to lead strategic programmatic expansion and cultivate impactful partnerships in the education sector.
Responsibilities: Key responsibilities include managing strategic external relationships, developing growth plans for school and district partnerships, leading a high-performing team, and providing organizational thought leadership in K-12 education.
Skills: Required skills include exceptional communication, strategic thinking, team leadership, and the ability to manage senior-level relationships across diverse stakeholders.
Qualifications: Preferred qualifications include a Bachelor's degree, 10+ years of leadership experience in partnership development and education, and a deep understanding of the K-12 landscape.
Location: The position is based in the USA with a travel requirement of up to 20%.
Compensation: $162000 - $177000 / Annually
Who We Are
Gradient Learning is a nonprofit organization guided by the vision that educators should be empowered to meet the needs of all of their students. Gradient Learning is rebuilding education together with communities, schools, and educators. We are committed to meeting the holistic needs of every child while fostering success for all. We lead Gradient Learning and Along products.
The Gradient Learning Program offers schools a whole-student system to help schools realize their vision for whole-student growth. Our whole student system is a curated and integrated suite of research-based tools and resources, including rigorous curricula, teacher and leader resources and trainings, whole student assessments and data displays, as well as ongoing, customized coaching for school leadership teams. The program is utilized by hundreds of schools across the U.S. to fuel their whole student work.
Along is a free teacher-student connection builder that builds the strong ties needed to create and maintain trust year-round. Through Along, students have a safe space to open up so teachers can better understand and address student needs.
At Gradient Learning, our work is guided by a set of core values as well as our belief in the possibility of change, appreciation for the power of partnership, and commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Managing Director, Partnerships and Growth
Position Overview
The Managing Director, Partnerships and Growth will provide strategic leadership to drive the organization's programmatic expansion, cultivate and sustain high-impact partnerships, and position the organization as a leader in the education sector. This leader will oversee outreach, growth strategy, and external engagement to ensure alignment with the organization’s long-term vision for broader sector influence and impact.
The Managing Director will report directly to the Chief Partnerships and Impact Officer and lead a small, high-performing team focused on external partnerships, growth, and relationship management. This role is ideal for a visionary, relationship-driven leader eager to drive large-scale impact while collaborating across teams to deliver on the organization’s long-term goals.
Click here to learn more about this role and the hiring process at Gradient Learning.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic External Relationship Management:
- Cultivate and maintain relationships with senior-level stakeholders, including nonprofits, for-profits, curriculum providers, philanthropic institutions, and EdTech organizations that align with the organization's mission and priorities.
- Serve as a visible representative of the organization at key events, including conferences, funder meetings, webinars, and public forums.
- Engage with thought leaders, policymakers, and researchers to stay ahead of trends in K-12 education and Whole Student education, positioning the organization as a key influencer.
- Partner with internal teams to share insights from the field that inform organizational strategy, messaging, and impact goals.
School and District Partnership Growth:
- Develop and implement a strategic growth plan to expand partnerships with schools, districts, and state agencies in alignment with organizational priorities for all programs and products.
- Oversee outreach efforts to cultivate relationships with potential partners, including direct engagement and participation in high-visibility conferences and forums.
- Collaborate with Marketing, Communications, and Program teams to align outreach messaging and develop recruitment strategies that resonate with prospective partners.
- Conduct quick learning cycles to evaluate outreach efforts and refine strategies to optimize conversion rates and return on investment.
- Enhance the selection and onboarding processes to ensure seamless integration and support for new partners as programs and products continue to evolve.
Team Leadership and Collaboration:
- Lead and develop a high-performing team responsible for external outreach, partnership cultivation, and product and programmatic growth.
- Foster an inclusive, innovative, and collaborative team culture focused on achieving shared goals and professional growth.
- Align partnership and external affairs strategies with broader product, programmatic and organizational objectives, leveraging cross-functional collaboration with internal teams.
- Monitor progress against key performance indicators (KPIs) and adapt team workflows to meet evolving organizational priorities.
Organizational Thought Leadership:
- Act as a public-facing leader, positioning the organization as an influential voice in Whole Student education and the K-12 education sector.
- Represent the organization in thought leadership opportunities, including speaking engagements, publications, and strategic partnerships.
- Work with leadership to amplify insights from partnerships, sharing learning and impact with internal and external audiences to strengthen the organization’s influence and reputation.
- Collaborate with senior leaders and cross-functional teams to refine strategic goals, develop aligned messaging, and ensure external initiatives maximize organizational impact.
Qualifications:
- Commitment to uphold Gradient Learning values.
- Bachelor’s degree, preferred.
- 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in partnership development, education, external relations, or a related field.
- Proven experience developing and executing strategic growth plans that expand programmatic impact.
- Expertise in cultivating and managing senior-level relationships with diverse external stakeholders, including school districts, state leaders, non-profits, and for-profits.
- Strong leadership skills with a track record of building, mentoring, and managing high-performing teams.
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders and represent the organization effectively in public forums.
- Deep understanding of the K-12 education landscape, including trends in Whole Student education, educational technology, and systemic change in schools and districts.
- Strategic thinker with the ability to analyze data, develop insights, and use evidence to inform decision-making and strategy refinement.
- Entrepreneurial mindset with a flexible, solutions-driven approach to challenges, balancing ambition with humility.
- Ability to travel up to 20% for conferences, partner meetings, and team engagements.
What You Can Expect From Us:
Gradient Learning offers full-time employees competitive salaries and benefits. The beginning range for this role is $162,000-$177,000 with candidates typically starting at the beginning portion of the range; this enables the employee's growth in the range over time. The actual placement of the range depends on the candidate's qualifications, internal equity considerations, and the budget earmarked for this role.
Candidates living in the following areas will receive a cost of labor increase of:
SF Bay Area: +10%
New York Metro Area: +5%
Gradient Learning values transparency and internal equity in our compensation system and decisions. To support these goals we share and adhere to defined scales for each job class and do not negotiate salaries.
To learn more about our benefits, visit our careers website at www.gradientlearning.org/careers/
Application Deadline: Friday, January 31, 2025
We strive to recruit a diverse team. Gradient Learning is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, military status, pregnancy, parenthood, citizenship status, creed, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. We will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.
People from all diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.
