Organization

Education Strategy Group (ESG) is a mission-driven consulting firm that works with America’s education, business, and civic leaders to expand economic opportunity and mobility by increasing educational attainment. We support the preparation, entry, and success of individuals from K-12 through postsecondary education to build a more equitable system, open economic doors for all, and strengthen our democracy. ESG specializes in strengthening the transition points that have the highest stakes for youth and adults and the highest benefit for states, communities, and economies. We are driven by the conviction that a robust education system aligned with workforce demand leads to a stronger, more equitable society.

Education Strategy Group has recently adopted a five-year Greater Impact Plan, which establishes an ambitious vision and clear expectations for the work the organization will undertake and the impact it will seek to have on the nation’s education and workforce systems. Within this plan, ESG has made increasing postsecondary attainment its north star, with a specific emphasis on increasing attainment rates for students of color and those from low-income backgrounds. Setting clear expectations for students leaving high school, building high-quality pathways that facilitate students’ transitions, and creating appropriate advising structures and capacity to help students navigate their journeys are all fundamental to raising postsecondary attainment rates and advancing economic mobility, particularly for groups that have been underserved based on their race, ethnicity, and/or socioeconomic background.  We are committed to expanding our work with K-12 and higher education systems across the country to develop policies, strategies, and structures that improve students’ access to and success in high-quality pathways to postsecondary and onto careers. 

Position

The Director will play an important leadership role in ESG’s Postsecondary Transitions portfolio, designing and leading significant initiatives in communities across the country focused on strengthening and expanding students’ preparation for, access to, and success in high-quality postsecondary pathways that lead to credentials with labor market value. This will involve managing multi-community networks, designing and deploying technical assistance across a variety of policy and practice issues, and working in close partnership with other organizations who bring complementary expertise and philanthropy. The ideal candidate will have deep experience leading complex initiatives with ambitious timelines and outcomes. The candidate will have worked in multiple K-12 and/or higher education settings—or in organizations that serve individuals in those settings—in the design and scale of early postsecondary opportunities (i.e., Advanced Placement, dual enrollment) for students in high school, including bringing multi-sector actors together around a common vision, shaping policies and practices to enable student success, and leading continuous improvement routines for impact.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Director’s primary duties and responsibilities will include:

• Leading and growing ESG’s efforts to make access to and success in high-quality early postsecondary opportunities ubiquitous across the country. This includes leadership of the Accelerate ED initiative, a growing network of communities across the country focused on scaling accelerated pathways to an associate degree for high school students.
• Collaborating with ESG’s leadership team to imagine and design strategies that lead to firm-wide growth and impact goals.
• Designing and deploying high-quality, technical assistance to a range of clients, including assessment of their strengths and gaps to develop recommendations for improvement.
• Organizing and facilitating state, district, and community-level convenings of partners to advance their postsecondary preparation and transition efforts.
• Expanding the firm’s visibility through thought leadership, presentations, and partnerships.
• Serving as a thought partner to ESG’s other portfolios of work and engaging in team problem solving across the firm to help design and execute projects that help more learners earn a high-value credential and find a job with a family-sustaining wage.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with practitioners, policymakers, advocates, and philanthropy to expand ESG’s opportunities and strengthen our reputation in the field.
• Managing staff and consultants to deliver high-quality assistance.

• Performing other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have:

Content Expertise

• Minimum of 10 years’ professional experience in a national organization, state education agency, intermediary organization, postsecondary institution, and/or school district developing and leading work to improve students’ postsecondary preparation, enrollment, and success. 
• Field-leading expertise in efforts to increase students’ postsecondary readiness and transitions, expand opportunities for early postsecondary credit, scale high-quality career pathways, and increase alignment between K-12 and higher education. 
• Deep lived experience shaping the policy and programmatic processes that lead to strong local implementation, with a focus on equity-driven solutions to ensure students of color, low-income students, and first-generation college students are successful in their paths to and through postsecondary education and training.
• Demonstrated success in a variety of settings providing strategic guidance, designing and facilitating strategy sessions, and offering technical assistance to policymakers and/or executive leadership in K-12 and higher education.
• A master’s degree in public policy, education policy, or related fields, or an equivalent level of knowledge and experience.

Business & Strategy Development

• Experience developing and growing relationships with philanthropy, partners, clients, and national experts. 
• Experience leading strategic planning and/or business development processes, with an understanding of how to translate user needs into service offerings.
• Strong peer networks and familiarity with state and national organizations that support and/or serve K-12 and higher education systems.

Project Management

• Excellent organizational skills and keen attention to detail, with demonstrated experience and ability to prioritize work and manage time on multiple projects and tasks to meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively—candidates should be self-motivated and comfortable within a largely virtual working environment, and also enthusiastic team players open to feedback and collaboration.
• Well-rounded interpersonal skill set, with the presence and capacity to build relationships, work effectively in teams, and facilitate joint problem-solving with clients and within ESG.
• Curiosity, eagerness, and ability to develop new knowledge and skills.
• Ability to travel to support projects as needed.

Talent Management

• Experience managing and coaching a small team, providing guidance and support to younger staff, and delegating to maximize efficiency and enable staff growth.

Compensation and Benefits 

• Competitive compensation commensurate with experience
• Comprehensive health insurance, flex spending, short/long-term disability, parental leave, and retirement plan
• Generous vacation and holidays

Location

ESG is a virtual organization with staff located in cities across the country and a home base in Washington, DC. Our flexible work environment enables our professionals to live and work in locations where they can be most productive—both professionally and personally.

How to Apply

Please submit your current resume and a cover letter discussing your experience pertinent to the position to  edstrategy.bamboohr.com/jobs. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with priority consideration to applications submitted by September 26th. For more information about Education Strategy Group, visit www.edstrategy.org. 

ESG is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.