Director of School Opportunity (Su26)

Talent is evenly distributed,

opportunity is not.

We exist to change that.

The National Education Opportunity Network (NEON) is a rapidly scaling education justice non-profit that seeks to propel economic mobility by democratizing access to higher education. We deliver and support actual college credit-bearing courses from our nation’s top universities (Howard, Stanford, Wharton, Spelman, Brown, Wesleyan, Dartmouth, and more) into teacher-led high school classrooms in low-income, Title 1 high schools - at no cost to students. Since our inception in 2019, we have reached nearly 60,000 scholars from 160 districts in 34 states and are on track to serve 1 million scholars within the next decade. 

We are a passionate team of former education and civil rights leaders, teachers, policy-wonks, and consultants – with an active board, including former U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan; founder of the Children’s Defense Fund, Marian Wright Edelman; University of Pennsylvania Professor, Angela Duckworth; CEO of the Common App, Jenny Rickard; and former Howard University President, Dr. Wayne Frederick.

To learn more about our mission and our work, please read this New York Times front-page feature, this Forbes article, or just click this 3 minute video clip of the experts (our scholars!) discussing the impact of this opportunity with Judge Ann Claire Williams, Ret., trustee, Carnegie Corporation of New York.

THE ROLE

The Director of School Opportunity will lead efforts to cultivate and grow strategic partnerships with Title I schools and districts nationwide. This key role requires an individual with deep expertise in secondary curriculum and instruction, familiarity with the rapidly evolving dual-enrollment space, and proven experience in developing and nurturing impactful partnerships with school leaders. The Director will be responsible for outreach, introductory meetings, educator stakeholder engagement, and finalizing partnership terms. You will work closely with the CEO, President, Chief Growth Officer, and Directors of School Success to identify and invite new partners, coordinate outreach efforts, and support the growth of existing partnerships. The ideal candidate is a dynamic and results-driven professional with strong partnership acumen, experience in email marketing campaigns, and a deep commitment to educational equity. 

Though the role responsibilities will shift to meet the needs of our growing organization, your skills and expertise will be leveraged to:

• Outreach & Partnership Development:

  • Conduct proactive outreach to potential Title I school and district partners, identifying opportunities for collaboration and growth.

  • Lead and facilitate discussions with school and district leaders about the value and impact of the National Education Opportunity Network’s model. Work to align the NEON’s courses and model with the needs and priorities of schools and districts to ensure meaningful and sustainable partnerships.

  • Build strong relationships with superintendents, chief academic officers, and high school leaders to understand their unique challenges and opportunities.

  • Collaborate with the Directors of School Success to expand the Lab’s work within existing district/networks.

  • Serve as the primary responder to district request for proposals (RFPs) that are relevant to potential partnerships.

• Pipeline Management:

  • Manage a full partnership cycle from prospecting and awareness campaign launch through the school/course selection process. Engage in all stages of the partnership pipeline, ensuring that new partner and expansion goals are met and exceeded. Utilize Salesforce to track, report, and optimize the partnership process.

  • Regularly update the status of potential partners in Salesforce to reflect the current stage in the nomination process.

  • Use data and learnings from conversations to inform future college course opportunities, new delivery models, and external communications strategies.

• Marketing and Communications:

  • Lead email-based marketing campaigns using Pardot, targeting potential school and district partners. Develop and execute strategies to nurture leads and convert them into long-term partners. Optimize campaign performance based on data-driven insights.

  • Utilize Salesforce and Pardot to execute effective outbound messaging and maintain accurate records of outreach efforts.

  • Develop engaging case studies and highlight individual student success stories to showcase the impact of the Lab’s programs.

• Community Building:

  • Build and nurture relationships with educators and school administrators to foster collaboration and trust.

  • Leverage student and partner success stories to expand the organization’s reach and influence within the education community.

  • Leverage opportunities from conferences to generate new partnership leads and support the growth of the organization. Organizing collected information, following up with new contacts, and integrating leads into the new partner pipeline.

THE QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• Professional Experience:

  • At least 5 years of experience in building and managing partnerships with schools and districts, particularly Title I schools.

  • Proven ability to conduct outreach and cultivate relationships with senior-level decision-makers such as superintendents, chief academic officers, and high school leaders.

  • Experience managing full sales cycles and achieving growth targets in a fast-paced environment.

• Skills & Competencies:

  • Strong familiarity with secondary curriculum and instruction decision-making processes.
  • Experience in the dual-enrollment space preferred.
  • Experience in email-based marketing campaigns using tools such as Pardot and Salesforce, with a track record of meeting or exceeding targets.
  • Ability to manage complex partnership negotiations, answer foundational student data privacy questions, and communicate impact to education leaders.
  • Strong communication and presentation skills, with an ability to articulate the value of partnerships in educational contexts.
  • Willingness to bring high-growth sales/partnerships muscles to a mission-first education-justice non-profit.

• Commitment to Educational Equity:

  • A deep, personal commitment to advancing educational equity and supporting students from underserved backgrounds.

  • Passion for expanding opportunities and addressing the systemic challenges that exist in Title I schools.

  • Committed to our mission!

THE SALARY

The Director of School Opportunity role offers a competitive compensation package ranging from $80,000 to $110,000 commensurate with experience and qualifications. New hires' salaries are typically between the salary range minimum and the salary range midpoint. A comprehensive benefits package is also available. A comprehensive benefits package is also available, including medical, dental, and vision coverage; 401(k) with 4% match (fully vested); professional development support; remote work stipends and equipment; coworking space access; and paid sick leave with flexible vacation.

THE TEAM

The Director of School Opportunity will join a fast-paced team committed to providing opportunities for students who have historically and systemically been left out of opportunities. This position will report to the Chief Growth Officer. Our organization is 100% remote, with team gatherings throughout the year, and opportunities to travel. Applicants do not need to live in the state of New York.   

HOW TO APPLY

To be considered for this position, please submit a resume and cover letter on our website. This is a competitive and active national search. You will be notified promptly if you are being considered for this position.

Thank you for your interest in propelling opportunities!

It is the policy of the National Education Opportunity Network not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or citizenship status. We will take specific action to ensure that applicants are employed and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or citizenship status. Such action shall include, but not be limited to the following: recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other Terms and Conditions of Employment except as provided by law.