Managing Director, Strategic Growth & Communications

Managing Director, Strategic Growth and Communications for a 40- employee (and growing) remote education non-profit providing professional learning to K-12 educators nationally

Type of Vacancy: Salaried, full-time

Start date: Immediate

Location: Remote/home office anywhere in the United States

Report to: Chief Executive Officer

Supervise: Director, Business Development; Director, External Affairs; Senior Manager, Communications; Manager, Digital Marketing

Compensation: Minimum salary is $114,000, with comprehensive benefits. Salary is commensurate with experience.

Teaching Lab is an equal-opportunity employer committed to reflecting the diversity of the students we serve. We pursue equity as both a means and an end and enthusiastically welcome candidates of all backgrounds to apply for this role.

SUMMARY OF POSITION

 The Managing Director, Strategic Growth and Communications is a member of the Executive Team and leads a division focused on ensuring and managing Teaching Lab’s long-term growth through philanthropy and business development, as well as strategic communications and marketing. The Managing Director will set the strategy for the organization’s growth strategy and help ensure that Teaching Lab is positioned in the present and future as an innovative, and high-impact nonprofit.

As a rapidly growing nonprofit, we seek driven and proactive individuals who have a high level of personal accountability, team players who see the interconnectedness between their role and the organization’s mission, and have the ability to “manage up” when needed to get complex work done. Eligible candidates for the role of Managing Director, Strategic Growth and Communications must have experience as an educational system-level or senior-level organizational leader, expertise in developing strategy for organizational growth, experience in philanthropy and/or communications and marketing, expertise in relationship and partnership cultivation and management, possess stellar public-speaking and influence skills, and a proven record of effective people management. Ideal candidates will also have knowledge of the Common Core or similar College- and Career-Ready state standards, a clear vision for how to scale evidence-based teacher professional learning and are comfortable leading a team in a highly dynamic organization. Above all, any candidate must have a demonstrated commitment to racial and educational equity. This position has high potential for both large-scale impact and career growth.

WHO WE ARE

Teaching Lab is a nonprofit organization with a mission to fundamentally shift the paradigm of teacher professional learning for educational equity. We envision a world where teachers and students thrive together in communities that enable life-long learning and meaningful lives. Using our Head, Heart, and Habits model of professional learning, we transform professional learning from the ground up to dramatically improve student outcomes. We also work with school, district, and state leaders to create the instructional systems necessary to support these changes. To learn more about Teaching Lab, explore our website at www.teachinglab.org.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Managing Director, Strategic Growth and Communications will engage in the following major work functions:

Growth Strategy:

1. Set the strategy and goals as well as the necessary structures for growing Teaching Lab’s earned revenue through innovative business approaches and new opportunities which optimize resources and maximize potential impact of investment
2. Establish and supervise staff members in the Business Development office to cultivate new relationships with state, district, and school systems to build out a pipeline of new business and client opportunities, including relevant requests for proposals (RFPs)
3. Set the strategy and goals as well as the necessary structures for growing Teaching Lab’s philanthropic contributions through foundation, corporation, and individual giving
4. Establish and supervise staff members in the External Affairs office to develop and executive initiatives and projects to secure funding through foundations, corporations, and individuals

Communications and Marketing:

1. Set the strategy and goals as well as the necessary structures for increasing evidence-based and equity-driven practices across school systems through teacher leaders
2. Set the strategy and goals as well as the necessary structures for growing Teaching Lab’s brand and reputation as an innovative and high-impact professional learning organization
3. Establish and supervise staff members in the Communications and Marketing office to increase Teaching Lab’s visibility with educators, funders, and the broader education community and to increase teacher evidence-based and equity-driven practices in a grassroots manner

Executive Team Leadership:

1. Serve as a member of the Executive Team and determine the strategic, cultural, and programmatic direction of Teaching Lab.
2. Representing the organization externally through meetings, speaking engagements, writing, and publishing to cultivate and manage relationships with potential clients, funders, and the broader education community
3. Model Teaching Lab’s values, centering racial equity, and support the evolution of Teaching Lab’s equity-centered policies & practices. 

QUALIFICATIONS

Education, Work Experience, and Knowledge

• A minimum of five years’ experience leading and directing a multi-department division in education, educational professional development, non-profit management, or related industry. Working experience in K-12 education (preferred)
• Record of identifying innovative approaches or business and/or philanthropic avenues for growth
• Record of developing and implementing strategy to increase earned revenue and/or philanthropy and scale up business functions
• Experience leading relationships with diverse stakeholders and funders 
• Experience working in an entrepreneurial and rapidly growing organization
• Experience supervising staff through a racial equity lens

Values, Skills, and Competencies

• Strong commitment to Teaching Lab’s organizational mission and values in pursuit of educational equity
• Reliable and consistently completes work in a timely manner with high quality
• “Big picture” strategic thinking combined with the ability to implement tactically and take an idea from concept to completion
• Analytical mindset with the ability to set goals and create strategies that are informed by data and research
• Comfort with ambiguity and ability to succeed in a highly entrepreneurial and dynamic organization
• Understands how to leverage senior leaders and Board members to execute on strategies; competence in working across functions and managing up as needed
• Equally comfortable playing external and internal roles, demonstrating a professional and warm demeanor in building rapport and credibility and in developing relationships with a variety of stakeholders
• Superb written and oral communications skills

WORKING AT TEACHING LAB

All roles at Teaching Lab are contingent on business needs.

Teaching Lab offers a comprehensive benefits package for full-time salaried employees, including: medical, dental, and vision; a 401(k) program with a 4% employer match; short-term life, long-term life, disability, and worker’s compensation insurance; flexible health spending accounts; technology equipment; monthly technology reimbursement; and generous time off and leave policies.

This position is eligible for remote work anywhere in the continental United States, and may require some travel (monthly) when travel resumes. 

TO APPLY

You can apply for the Managing Director, Strategic Growth and Communications role here. Additional questions may be directed to jobs@teachinglab.org.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis; it is in your interest to apply as soon as possible.