Director of Partnerships, Skills for the Future

The Skills for the Future Initiative is a joint endeavor of ETS and The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching to radically transform education from time-based to competency-based and to build an undergirding assessment system to capture evidence of what’s most important for success in high school, postsecondary education, and jobs in the 21st-century economy. The joint initiative leverages ETS and Carnegie’s history of excellence in assessment and learning science – and will drive a paradigm shift in education.

Position Summary: The Skills for the Future Initiative is a joint endeavor of ETS and The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching to radically transform education from time-based to competency-based and to build an undergirding assessment system to capture evidence of what’s most important for success in high school, postsecondary education, and jobs in the 21st-century economy. The joint initiative leverages ETS and Carnegie’s history of excellence in assessment and learning science – and will drive a paradigm shift in education.

The Director of Partnershipsfor theSkills for the Future Initiative is a visionary leader who will be responsible for building and nurturing strategic partnerships to advance the mission of the Skills for the Future’s initiative. The ideal candidate will have strong existing relationships with external partners (including state and district leaders and like-minded organizations), a deep understanding of partnership development and collaboration strategies, and the ability to quickly build leverage partnerships to support the skills and competency-based ecosystem.

Responsibilities:

• Lead a comprehensive strategy to identify, cultivate, and steward strategic partnerships that support the initiative’ goals and priorities.
• Nurture relationships with potential and existing partners, including state and district education leaders, foundations, nonprofits corporations, , and government agencies, , higher education institutions, business leaders, and other organizations, to assess alignment of mission, values, and objectives.
• Cultivate and nurture relationships with existing and prospective partners, engaging key stakeholders and decision-makers to build trust, rapport, and collaboration.
• Collaborate with internal teams, including programmatic, marketing, and development staff, to identify partnership opportunities and develop customized proposals and engagement plans.
• Negotiate partnership agreements, contracts, and memoranda of understanding (MOUs), ensuring clarity of roles, responsibilities, and expectations for all parties involved.
• Lead ongoing relationships with partners, serving as the primary point of contact and liaison, coordinating communications, meetings, and activities to ensure successful collaboration and mutual benefit.
• Oversee convenings/gatherings of partners to advance goals.
• Oversee regular strategic communications with partners to ensure engagement and connection.
• Represent the organization externally and serve as a spokesperson for partnership initiatives, participating in conferences, events, and networking opportunities to raise awareness and promote engagement.
• Stay informed about trends, best practices, and innovations in partnership development and collaboration, and share insights and recommendations with internal stakeholders.

Knowledge/Skills:

• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to cultivate and steward relationships with diverse stakeholders, including corporate executives, government officials, and nonprofit leaders.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with experience in crafting persuasive proposals, presentations, and partnership agreements.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to identify partnership opportunities, assess risks and opportunities, and develop creative solutions to drive impact and achieve objectives.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of relevant industries, sectors, and trends, with a passion for social impact and a commitment to advancing the organization's mission and goals.

#LI-NK1

Experience and Skills:

Education and Experience

• 10 years of leadership experience in partnership development, business development, corporate relations, or related roles, with a proven track record of building and managing successful partnerships in the K12, as well as higher education/workforce space.
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., business administration, nonprofit management, international relations) required. Advanced degree preferred.

ETS believes in a Total Rewards philosophy for our employees, and they include:

• Health, Vision, Dental insurance plans to choose from
• Generous continuous learning support, from individual learning grants to up to 6 classes a year for tuition reimbursement as well as on-line learning access!
• Generous PTO and vacation time to balance your work and life
• Additional 8 hours of PTO for volunteer work
• Retirement plan (401(a)) and traditional Roth (403b) with company contribution
• Commuter Benefits, Pet Insurance, 1 year subscription to Calm App

ETS is mission driven and action oriented

• Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is at the forefront of the ETS employee's daily work. To further foster an inclusive environment ETS is home to a wide variety of Affinity groups that celebrate the diversity of our talented employees.
• How about cultivating growth, innovation, and continuous transformation for the next generation of rising professionals as leaders? ETS offers multiple Business Resource Groups (BRG) for you!
• Are you passionate about volunteering and being active in your career and community? ETS offers our Center for Advocacy & Philanthropy (CAAP) where we encourage ETS employees to become active volunteers in their communities and schools through the ETS Cares Giving Campaign. Our employees can support any 501c3 or eligible charity of their choice.

ETS is an Equal Opportunity Employer comprised of people with different experiences, strengths, and backgrounds who share a passion for advancing quality and equity in education. We are dedicated to building teams that reflect the various backgrounds, experiences, and identities of those we serve. The Talent Acquisition team strives to ensure candidates enjoy a fair and equitable hiring process. We believe our differences empower us to be a better team, making better decisions and delivering better results.
From: Educational Testing Service