Engagement and Strategic Partnerships Director

Director, Engagement and Strategic Partnerships

FLSA Classification:
Exempt

Reports to the President

The Jacksonville Public Education Fund (JPEF) is an independent nonprofit organization that activates community support, connects partners, and advances effective ideas for the success of all students. JPEF serves as a trusted civic intermediary that brings together educators, families, community organizations, employers, higher education institutions, philanthropy, and public-sector leaders to accelerate progress for students and strengthen long-term opportunity across Jacksonville.

The organization’s FY2027–2030 strategic framework reflects a growing emphasis on ecosystem alignment, strategic learning, innovation, and civic engagement around student success and future readiness.

JPEF has a highly engaged board, significant fiscal resources, and talented staff to drive the organization's work. The fast-paced and entrepreneurial organization has more than a decade-long track record of helping public schools significantly improve outcomes for students through innovative, community‑focused, and data‑driven solutions.

The Director of Engagement & Strategic Partnerships is JPEF's lead community engagement and partnership strategist, responsible for implementing efforts that strengthen the network of partnerships advancing the organization's Future-Ready Strategy.

Working collaboratively across all departments, this position cultivates and stewards relationships with employers, community organizations, higher education institutions, civic leaders, philanthropic investors, parents, and other strategic stakeholders to ensure that partnerships translate into meaningful action and measurable results.

The Director leads engagement across JPEF's strategic collaboratives, Future Ready Forums, the Education Innovation Fund, ONE by ONE 2.0, parent leadership initiatives, and other key stakeholder engagement efforts.

This position ensures JPEF's partners, families, and community stakeholders remain meaningfully connected to the organization's work, from initial engagement through ongoing collaboration and implementation. The start date for this position is October 1, 2026.

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of education in Jacksonville by connecting people, organizations, and ideas that create lasting impact. As a member of JPEF's leadership team, the Director of Engagement & Strategic Partnerships will play a pivotal role in bringing the organization's Future-Ready Strategy to life through meaningful partnerships, collaborative leadership, and community engagement.

Within the first 12–18 months, the Director of Engagement & Strategic Partnerships will have:

• Strengthened JPEF's network of strategic partners supporting the Future-Ready Strategy.
• Successfully led implementation of the Postsecondary Success Collaborative while supporting Early Literacy partnerships.
• Transitioned into leadership of JPEF's annual Future Ready Forums following Year One. (Future Ready Forums serve as JPEF's signature annual convening, bringing together education, business, philanthropy, government, and community leaders around emerging innovations, strategic priorities, and the future of education in Jacksonville).
• Supported meaningful investor engagement surrounding the Education Innovation Fund in partnership with the Directors of Development.
• Elevated community engagement and storytelling through a successful ONE by ONE 2.0 exhibition.
• Expanded parent leadership and stakeholder engagement through Parents Who Lead and related initiatives.
• Established effective systems for tracking partnership engagement, commitments, and organizational impact.

Partnership Engagement & Relationship Management

• Implement JPEF's partnership engagement strategy by cultivating and stewarding relationships that advance the organization's Future-Ready Strategy, including:
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with employers, community organizations, higher education institutions, civic leaders, nonprofit partners, and other strategic stakeholders.
  • Implement engagement plans…