Senior Managing Director, Partnerships

Senior Managing Director, Partnerships

Location:

Sacramento, CA

We are looking for a dynamic, strategic, and collaborative leader to serve as the Senior Managing Director of Alumni Partnerships. In this role, you will shape and execute a holistic strategy to drive statewide and regional progress toward our California alumni strategy, cultivate deep partnerships across school systems and communities, and support the expansion of our School Leadership Lab program. Your responsibilities will span external affairs, alumni engagement, and cross‑sector partnerships that deepen Teach For America’s impact locally and statewide.

The ideal candidate will be passionate about educational excellence and systems‑level change, able to lead complex strategies, build enduring relationships, and connect big‑picture vision to on‑the‑ground execution. You will thrive in fast‑moving environments, be self‑motivated, an excellent communicator, and a strong collaborator, driving strategic alignment, partnership, and programming to maximize Teach For America’s impact on statewide and local educational outcomes and positioning alumni as key contributors to community‑defined success.

• Statewide Alumni Strategy (40%)
  • Socialize the One CA alumni strategy among external stakeholders, building buy‑in and momentum for statewide progress, and implement vision and strategy to secure partnerships with high‑impact organizations across the state.
  • Develop strategic infrastructure and processes to cultivate and steward key high‑impact partners.
  • Leverage these processes to cultivate and maintain relationships with elected/appointed officials, community organizations, schools, districts, and school networks.
  • Leverage internal leaders—including Executive Directors, regional alumni staff, and enterprise partner teams—to support high‑stakes partnerships and event planning across the state.
• School Leadership Lab Partner Strategy (40%)
  • Build and socialize a School Leadership Lab vision among external stakeholders, build buy‑in and momentum for community‑led progress, and implement a strategy to secure school and district partnerships aligned with our 2030 goals and partnership footprint.
  • Cultivate, confirm, and oversee a portfolio of school and community partnerships, ensuring alignment with regional goals and opportunities for deeper engagement, including DSA signing, fee‑for‑service, and MOU renewal campaigns to ensure ongoing viability and alignment with strategic priorities.
  • Lead local fundraising for the School Leadership Lab in partnership with fee‑for‑service models, and pursue external sustainability opportunities.
  • Connect School Leadership Lab participants to local Teach For America network leaders and the broader alumni community.
• Regional Team (20%)
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with key alumni in schools and across the communities we serve.
  • Support the interview and selection of corps members and/or Ignite fellows.
  • Contribute to the planning and execution of key regional events and initiatives aligned with our mission and vision.
  • Participate, facilitate, and engage in all staff gatherings and learning experiences.

Over the course of any week, the Senior Managing Director of Alumni Partnerships will meet with alumni staff across CA regions, school district leaders, alumni, high‑impact organizations, and community stakeholders to advance key initiatives, finalize partnership contracts, and steward existing programs. Each day will look different, with time spent aligning with the One CA team to implement and monitor progress toward strategy and goals, and specified with the California Capital Valley team to ensure all partnerships are on‑track to renew and/or grow/scale across the region.

Travel to schools for partner check‑ins, participation in virtual coalition meetings, and engagement with state or local officials on education policy opportunities may also be part of this role.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.
• Ability to develop and execute complex strategies and manage high‑stakes partnerships.
• Experience leading cross‑functional…