Managing Director - SLED - Education

NTT DATA strives to hire exceptional, innovative and passionate individuals who want to grow with us. If you want to be part of an inclusive, adaptable, and forward-thinking organization, apply now.

We are currently seeking a Managing Director - SLED - Education to join our team in Plano, Texas (US-TX), United States (US).

The Education Executive Leader provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and executive relationship management across a portfolio of Education clients, including K-12 school systems and higher education institutions across the United States. This role is responsible for driving account growth, ensuring delivery excellence, and positioning the company as a trusted partner in advancing education outcomes through innovation, technology, and services. The ideal candidate combines deep education sector expertise with proven executive leadership and a strong track record of business growth and client success.

• Provide overall leadership for operations, administration, and performance across a portfolio of Education accounts.
• Own P&L performance, ensuring delivery of financial, operational, and client success objectives.
• Oversee engagement planning, budgeting, and resource allocation to ensure timely, high-quality execution.

• Build and sustain trusted, long-term partnerships with superintendents, chancellors, presidents, CIOs, CFOs, and other senior academic leaders.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to institutional leaders, aligning solutions with their missions of student success, operational efficiency, and digital transformation.
• Represent the company at board meetings, advisory committees, and executive forums within the Education community.

• Identify and create new opportunities by leveraging insights into education policy, accreditation, compliance, and digital learning trends.
• Collaborate with marketing, communications, and industry teams to strengthen brand visibility in the Education sector.
• Serve as a thought leader in the Education market through conference participation, publications, and innovation showcases.

• Monitor and interpret changes in education policy, funding models (e.g., state appropriations, federal grants, Title I, CARES/HEERF, research funding), and accreditation standards to anticipate client needs.
• Build and expand strategic partnerships with technology providers, education associations, and industry collaborators.

• Partner with client executives to shape digital campus strategies, student experience initiatives, and technology modernization roadmaps.
• Co-develop tailored service offerings in areas such as cloud adoption, cybersecurity, data analytics, student engagement platforms, and research computing.

• Ensure compliance with education regulations, contractual obligations, and governance standards.
• Proactively identify and mitigate delivery risks to protect client trust and institutional reputations.
• Coach, mentor, and provide executive guidance to account teams in strategic planning, performance, and client management.
• Build and inspire diverse, high-performing teams that embody collaboration, innovation, and accountability.
• Sponsor leadership development and succession planning to strengthen organizational capabilities in the Education sector.

• 10+ years of client service leadership within the Education sector (K-12, higher education, or education agencies).
• 10+ years of experience in sales, relationship management, and account leadership with measurable business growth achievements.
• 5+ years managing large, multi-institution consulting engagements and executive client relationships.
• 5+ years of P&L management, budgeting, and operational performance accountability.
• Proven ability to exceed business, financial, and customer objectives in dynamic environments.

• Executive presence with the ability to influence academic and administrative leaders at all levels.
• Strategic thinker with strong business, financial, and education sector acumen.
• Skilled in navigating complex funding, governance, and accreditation environments.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and presentation skills tailored to the Education audience.
• Collaborative leader who builds trust, drives innovation, and inspires high performance.

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or equivalent relevant experience preferred.

NTT DATA is a $30 billion trusted global innovator of business and technology services. We serve 75% of the Fortune Global 100 and are committed to helping clients innovate, optimize and transform for long term success. As a Global Top Employer, we have diverse experts in more than 50 countries and a robust partner ecosystem of established and start-up…