Senior Director of Career Pathways Growth & Partnerships

Digital Promise

7d • $143,603 - $197,455 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director of Career Pathways Growth & Partnerships is a senior leader within Digital Promise’s Center for Learner Pathway Innovations (CLPI) who will play a pivotal role in shaping and advancing the Center’s national strategy for high-quality career pathways across K-12, postsecondary, and adult learning systems.
This role focuses on four primary drivers of organizational success: resource development, strategic partnerships, state-level systems change and policy influence—ensuring that CLPI’s pathways work is coherent, impactful, and aligned to emerging opportunities within the national education and workforce landscape. This includes driving the expansion of statewide and regional pathways initiatives; cultivating and stewarding high-value partnerships; mobilizing resources and funding to support long-term scale; and helping to position CLPI as a trusted advisor, connector, and field-building leader on the national stage.
The Senior Director of Career Pathways Growth & Partnerships will lead a team and collaborate with CLPI leadership and other team members, and reports to the Chief Innovation Officer within the CLPI.

Requirements

• A minimum 10–12 years of leadership experience in K-12 and/or postsecondary career pathways or workforce development fields, with demonstrated experience partnering with state agencies or systems leaders to build and scale statewide strategies.
• A minimum of 5-7 years of demonstrated success securing significant funding (philanthropic, corporate, or public) for career pathways, workforce initiatives, or large-scale education programs.
• Nationally recognized expertise in pathways policy, development and implementation. Deep experience with K–12, postsecondary, and adult learning systems and how they intersect in career pathways ecosystems. A deep understanding of the education landscape and related systemic inequities.
• An active national network across education, workforce, philanthropy, industry, and policy organizations to inform partnership strategy.
• A deep drive, belief and demonstrated commitment to inclusive approaches to addressing pathways challenges and opportunities designed with learners and communities.
• Experience designing and leading projects from conception to execution through completion.
• Experience building and managing professional relationships at all levels. Strong interpersonal and communication skills; experience communicating in writing with a variety of external stakeholders and organizational leaders
• An action orientation, with an ability to balance initiative with collaboration and employ exceptional problem-solving skills with the creativity to develop innovative solutions
• Ability to manage multiple priorities inherent in an entrepreneurial environment and an eagerness to "roll up one's sleeves" and be highly collaborative team member.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience in public policy, education, workforce development, business, or related fields.
• Experience working in or with philanthropy (as a funder or grantee).
• Familiarity with labor market analysis, talent strategies, and industry engagement for pathways design.

Responsibilities

• Internal Leadership and Management
• Design and develop the strategy for pathways growth and partnerships working in collaboration with the CLPI team informed by internal strategic priorities, external insights and thought leaders
• Lead, cultivate, manage, and grow an internal team focused on growth and partnerships to enable the growth of pathways initiatives and the development / management of a partner network.
• Manage the team in the successful execution of day-to-day design, development and sustainability of work to support pathways initiatives.
• Support team through mentorship, professional learning and development.
• Partnership Development & External Relations
• Build, strengthen, and manage high-impact strategic partnerships with national organizations, state leaders, intermediary organizations, districts, colleges, industry partners, and workforce agencies in order to develop and implement statewide career pathways strategies..
• Leverage existing network of contacts across education, workforce, philanthropy, industry, and advocacy groups to drive growth and collaboration.
• Develop partnership frameworks, MOUs, and collaborative work plans that support statewide and regional pathway initiatives.
• Serve as a primary ambassador and relationship manager for major state-level partners and coalitions.
• Ensure fundraising, partnerships, and state support strategies align with broader CLPI pathways growth goals.
• State-Level Support & Systems Change
• Work directly with state agencies, governors’ offices, state boards, and intermediaries to support development and implementation of statewide career pathways strategies.
• Collaborate with states to define and develop policy, funding models, governance structures, quality frameworks, and implementation supports.
• Develop playbooks, tools, and guidance that help states build coherent, high-quality pathways systems across K–12, postsecondary, and adult learning.
• Support multi-state initiatives, state networks, and cross-state learning communities.
• Collaborate with CLPI team members to provide capacity building to priority states on scaling pilots, aligning talent strategies, and building durable cross-sector coalitions.
• Fundraising & Resource Development
• Collaborate with the management team on the strategy and execution for fundraising to support pathway growth, including philanthropic, corporate, and public funding, from identifying emerging funding opportunities to developing relationships with major funders and creating compelling proposals and briefs.
• Collaborate with internal teams on stewardship, reporting, budget development, and grant management.
• Advocacy & Field Leadership
• Collaborate with communications teams to craft advocacy messages, policy briefs, and thought leadership products.
• Elevate pathway design and workforce strategies in national conversations, policy venues, and philanthropic networks.
• Identify policy opportunities that advance equitable, high-quality pathways across education and workforce systems.
• Support strategies to influence decision-makers, shaping the direction of pathways work nationally.

Benefits

• Digital Promise Global offers a competitive total rewards package including coverage of 85% of health insurance premiums for employee coverage and 75% of health insurance premiums for dependent and family coverage, 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 3% 401k employer contribution, 3% employer 401k match, and a flexible work environment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior