Associate

Zohorecruit; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 65,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and dental insurance

Retirement benefits

Parental leave

Life and disability insurance

Flexible spending accounts

Job summary

Empower Schools seeks an Associate to support local- and state-level projects applying innovative solutions to meet students' needs, primarily in Colorado. You will cultivate partnerships, design and implement projects, and join our movement to improve outcomes for underserved students.

Applicants should be willing to travel up to 30% of the time within Colorado, with coaching and mentorship provided. The role emphasizes equity, collaboration, and driving impact through complex multi-stakeholder

Qualifications

• At least 2-4 years of work experience in a relevant field or role.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to build successful relationships with partners, external organizations, policymakers, and education leaders.

Responsibilities

• Support the design and execution of partnerships in collaboration with many stakeholders.
• Create project plans and adjust along the way.
• Communicate project milestones and progress to teammates and partners.
• Develop community-focused presentations and communication materials for school and community stakeholders.

Skills

Project management

Communication

Relationship building

Job description

Denver, United States | Posted on 09/24/2026

• Work Experience Please see job description.
• Salary $65,000 - $78,000 per year
• Country United States

Job Description

Preferred application deadline: October 16, 2026

Position Summary

As an Associate at Empower Schools, you will contribute to local- and state-level projects and initiatives that apply innovative solutions to better meet students' needs. Working closely with your teammates and partners, this position will primarily support Empower’s growing work and impact in Colorado. In this role, you will help cultivate partnerships, design and implement projects, and join our movement to dramatically increase positive outcomes for students who have been traditionally underserved.

Applicants must be willing to travel up to 30% of the time (primarily within Colorado) to support the growth of our statewide work and to provide on-the-ground support in communities across the state. In this role, you will receive coaching, mentorship, and guidance from experienced leaders inside and outside our organization.

Who We Are

Empower Schools envisions a country where every student, especially those in underserved communities, has the opportunity to succeed in school and life. As a national non-profit, we partner with educators and communities to help catalyze innovation and support the design, launch, and successful implementation of sustainable solutions to local education needs. While the specific work varies by local context, all our projects are grounded in our deep commitment to improving school and life outcomes for predominantly Black, Hispanic, and low-income students. We focus on three key areas:

• Innovation Zones: We work with communities to design and launch sustainable local partnerships that enable transformative district schools. Innovation Zone educators have the flexibility to make decisions that are right for their students, community, and staff.
• Rural Collaboratives: We work with rural communities to forge new partnerships and develop new ways to share resources so that students in rural areas have access to a great education and are equipped for college and career success.
• Early College and Career Pathways: We work with communities to create opportunities that lead to postsecondary success for all students. We foster innovative, sustainable, and scalable structures that bridge high school to college and career so students can get the head start and success they need even before they graduate.

To date, we have supported the design and launch of empowering partnerships across over seven states. Empower is working to deepen our direct and systemic impact in Colorado. We are currently supporting multiple Rural Collaborative projects in their implementation phase. We are also collaborating with additional communities and state-level leaders to explore and design durable, transformative partnerships between local school districts and their high schools, civic, industry, and higher education leaders to expand opportunities for students and advance community development and economic goals.

Who You Are

• You are committed to centering racial and socioeconomic equity in your work. You understand the impact of systemic and implicit racism and challenge yourself and others to support transformational outcomes for students across race and class.
• You are familiar with the challenges facing urban and/or rural K-12 education (and/or excited and willing to learn). You are excited to develop creative solutions to challenges at the school and system levels.
• You enjoy working independently and as part of a team and can build strong relationships with others.
• You are passionate about the role that communities play in supporting students and have a working knowledge of public-private partnerships centered on expanding opportunities for students and enhancing community and economic development.
• You are organized and interested in designing and implementing complex projects involving multiple stakeholders and tight deadlines.
• You thrive in a rapidly-evolving environment and recognize that resourcefulness and effective communication skills are key to success.
• You are a self-starter and are able to navigate ambiguity and complexity with grace and focus
• You can take ideas and solutions from brainstorms to fruition while engaging and incorporating others' perspectives.
• You make time to reflect on your work to improve your effectiveness, know how to self-advocate to get the support you need, and keep it all in perspective with a strong sense of humor.
• In short, you are a generalist interested in learning and growing your skills while working with a dynamic team on a wide range of projects.

How You’ll Help

Work at Empower Schools looks different each day, depending on the projects you support. Your work will vary based on your interests and organizational needs. Responsibilities may include:

Support the design and execution of partnerships in collaboration with many stakeholders

Support diverse stakeholders (e.g., district partners, non-profit staff, school-based staff, community members, state policy champions, etc.) throughout the development and implementation of Innovation Zones, Rural Collaboratives, early college and career pathways, including the following:

• Provide responsive support to our diverse stakeholders
• Serve as an expert resource for various stakeholders
• Coordinate communication among stakeholders, including facilitation of check-in calls and creation of update messages
• Conduct research on schools, communities, organizations, and systems that play a role in expanding the resources and impact within the education system
• Monitor relevant media coverage for partnerships
• Plan and support convenings and site visits

Create compelling written deliverables to advance projects

• Develop community-focused presentations and communication materials for school and community stakeholders; engage with stakeholders as needed
• Draft and provide input into application documents for district or state authorization
• Support the creation of concept papers, strategic plans, grant applications, and board presentations to advance our work

Collaborate with teammates to serve as project manager for specific project workstreams

• Create project plans and adjust along the way
• Communicate project milestones and progress to teammates and partners

Provide support to Empower Schools on other initiatives, as needed

Requirements

Qualifications

Studies show that women and people from underrepresented groups often only apply to jobs if they meet 100% of the qualifications, yet few people ever meet every qualification. If that applies to you, Empower Schools encourages you to break that statistic and apply.

• At least 2-4 years of work experience in a relevant field or role
• Demonstrated interest in education reform and strong alignment with the goals of Empower Schools
• Education or consulting experience preferred, but not required
• Willingness to take initiative to manage complex projects involving multiple components successfully
• Ability to build successful relationships with partners, external organizations, policymakers, and education leaders
• Possession of a flexible, resourceful, and creative mindset and deep motivation to drive toward high-quality outcomes with a consistently positive attitude
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to translate ideas into clear, compelling documents (e.g., "PowerPoint and Word formats")
• Dedication to continuous improvement (both personal and organizational) and interest in incorporating feedback from others

Salary and Benefits

The salary band for an Associate is between $65,000 and $78,000 annually. Empower Schools uses a transparent formula that factors in years of experience to determine initial placement in the salary band. New hires should expect placement closer to the start of the band, with opportunities for meaningful increases over time. Empower Schools offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health and dental insurance, retirement benefits, parental leave, life and disability insurance, and flexible spending accounts.

Leaderscript is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran disability or genetic information or any other reason prohibited by law in employment.