Senior Director, District Partnerships (K-12 Sales)

National Math and Science; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 162,000 - 186,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote-first work environment

401(k) with employer match

Paid holidays

Job summary

National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) seeks a Senior Director, District Partnerships to lead K-12 district partnership development and revenue growth. You will guide strategy, coordinate RFP responses, and drive high-value opportunities with state education agencies where aligned to district expansion.

You will manage a team, coach staff, and ensure disciplined pipeline management with Salesforce, while collaborating across functions to advance organizational goals.

Qualifications

• Five+ years in K-12 district partnerships, education sales, or related revenue roles.
• Five+ years leading a team with a track record of coaching and development.
• Experience building partnerships with state education agencies is a plus.
• Proven ability to lead clear, compelling proposals and RFP responses.
• Ability to manage disciplined pipeline with accurate data and forecasting in CRM.

Responsibilities

• Lead district partnerships strategy and drive revenue growth through high-value opportunities.
• Oversee proposal development, RFP responses, pricing, and contract support.
• Manage pipeline, forecasting, and data quality across the portfolio.
• Collaborate with senior leaders and cross-functional teams for high-stakes engagements.

Skills

K-12 district partnerships

Team leadership

State Education Agencies

Proposal leadership

CRM proficiency

Strategic thinking

Results-driven

Nimble learner

Team-oriented

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: Flexible Location (Anywhere in the contiguous US)

Position Type: Full Time

About Us

At the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), we are a vibrant, nonprofit organization committed to transforming education. We believe that every student deserves access to high-quality math and science education. Since our founding in 2007, we’ve empowered over 2.9 million students and 72,000 teachers across 1,800 high schools in 43 states. Our staff are the heartbeat of our mission, driving impactful programs that foster success in the 21st-century global economy.

NMSI is a remote-first organization, allowing staff members to work primarily from their home office. Staff must have a dedicated, distraction-free workspace with reliable high-speed internet. We value autonomy, flexibility, and effective communication across time zones, and support a culture of collaboration through virtual tools and regular check-ins.

What You’ll Do All Day

As the Senior Director, District Partnerships (K-12 Sales), you’ll lead NMSI’s fee-for-service district partnership development strategy and team, with responsibility for revenue growth, portfolio performance, pipeline advancement, proposal development, RFP response, contracting support, people management, and cross-functional collaboration. This role is focused primarily on building and expanding high-value K-12 district partnerships that advance NMSI’s mission and organizational sustainability, while also supporting targeted state education agency relationships where they strengthen district partnership opportunities and broader market strategy.

As a member of the management team, you’ll lead your team to achieve high-quality results that align with departmental and organizational goals. You'll translate strategy into execution, set clear expectations, and coach staff for growth. Your role will involve fostering a culture of trust, equity, and collaboration, ensuring team members feel valued and connected to our mission. You'll manage performance with clarity and compassion, celebrate successes, and provide constructive feedback for individual and organizational growth.

Your day-to-day activities will include:

District Partnerships Strategy & Sales Execution

• Own district partnership development strategy: Including market prioritization, prospecting, portfolio segmentation, revenue growth pathways, targeted state education agency account strategy where aligned to district growth, success metrics, team performance expectations, and continuous improvement through data-based progress monitoring and coaching.
• Manage and grow high-value fee-for-service opportunities: Including cultivation, solicitation, negotiation, and stewardship for K-12 district and state partners and prospects capable of six- and seven-figure investments, ensuring disciplined relationship management and consistent pipeline advancement.
• Lead proposal development, RFP response, and contracting support: Including solution design, narrative strategy, pricing and budget alignment, scope development, compliance requirements, and timely cross-functional inputs that support clear, compelling, and actionable partnership proposals.
• Oversee pipeline management and Salesforce rigor: Including relationship plans, activity tracking, opportunity staging, forecasting accuracy, and consistent data quality across the district partnerships portfolio.
• Build trusted partnerships with senior leaders and cross-functional teams: Brief, prepare, and deploy executives and subject matter experts for high-stakes district and state engagements; join them in external meetings; drive coordinated follow-up; and ensure a polished, strategic presence in all partnership touchpoints.

People Management, Team Leadership & Accountability

• Clearly define expectations and decision ownership: Establish priorities, responsibilities, success measures, and decision rights for each team member, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and departmental strategy.
• Foster trust, ownership, and accountability: Delegate effectively, empower staff to make decisions at the right level, encourage autonomy, and maintain clear accountability for results, follow-through, and team commitments.
• Coach, develop, and resource the team: Provide mentorship, training, feedback, and practical support that help team members grow professionally, strengthen performance, and contribute meaningfully to district partnerships strategy and execution.
• Communicate early, directly, and constructively: Create a feedback-rich environment where employees can raise challenges and ideas, managers provide timely guidance, and cross-functional partners are engaged proactively before misalignment or rework occurs.
• Hold individuals and the team accountable: Recognize strong performance, address performance gaps constructively, close loops consistently, and reinforce shared standards for execution, collaboration, and professional behavior.
• Other duties, as assigned

The Senior Director, District Partnerships will report to the Vice President, Business Development and is a full-time, regular position offering the flexibility to work from anywhere within the contiguous United States. Travel up to 50% may be required for in-person district and stakeholder meetings, conferences, convenings, and organizational events.

Qualifications

What We’re Looking For

We seek a Senior Director of District Partnerships who is:

An Experienced Business Development Leader

• At least five years of progressive responsibility specifically in K-12 district partnerships, education sales, business development, or a related revenue-generating role, including successfully securing and managing six- and seven-figure fee-for-service partnerships.
• At least five years of progressive responsibility specifically managing and leading a team successfully, demonstrated by coaching and developing staff and building a team culture rooted in trust, ownership, feedback, and results.
• Experience developing partnerships with state education agencies a plus

A Skilled Proposal and RFP Leader

• Expertise in leading the development of clear, compelling proposals and RFP responses; synthesizing complex program, financial, and implementation information; aligning solutions to district (or state) goals and strategic priorities; coordinating cross-functional inputs for timely, high-quality submissions; and clarity and precision – in verbal and written communication, internally and externally – to build shared understanding and buy-in.

A Tech-Savvy CRM Champion

• Proficiency with CRM (preferably Salesforce) and other business development tools and the ability to lead, model, and reinforce disciplined pipeline management with clear and accurate data and forecasting.

Org-wide, we seek staff members who are:

• A Strategic Thinker: Ability to anticipate challenges and opportunities, navigate complex district and state education market dynamics with clarity and foresight, and translate strategy into measurable revenue growth.
• Results-Driven: A focus on prioritizing tasks, solving problems, advancing opportunities, closing loops, and delivering measurable results that support organizational priorities.
• A Nimble Learner: Adaptable and curious, able to quickly learn new concepts, apply feedback, and approach challenges with creativity and resilience.
• Team-Oriented: Skilled at building strong partnerships and fostering an inclusive, collaborative environment that values diverse perspectives, direct communication, cross-functional accountability, and collective success.
• Physical Requirements: Remote employees working from a home office must be able to sit or stand for extended periods, use a computer and other standard office equipment, and have the capability to perform the required tasks and participate in virtual meetings, as well as occasionally in-person meetings. Employees must be able to travel overnight away from their home office environment as needed. Reasonable accommodation can be arranged if necessary.

What Do We Offer?

The starting salary range for this position is $161,567 to $185,802, commensurate with experience. We take pay equity seriously and strive to ensure fair compensation for all team members.

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage (85% paid for employees and a significant portion for dependents)
• 401(k) with up to 6% employer match, fully vested on day one
• Potential annual salary increases and bonuses based on organizational performance
• Referral bonuses
• A remote-first work environment
• Monthly telecommunications stipend
• 25+ paid holidays, including a one-week summer break and two-week winter break
• Generous Paid Time Off, starting at 14 days per year that begins accruing with your first paycheck
• A paid personal day that is immediately available on your start date
• Access to LinkedIn Learning for continuous professional development
• Annual gift card for birthdays and work anniversaries, plus additional perks for significant milestone anniversaries, including paid sabbaticals and cash bonuses
• Nine weeks of fully paid parental leave, applicable regardless of gender identity, and includes births by surrogate, adoption, or foster placement of a child

Additional Information

Candidates must pass county, state, and federal-level criminal background checks as a condition of employment. Positions with fiduciary responsibilities may require additional checks.

This job description is not exhaustive; additional functions and requirements may be assigned as necessary.

Equal Opportunity Employer

NMSI provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status. We comply with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.