VP, AI Growth Strategy

edc.org; Waltham (MA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Paid holidays

Generous vacation

Dependent Care FSA

Pre-tax transport

Retirement plan

Job summary

Education Development Center (EDC) seeks a visionary leader for the VP, AI Growth Strategy role to design, validate, and scale AI-native products and services across education, workforce, and well-being domains.

You will build a venture-style team, create scalable offerings, and partner with engineering, product management, and external funders to accelerate impact and growth in an AI-enabled future.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or higher in innovation, product development, AI or equivalent.
• Proven success launching and scaling new products/services in ambiguous environments.
• Strong knowledge of AI, digital platforms, and emerging technology trends.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute a portfolio of AI-native opportunities aligned to long-term mission.
• Identify and prioritize high-impact problem spaces across education, workforce, and well-being.
• Translate AI and tech trends into actionable innovation strategies.
• Build and manage a portfolio of new products, services, and models.
• Establish and enforce an evidence-based approach to opportunity validation.
• Lead the design of scalable AI-native offerings with viable value propositions.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Product & venture mindset

Execution discipline

Influence & communication

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor’s degree in innovation, product development, AI or equivalent

Master’s degree in innovation, product development, AI or equivalent

Job description

Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that works with partners to advance every person’s journey to learn, work, and be well.

For more than 65 years, EDC has partnered with communities, governments, and private sector to improve education, workforce development and health outcomes.

By combining interdisciplinary expertise with real-world experience, EDC works across these pillars to design, implement, and scale evidence-based solutions that help partners address complex challenges and create lasting change.

Founded in 1958, EDC today brings together a global team working across the United States and around the world. Our diverse portfolio of programs is supported by federal agencies, philanthropic foundations, multilateral institutions, and corporate partners.

Job Description

STRONG CANDIDATE IDENITIFIED

The VP, AI Growth Strategy leads EDC’s future-facing innovation function, responsible for designing, validating, and scaling AI-native products, platforms, services, and business models that ensure the organization’s long‑term relevance, impact, and growth in an AI‑native world.

Operating on a 5+ year horizon, this role builds and leads a disciplined, venture‑style team that identifies high‑impact opportunities in education, workforce, and well‑being and translates them into scalable offerings. The Head of Third Horizon ensures that EDC is not only adapting to technological change but actively shaping how value is created and delivered in an AI‑native future.

Essential Functions

Strategic Innovation Leadership

• Define and execute a portfolio of AI-native opportunities aligned to long‑term mission and growth priorities
• Identify and prioritize high‑impact problem spaces across education, workforce, and well‑being
• Translate emerging trends in AI, technology, and global development into actionable innovation strategies

Venture-Style Portfolio Development

• Build and manage a portfolio of new products, services, and business models
• Establish and enforce a disciplined, evidence-based approach to opportunity validation
• Rapidly test, refine, and scale high-potential ideas while discontinuing low‑value initiatives

Product and Business Model Creation

• Lead the design of AI-native offerings that can scale beyond traditional delivery models
• Define value propositions, target markets, and revenue models for new offerings
• Ensure offerings are both mission‑aligned and economically viable

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Engineering and Product Management to prototype and deliver new solutions
• Work with Business Development and program teams to align innovation with market demand
• Collaborate with executive leadership to ensure alignment with organizational strategy

External Partnership, Engagement and Market Positioning

• Engage funders, partners, and ecosystem stakeholders to shape and validate new opportunities
• Position the organization as a thought leader in AI-enabled impact
• Build relationships that accelerate adoption, funding, and scale of new offerings
• Establish and foster relationships that create multiplication of impact

Team Leadership and Capability Building

• Recruit and lead a small, high-performing, multidisciplinary team (product, engineering, domain, design)
• Foster a culture of disciplined experimentation, rapid learning, and accountability
• Develop internal capability to support ongoing innovation across the organization

Performance and Outcomes

• Deliver validated concepts, pilot programs, and scalable offerings over time
• Contribute to the creation of new revenue streams and long-term growth
• Strengthen the organization’s position as a leader in AI-enabled learning, work, and well‑being

Qualifications

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in innovation, product development, AI or equivalent and 12+ years of product innovation, venture building, or technology-driven business development.
• Master’s degree in in innovation, product development, AI or equivalent and 10+ years of product innovation, venture building, or technology-driven business development.
• Demonstrated success launching and scaling new products or services in ambiguous environments.
• Strong knowledge of AI, digital platforms, and emerging technology trends.
• Proven ability to operate at the vision, strategy, and execution levels.
• Experience leading small, high performing teams to deliver oversized impact.

Skills and Competencies:

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to identify and prioritize high‑impact opportunities in complex environments
• Product & Venture Mindset: Strong intuition for building scalable, user‑centered solutions
• Execution Discipline: Ability to move from idea to validation to scale with speed and rigor
• Influence & Communication: Ability to engage senior stakeholders, funders, and partners
• Adaptability: Comfort operating in ambiguity and rapidly evolving contexts

Additional Information

Cover Letter Requirement

As part of your application, please submit a cover letter addressing the following questions:

• Describe a time when you led a small team to create outsized impact through an innovative product, service, or business model. Explain how you advanced the offering from customer insight through concept development, testing, launch, and scale. What was your specific role, and what measurable revenue, adoption, and customer outcomes resulted?
• How did you identify the customer trend or unmet need that inspired the offering? How did customer feedback shape or change the offering before and after launch?

Please be specific about your individual contributions and include relevant metrics where possible.

EDC affirms its steadfast commitment to uphold the highest standards of conduct, ensuring the protection of all individuals from misconduct, and maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards any violation of these rights. Safeguarding refers to the measures and practices put in place to protect individuals, particularly vulnerable groups, from harm, abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future visa sponsorship. At this time, the EDC is unable to support employment-based visa sponsorship.

EDC is a smoke-free workplace, and offers a supportive work environment, competitive salary, and excellent benefits.

Total Rewards

EDC offers the following comprehensive benefits package for all eligible employees:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid holidays
• Generous vacation benefits for full- and part-time employees
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Pre-tax transport benefit
• Robust retirement plan with TIAA/CREF (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association/College Retirement Equities Fund)
• Paid sick time and personal time annually
• Parental leave
• Employee assistance program

This position offers an anticipated base annual range of $200,000 - $300,000 approximately. Salary offers are made based on market analysis and internal equity.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access the EDC job opportunities website as a result of your disability. You can request reasonable accommodations by [e-mail] or by calling 202.572.3781.