SCHOOL INVESTMENT DIRECTOR

SCHOOL INVESTMENT DIRECTOR

The Drexel Fund

Flexible within the U.S.

THE DREXEL FUND

The Drexel Fund is a leading nonprofit venture philanthropy fund dedicated to the creation and expansion of high-impact, private, K-12 schools serving disadvantaged students. Now in our 12th year, Drexel has raised over $65 million and invested philanthropic capital in more than 130 schools across fifteen states. Collectively, those schools will eventually serve more than 40,000 students, two thirds of them from low-income households. Drexel invests in schools that are focused on providing high-quality and affordable educational options to underserved families and communities, in states where families can take advantage of state-funded scholarships (through a voucher or education savings account program). Assessment data show that many portfolio schools have generally outperformed peer schools in producing student academic growth.

The Drexel Fund operates with a small team of 5-6 people living and working in different states. Our culture is shaped through our shared mission and vision; a hands-on approach to grant management that offers grantees support to deepen impact; our use of data to ensure diligence and accountability; internal meetings that are brisk and purposeful; cross-team support to help one another meet goals and deadlines; and competitive compensation and benefits.

The 2026-27 school year marks a period of expansion and forward-looking transition for the organization. Drexel made a record number of school investments in 2025-26, the result of expanded fundraising and the spread of state-supported scholarships into additional states. During the coming year we will be crafting a strategic plan for “Fund IV,” establishing impact goals and strategic priorities for the four-year period stretching from summer 2027 to 2031.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Drexel Fund is seeking an investment director to co-lead our school investment work, scouting for school investment (grant) opportunities and managing grants and school relationships in a territory of several states to be determined. The new hire will work closely with Drexel partners and consultants who source potential school grant opportunities in about 15 states across the nation. Drexel currently focuses its investment activity in “target” states with favorable policy conditions for the creation of new private schools that are accessible to low-income students through publicly funded scholarships. These currently include Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. Additionally, Drexel considers school investments in “opportunity” states where policy conditions are trending in a favorable direction: Alabama, Georgia, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah and West Virginia. The new hire will meet, network and visit with educators, school leaders, school support organizations and others to identify prospective new private schools and/or existing schools seeking to expand or replicate. The new hire will coordinate the application and due diligence process for his or her grant applicants, evaluate data and information submitted by applicants, participate in internal assessment discussions, write investment recommendation memos for internal and board consideration, and manage approved investments.

With the exception of our operations director, all Drexel team members serve as school investment directors, covering mostly discrete territories that occasionally overlap. The core set of skills are evaluative, as assessing five domains of schools’ business plans is crucial to our investment decision process. Those domains are leadership and governance, academic rigor and quality, financial viability and sustainability, the extent to which an applicant is positioned to fill a demonstrated market need, and operational strength (including facilities and operational expertise). Much of the work is independent, but we meet regularly as a team on Zoom (and occasionally in person) to hone diligence practices and policies and discuss investment decisions and challenges faced by our grantees. The investment diligence and recommendation process is both collaborative and iterative, with feedback provided by multiple partners. Ultimately, all school investments must be approved by the Drexel board of directors.

Each of us at Drexel has unique responsibilities in addition to the shared school investment work. These include leading an annual cohort through Drexel’s fellowship program for aspiring school founders, fundraising, stakeholder communications, Drexel financial management, and quarterbacking and codifying investment management processes and recordkeeping. In a new hire we are looking to add to this list—both in terms of role(s) and expertise. New areas of emphasis may include policy and advocacy, marketing and communications, convening and knowledge sharing (with schools), and special education.

Experience as a school leader or founder or in an adjacent education role is vital at The Drexel Fund. Our current team of staff and consultants includes three school founders, whose experiences span public, charter and private schools, two leaders with experience funding the creation and expansion of high-impact schools, and another with deep experience evaluating and authorizing public charter schools. Above all, we are looking for candidates who are passionate about and committed to the advancement of K-12 educational opportunities in underserved communities and have the ability to discern the leadership and organizational talents needed to start and scale effective schools.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Below is a general outline of responsibilities. The Drexel Fund is a nimble and fast-moving organization. Note that roles and responsibilities may evolve to meet the needs of the organization and portfolio schools that we support.

• • In one or more states, lead the process to identify and cultivate prospective grantees, meeting with and getting to know aspiring school leaders and the local/regional organizations that support them
  • Coach and support prospective school founders through the school-design process, including—but not limited to—visioning, strategic planning, business plan development, and market and data analysis
  • Lead and/or participate in intensive due diligence on promising and high-performing school operators, including analysis of business plans, financial projections, student achievement data, leadership teams and market conditions
  • Prepare investment proposals and recommendations for the Fund’s partners and board of directors
  • Work closely with Drexel team members on investments, research and analytic projects
  • Maintain close relationships with grantees during their grant period, advising when opportunities arise, visiting occasionally to observe progress, and gathering data and reporting as required by the terms of their grant agreements
  • Collaborate with team members to plan the Fund’s annual portfolio convening and to continuously improve internal processes and workflow
  • Research and have a deep understanding of state policies that impact operators of private, K-12 schools (especially voucher and ESA programs that offer scholarships for low-income students)
  • Leverage insights obtained through applicant and portfolio school analyses to contribute to strategic decisions regarding Drexel’s investment goals and strategies
  • Without lessening accountability, steward a “customer service” mindset in communicating with and requesting data from grantees
  • Take lead responsibility for an aspect of Drexel’s strategy and/or operation that is auxiliary to our school investment work; this could be fundraising, policy and/or advocacy, external communications, fundraising, or co-managing Drexel’s annual conference for grantees (depending on a candidate’s background, interests and expertise)

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Skills and Characteristics

• • Deep commitment to the mission of The Drexel Fund
  • Experience with and understanding of the factors that drive and support the operation of high-impact K-12 schools
  • Strong strategic thinking, analytical and creative problem-solving skills
  • The ability to write clear and concise memos, usually on short- to medium-term deadlines
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, particularly the ability to work closely with colleagues and our diverse groups of grantees
  • Savvy project management ability that yields efficiency but prioritizes impact and effectiveness
  • Ability to work seamlessly between strategic thinking and detail-oriented work
  • Ability to produce individually and nurture team dynamics while working remotely (Drexel team members live and work in different places)
  • Familiarity with nonprofit budgeting and financial reporting; can read and evaluate standard financial statements (Statements of Financial Position and Activity, 990 tax returns); demonstrated proficiency in Excel

Educational Background and Work Experience

• • Five or more years of work experience that translates to Drexel’s needs, preferably including one or more analytical or evaluative roles—e.g., school leadership, nonprofit grantmaking and evaluation, management consulting, public policy, venture capital or corporate strategy
  • Preferred but not required (one or more of the following): experience in special education; a track record in K-12 or nonprofit fundraising; external communications skills (producing e-newsletters, website development, social media marketing); K-12 policy and/or advocacy; convening and/or knowledge-sharing

References

• • Professional references will be required toward the end of the recruitment process

WORKING AT THE DREXEL FUND

The Drexel Fund seeks to hire and develop people who are mission-driven and highly effective. We believe that building diverse perspectives across our team makes us more effective at achieving our mission. We operate as a small and mighty team, with ownership for results distributed among us. We value effort, accountability, entrepreneurship, integrity and collaboration (both within our team and with our amazing grantees).

TRAVEL

Some business travel is required. Travel needs ebb and flow, but a general guideline is one to two trips lasting one to three days each per month (less in the summer months when schools are not in session). Staff can live anywhere in the continental United States; proximity to one or more of Drexel’s target states is a plus.

COMPENSATION

Compensation is commensurate with experience, with a range comparable to that for school principals and heads of school nationally. The Drexel Fund, while prioritizing the granting of funds to mission-driven, nonprofit schools, offers a competitive pay and benefits package.

START DATE

There is flexibility regarding a start date (between 10/1/26 and 1/15/27).

TO APPLY

Please send a resume and cover letter to Heather Bokon: heather@drexelfund.org. Use “Applying for Position” in the subject line.

E-VERIFY STATEMENT

This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the I-9 form.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

The Drexel Fund provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees.

The Drexel Fund, while prioritizing the granting of funds to mission-driven, nonprofit schools, offers a competitive pay and benefits package.

Remote Position

Benefits Include: Health Insurance, HSA, SEP IRA