Director of Strategy

EdFund is an organization designed to foster and invest in rigorous, policy-relevant education finance research reflecting diverse perspectives and to connect policymakers and advocates with actionable findings.

We envision high-quality education finance research, conducted by a diverse community, which drives more effective state policy solutions to align resources with students’ needs. In order to work toward this vision, we engage in four critical workstreams: curating policy-relevant research agendas; commissioning work through a variety of partnerships and funding opportunities; communicating research findings for policy audiences; and connecting researchers with policymakers and advocates.

Position Summary

The Director of Strategy is a full-time, cross-functional leader who sets and operationalizes organizational strategy, aligns the team around priorities, and ensures EdFund’s positioning and partnerships advance the organization’s mission. This role blends strategy, partnerships/development, communications, and internal capacity-building: distilling the Executive Director’s vision into concrete plans and establishing the organization’s brand identity across a variety of stakeholders.

The Director of Strategy will serve as a strategic thought-partner to the Executive Director, an internal integrator who connects people and processes, and an external translator who frames EdFund’s value for funders and partners.

This position reports directly to the Executive Director and is a fully remote role.

Key Responsibilities

Organizational Strategy & Design

• Translate Executive Director’s vision into strategy and execution by converting priorities into quarterly and annual plans, milestones, and decision frameworks
• Anticipate key next steps and surface options and tradeoffs so the Executive Director can focus on pursuing high-value opportunities
• Lead organizational design and prioritization; recommend structures, roles, and processes to scale initiatives effectively

Brand Identity & Communications

• Shape EdFund’s brand identity and contextualize our work within the broader education finance landscape; craft materials and resources that differentiate the organization in the field
• Prepare the Executive Director and team for high-stakes meetings by producing and polishing external-facing materials (e.g., briefs, one-pagers, slide decks, reports, and media talking points); ensure consistent look and feel across website, reports, and other materials
• Support the Executive Director with sourcing opportunities and people in the field to champion EdFund’s mission and long-term vision; field press or partner inquiries as needed

Partnerships & Development Engagement

• Prepare, package, and enable the Executive Director to close funding and partnership asks (i.e., briefing memos, tailored pitch decks, follow-up plans)
• Lead initial outreach with new foundations or strategic partners; manage day-to-day cultivation efforts

Project Management & Internal Capacity-Building

• Drive internal system improvements and standardize templates, processes, and workflows to increase efficiency and quality
• Manage cross-functional team projects (e.g., fellowships, research pipelines) and ensure timely delivery of services or deliverables
• Provide project guidance and support to the Director of Outreach & Engagement and other staff, as needed

Qualifications & Experience

• At least 10 years of experience in nonprofit education, education policy/finance, management, or consulting with demonstrated experience in strategy, partnerships, or communications
• Experience scaling organizations or programs; strong project management and organizational design experience
• Exceptional written and oral communication; experience in translating complex topics to a wide range of audiences
• Proven track record in building and managing external relationships to shape organizational growth and amplify field presence
• Familiarity with education finance, state policy, or related research landscapes strongly preferred
• Experience managing research grants (RFPs, grant reports, grantee management) strongly preferred

Benefits

• Unlimited PTO with Executive Director approval
• 401(k) Plan with EdFund match on first 5% of employee contribution
• 100% coverage of the premium costs for vision, dental, and health insurance
• Employer-paid long-term and short-term disability coverage
• Employer-paid life insurance policy of $50,000

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