Director, Academic Strategy

Job description

**This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Director, Academic Strategy based in the United States.** This is a senior education strategy role focused on strengthening academic performance and student outcomes across a nationwide K–12 portfolio. You will translate academic, engagement, graduation, and accountability data into clear priorities, scalable frameworks, and practical support for schools. The role owns a comprehensive School Playbook and annual planning process designed to improve consistency, rigor, and evidence-based decision-making. You will work closely with school leaders and cross-functional teams to strengthen Tier 1 instruction, academic supports, implementation quality, and student success. The position also provides strategic oversight of national school counseling priorities, including graduation planning, course completion, and postsecondary readiness. As a people leader, you will guide program managers while building systems that enable effective practices to scale across diverse schools and contexts. This remote opportunity is ideal for an experienced educational strategist who combines strong analytical thinking with exceptional leadership, communication, and execution skills. ### Accountabilities - Develop, refine, and execute a K–12 academic strategy aligned with organizational priorities, student outcomes, and state accountability expectations. - Own and continuously improve the K–12 School Playbook and annual school planning process, including planning requirements, quality standards, guidance, tools, and supporting resources. - Manage the Academic Strategy function’s budget and staffing plan, allocating resources effectively to support strategic priorities and Playbook execution. - Ensure academic planning is integrated across instruction, assessment, MTSS, professional learning, observation, graduation strategy, and related school priorities. - Design and lead rigorous Playbook review and feedback processes that improve planning quality, consistency, and implementation across schools. - Analyze academic, engagement, graduation, and accountability data to identify systemic trends, performance gaps, risks, and opportunities, translating findings into actionable priorities. - Identify effective practices and recurring implementation challenges, codify successful approaches, and scale evidence-informed solutions across the portfolio. - Lead proactive academic supports and instructional strategy implementation, with a particular focus on Tier 1 instruction, student academic supports, and implementation fidelity. - Establish clear frameworks, expectations, tools, professional learning, and resources that enable schools to consistently implement effective academic practices. - Partner with school and portfolio leaders to understand contextual challenges, strengthen execution, and ensure national strategies remain practical and responsive. - Provide strategic oversight for national school counseling priorities, including graduation planning, on-track monitoring, course and credit completion, postsecondary planning, student engagement, and accountability outcomes. - Direct program managers in translating strategic priorities into implementation plans, school-facing resources, professional learning, and operational support. - Evaluate academic and counseling initiatives using implementation and outcome data, recommending adjustments and continuous improvements where needed. - Collaborate with Accountability, Assessment, Research, Curriculum, School Services, Special Programs, Career Readiness, Transformation, and other functions to align academic strategies and organizational support. - Lead and develop direct reports while fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, strategic execution, and student-centered decision-making. ## Requirements - Master’s degree in education, educational leadership, curriculum and instruction, school administration, or a related field; an Ed.D., Ph.D., or other advanced degree is preferred. - At least 10 years of experience in educational leadership, academic strategy, instructional leadership, school leadership, program leadership, or a comparable field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. - Demonstrated experience using academic and student performance data to establish strategy and improve outcomes across multiple schools, programs, or stakeholder groups. - Deep knowledge of effective K–12 instructional practices, academic performance measures, graduation outcomes, and school accountability systems. - Strong quantitative and qualitative analytical capabilities, with the ability to identify systemic patterns and translate complex findings into practical strategies. - Proven ability to design coherent planning processes, quality standards, review mechanisms, and continuous improvement systems that strengthen implementation. - Experience developing scalable academic frameworks, tools, resources, and operating practices across multiple schools or locations. - Strong strategic thinking, problem-solving, project management, and execution skills, with the ability to move effectively from analysis to implementation. - Demonstrated leadership and talent-development capabilities, including experience coaching, developing, and motivating teams through change. - Outstanding written, verbal, presentation, and executive communication skills, with confidence engaging senior leaders and diverse stakeholders. - Strong cross-functional collaboration skills and the ability to build alignment across complex organizations. - Highly organized and results-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple high-priority initiatives in a deadline-driven environment. - Experience as a school or district instructional leader, in virtual education, across multiple states or locations, or with school counseling, graduation, or student success functions is highly desirable. - Experience developing organization-wide academic strategies, instructional frameworks, school planning processes, or continuous improvement systems is preferred. ## Benefits - Annual salary range of **$122,073.75–$155,025**, with compensation determined by factors including geographic location, experience, education, training, qualifications, and local market conditions. - Eligible employees may receive a performance-based bonus. - Robust benefits package that may include health benefits, retirement contributions, and paid time off. - Fully remote position open to candidates located across all **50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.** - Opportunity to influence academic strategy and student outcomes across a large, nationwide K–12 education portfolio. - Senior-level visibility and the opportunity to collaborate with school leaders and multidisciplinary teams. - Leadership and professional development opportunities through ownership of strategic initiatives and portfolio-wide programs. - Opportunity to build scalable systems, frameworks, and evidence-based practices that can improve outcomes across diverse school communities. - Inclusive environment focused on personalized learning, innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.