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Position Summary

Working from a home office with the ability for substantial travel, the Director of Policy and Educational Partnerships at Pearson Virtual Schools is a field professional reporting to the Vice President of Policy and Educational Partnerships. The primary responsibility is to develop new Connections Academy partnerships and foster a positive policy environment in an assigned geographic region. You will establish relationships with key decision makers and influencers in education, such as state/district/school administrators, legislators, associations, company executives, and university leaders. Leveraging your experience, relationships, and expertise, you will create new growth opportunities for Pearson Virtual Schools. The role requires independence, innovation, entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, and knowledge to bring large opportunities to successful outcomes. You will set and execute regional business strategies, be forward-thinking, and negotiate terms beneficial to Pearson and its customers. The ideal candidate enjoys solving complex problems, providing leadership across cross-functional teams, demonstrating exceptional communication skills, embodying Pearson's core values, and thriving in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Demonstrate expertise in business development and state policy, establishing leadership in these areas. Deliver new full-time virtual school opportunities aligned with organizational strategy to meet or exceed goals.
2. Lead projects to successful completion, demonstrating leadership skills internally and externally.
3. Develop partnership strategies and go-to-market plans to meet regional and national objectives, including college-career and other new partnership models.
4. Create and lead strategies to educate, inform, interpret, and influence public policies supporting virtual schools and programs, building relationships with high-profile new customers.
5. Collaborate with sales and Customer Success teams to identify paths to achieve new partner school goals leveraging existing relationships.
6. Work with state-based lobbyists and advocates to monitor and influence legislation, regulations, and policies affecting Pearson Virtual Schools in the U.S.
7. Understand key national and state issues, rules, and regulations; implement state-specific strategic initiatives to meet new business objectives, communicating effectively with stakeholders.
8. Build ongoing relationships with regulators, policy influencers, and advocacy organizations.
9. Develop and implement public policy plans to enter new markets and states in line with Pearson's strategic plan.
10. Collaborate with Pearson's U.S. Government Affairs team to support broader public policy interests.
11. Research, report, and communicate policies, legislation, and regulations to stakeholders.
12. Communicate complex ideas persuasively with school leaders, decision-makers, and leadership teams to identify and secure strategic partnerships.
13. Analyze industry trends, market research, and professional publications to demonstrate knowledge of online learning theories and practices.
14. Address key concerns and present mutually beneficial solutions.
15. Lead internal teams in new school development, building trust and solving operational and complex problems to meet business goals.
16. Make operational and commercial decisions on new opportunities by evaluating economic and strategic factors.
17. Provide deep subject matter expertise, understanding business needs, solutions, and demonstrating how products meet customer needs.
18. Oversee the proposal process, coordinating with stakeholders to design solutions and meet deadlines.
19. Build and nurture a network of stakeholders, including education, legislative, community, and business leaders, and families.
20. Lead and empower a diverse group of founding board members and establish a local advocacy network, collaborating with marketing on communication tactics.
21. Manage cross-functional teams (Legal, Finance, Marketing, Product, Customer Success) to achieve business objectives.
22. Execute and be accountable for medium-term strategies to meet new school targets aligned with product roadmaps, financial goals, and regulatory compliance.

Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

1. 10+ years in education reform, school development, educational policy, government affairs, strategic partnerships, or online learning experience.
2. Bachelor's degree required; Master's preferred (e.g., JD, MPP, Economics, MBA, School Administration).
3. Strong persuasion, prioritization, and relationship-building skills; ability to influence at all organizational levels.
4. Proven success in a cross-functional environment and understanding the complex sales process.
5. Ability to embrace change and influence others regarding its reasons.
6. Team player with collaborative skills and a proven success record.
7. Independent, proactive, with minimal supervision required.
8. Ability to network and build relationships with educational decision-makers.
9. Knowledge of virtual education policy issues and experience in policy change implementation.
10. Experience collaborating with administration and policymakers, including senior management and customers.
11. Outstanding work ethic, capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously, with no prior issues around relationships, work ethic, integrity, or initiative.
12. Willing to travel frequently (at least 50%) within the territory; valid driver's license required.
13. End-to-end negotiation experience, including developing and executing partnerships.
14. Strategic and creative thinking with sound business judgment and analytics.
15. Excellent oral and written communication skills to convey complex issues and influence others.

Compensation varies based on factors like skill set, experience, and location. The salary range for this position in certain states is between $140,000 - $145,000. This role is eligible for an annual incentive and benefits.

Who We Are

At Pearson, our purpose is to help people realize their potential through learning. We are the world's lifelong learning company, committed to making every learning opportunity a personal breakthrough. Learn more about us: We are Pearson.

Pearson is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in E-Verify. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business need, without regard to protected classes. We seek qualified candidates including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For accommodations, contact ...@grp.pearson.com.

Job Details

• Job: SALES
• Organization: Virtual Learning
• Schedule: FULL_TIME
• Workplace Type: Remote
• Req ID: 19560