Your Role as Director of Partnerships

The Director of Partnerships owns BGS’s national expansion. This is a business development role: approximately 90% of your time is spent sourcing, cultivating, and closing new client relationships across school networks, charter management organizations, districts, and foundations. The remaining 10% will involve support of ongoing projects, leveraging your credibility as an effective school leader.

We want to be a school leader’s first call when they are faced with a challenge; the first number they dial will be yours. You build and work a national pipeline, represent the firm at conferences and convenings as a credible practitioner voice, and develop the referral network that allows warm leads to find us as often as we find them. You own the full sales cycle — from first contact through proposal, negotiation, and close — and you build our momentum from the ground up.

This is a start-up role, with uncapped upside, inside a mission-driven firm. The infrastructure, brand recognition, and systems of a large consultancy do not exist here yet; you will be the one who builds them. If that energizes you, read on. If it gives you pause, this is probably not the right fit.

Your Responsibilities

Cultivate long-term relationships with school and system leaders, funders, and partner organizations
Develop and execute BGS's brand awareness strategy in the field: identifying the conferences, publications, networks, and conversations where BGS should have a seat and representing our team
Build and manage a national pipeline of prospective clients
Build BGS’s referral and partnership network — including funders, adjacent organizations, peer firms, and education leadership programs — so that warm leads find us as often as we find them
Track market intelligence: where funding is flowing, which networks are growing, and what problems school leaders are prioritizing
Collaborate with the Partners on proposal and scoping conversations, and ultimately, hand off new engagements to the project team with relationship continuity

Your Beliefs & Behaviors

You believe in our Core Beliefs and in the theory of action behind the Blueprint.
You take ownership over the firm’s growth with a long-term horizon. You understand that the best client relationships take 12 to 18 months to close, and you invest accordingly.
You are a builder of great teams and networks. There is no playbook for this role yet (a feature, not a bug, as some might say).
You communicate with candor and credibility, and you are a connector. You invest in relationships because you believe the work matters beyond any single engagement.
You are deeply motivated by building a legacy, and joining a team that believes we can transform student outcomes through improving schools.

Your Qualifications for Director of Partnerships

At least 7 years of experience in education leadership, start-up growth, or a combination of both.
A track record in school leadership, system leadership, or school design, with outstanding results that distinguish you as a leader.
Presence in the field: conference speaking experience, published writing, or a professional reputation that opens doors in the rooms that matter.
An existing network in the PK–12 sector. You can identify prospective BGS clients and begin working relationships from day one.
Comfort with the full sales cycle — sourcing, cultivating, scoping, proposing, negotiating, and closing — in a start-up environment. In this role, you will work directly with the founding Partners to develop and deliver on an expansion strategy that will transform schools.
Preferred: Demonstrated success in a senior sales, business development, or growth role — in education services, consulting, or an adjacent field. We want to see pipeline you have built and deals you have closed.
A Bachelor’s degree or higher.

Compensation for Director of Partnerships

Base salary starting at $150,000, commensurate with experience.
Total compensation rises significantly based on portfolio growth, with uncapped upside tied directly to revenue generated.
As a fast-growing, mission-driven firm, we are committed to investing in our people. We offer flexible work, unlimited Paid Time Off, professional development opportunities, and wellness stipends that reflect our Core Belief in building systems and structures that enable educators to achieve their fullest potential.

Blueprint to Great Schools jobs

Director of Partnerships