Executive Director, Strategic Innovation

About the role

This fully remote position offers a unique opportunity to shape national education outcomes by leading strategic innovation initiatives that improve community‑college transfer success and expand access for underserved learners.

Key responsibilities

• Define, design, and execute innovative programs that drive educational equity and student transfer success across higher‑education systems.
• Oversee the entire product development lifecycle—from discovery research and concept validation to pilot launch and scalable implementation.
• Manage and mentor cross‑functional teams of product leaders, designers, engineers, and data professionals, fostering a collaborative, high‑performing culture.
• Develop strategic plans, success metrics, operational frameworks, and timelines to guide initiatives and evaluate impact.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal leaders, educational institutions, and external partners to ensure alignment and adoption.
• Champion user‑centered design and data‑informed decision‑making to address real learner and institutional challenges.

Required profile

• 12‑15+ years of experience in product management, innovation, engineering, design, or related leadership roles with a proven track record of taking new products or services from concept to scale.
• Minimum 5 years leading high‑performing, cross‑functional teams in fast‑paced, ambiguous or zero‑to‑one environments.
• Strong strategic thinking and operational leadership ability to translate complex problems into actionable plans.
• Demonstrated experience within higher education or related sectors is preferred.

Required skills

• Product development lifecycle management.
• User‑centered design methodology.
• Data‑driven decision making.
• Strategic planning and execution.