Partner, Business Development Strategy

Partner, Business Development Strategy

Start Date:Immediate
Role Type:Full-Time
Location:Flexible location, in the USA
Travel: Willingness to travel up to once a quarter.

Who We Are:

Transcend's mission is to support communities to create and spread extraordinary, equitable learning environments. Founded in 2015, Transcend has partnered with over 200 schools and 50 systems which collectively serve nearly 500,000 students in 30 states across the country. As a research and development (R&D) hub for the education field, Transcend provides schools and systems with research-backed, community-driven models and capacity so they can make significant leaps to reimagine the future of education. Transcend is a nonprofit that operates with a fully remote, nationwide team.

For more information, visit our website; follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter; or check out this recent podcast featuring our two co-founders on Class Disrupted.

The Opportunity:

The Partner, Business Development Strategy plays a critical role in supporting the long-term success of the SPOT team (development, partnerships, and business development team). Working closely with the Chief Partnerships Officer (CPO), this role develops and implements strategic plans, monitors progress toward achieving team goals, provides ongoing management of the organization's partner and revenue pipelines, leads strategic initiatives and special projects, serves as the primary liaison with key cross-functional partners, and helps create and maintain a healthy and thriving SPOT team.

As the Partner, Business Development Strategy at Transcend, you will get to:

Partner and co-lead team-wide annual strategic planning and progress monitoring.

• Design and lead the team's annual strategic planning process, coordinating across SPOT team members and with key cross-functional partners.
• Support the CPO in developing and managing the team budget.
• Coach/serve as a thought partner to SPOT team members in developing individual plans.
• Design and lead a consistent progress monitoring process, including facilitating quarterly stepbacks that allow the team to reflect on wins and revise plans where needed.
• Create materials that synthesize insights, recommendations, and decisions (like PPTs, memos, and one-pagers) to ensure team alignment and communicate with others.

Provide ongoing management of the organization's "action-ready" partner and revenue pipelines.

• In partnership with Strategy, Network, and Finance ensure that annual and multi-year partner and revenue targets are clearly defined (by pathway and Portfolio).
• Develop and implement a cross-functional process to regularly and consistently monitor and communicate progress against pathways targets (including actuals and forecasts).
• Lead efforts to streamline and improve the cross-functional process to regularly and consistently monitor and communicate progress against funding/revenue targets (including actuals and forecasts).
• Lead diligence and recommendations to develop an aligned pricing strategy for new offerings (e.g. Institute).
• Lead the design and facilitation of intentional spaces for key stakeholder groups to review and discuss progress, share and internalize insights, and surface implications for overall strategy and planning.

Build Managing Partner capacity to play a key role in the organization's revenue strategy.

• Lead SPOT team efforts to define the vision and roles and responsibilities for Managing Partners in the organization's revenue strategy.
• Manage the process to build MP capacity and provide the tools and resources necessary to successfully fulfill those roles and responsibilities in collaboration with the SPOT team.
• Build key tools, resources, and processes not owned by other members of the SPOT team.

Lead and/or contribute to team-based and cross-functional strategic initiatives and special projects.

• Lead funded Business Development projects.
• Track and monitor progress towards grant deliverables for major cross-functional grants in collaboration with relevant Relationship Managers, elevating issues where needed.
• Serve as an individual contributor, working group member, or project manager for identified team-based or cross-functional strategic initiatives.
• Serve as a coach and thought partner to SPOT team members in executing their own strategic initiatives.
• Partner closely with the CPO and Managing Director, External Affairs to identify and action plan around key strategic questions as surfaced by the team and its work.
• Tackle special projects, as identified by the CPO.

Serve as the primary liaison with key cross-functional partners

• Serve as a Relationship Manager/liaison for identified Portfolio and Asset teams (likely to include Capacity, Network, and Product).
• Participate in cross-functional working groups or efforts as relevant.
• Represent CPO in cross-functional spaces where needed.

Support CPO to create and maintain a healthy and thriving team.

• In collaboration with the CPO, develop and execute a plan for teaming structures, systems, routines, and rituals (e.g. annual retreats, team meetings)
• Create an annual, quarterly, monthly, and weekly calendar of activities, along with the vision, purpose, and agendas for these various meeting spaces
• Co-facilitate spaces.
• Regularly gather and support the processing of internal team feedback; recommend and implement improvements as identified.
• Serve as a culture carrier on the team.
• Manage the Operations Associate, ensuring high-quality support across their responsibilities and developing plans and strategies to support meaningful professional growth and development.

Who You Are:You are a strategic leader and operational mastermind with deep experience in business development and strategy. With a passion for growing partnerships, you excel at transforming complex ideas into actionable plans. Your ability to navigate complex systems, build strong relationships, and leverage both to drive impactful results is unparalleled. You're not only adept at driving results but equally brilliant at building the conditions for teams and teammates to thrive. You're a catalyst for collaboration, fostering an environment where everyone can shine and your ability to inspire and empower others is as essential to your success as your strategic acumen. And above all, you're energized by the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of students and are excited to contribute your strategic and business development expertise to a mission-driven organization.

To all this, you bring:

• A commitment to Transcend's mission of building and spreading equitable, extraordinary learning environments.
• Proving experience in driving and operationalizing revenue strategy forward with growing non-profits, fostering strong partnerships, and building sustainable revenue pipelines.
• A strong orientation toward deep collaboration, relationship-building, and creating the conditions for cross-functional teams to work together and thrive.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to craft compelling narratives and articulate complex ideas.
• Demonstrated expertise in project management, strategic planning, and process optimization.
• Financial acumen and an understanding of financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting.
• A commitment to advancing and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the events you manage, the ways you communicate, and how you approach your work.
• A willingness to travel up to once a quarter
• Flexibility, optimism, and a desire to learn and grow.
• Eagerness to embrace and live into Transcend's core values.

Perks and Benefits:

Transcend is committed to providing our colleagues with a competitive benefits package. Transcend offers medical, dental and vision coverage options, org-wide holidays, paid time off, paid parental leave, professional development opportunities, and fully remote work. We're also proud of our values-grounded, equity-focused, and fun(!) work environment, incredible colleagues, and a dedication to our work and each other.

Join Us!

Transcend is an equal opportunity employer. We are building a diverse team that values diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we encourage candidates from historically under-represented groups to apply.