Director, Work-Based Learning

Strada’s Work-Based Learning (WBL) team is responsible for advancing a vision that all learners have access to work-based learning experiences, including paid internships and apprenticeships, that help connect their education to their career aspirations. The WBL team sits within Strada’s postsecondary education strategy and programming. This dynamic and collaborative team has a focus on building partnerships with postsecondary education institutions, employers and employer-facing intermediaries, and other national organizations and foundations working to drive systems-level change that will improve access to quality work-based learning, especially for those individuals who have faced the greatest barriers. 

The Director is a full-time position within Strada’s Work-Based learning pillar on Strada’s Postsecondary Education team. The Director will support the development of initiatives and provide project management and chief of staff-oriented support to the work-based learning team. The Director may also provide significant support to an initiative, or a similar, high-impact project. The Director also provides grantmaking support and other project management support for Strada’s executive stakeholder leader(s) and their teams.

The Director is an organized project leader on the Work-Based Learning pillar team and must have the skills and experience to work both collaboratively and independently with limited day-to-day direction from a Vice President and/or Senior Vice President. The person in this role may be assigned responsibility to oversee the work of colleagues contributing to a strategic initiative being led by the Director. This role is expected to help source and fund the most promising practices in the field, create a culture of continuous learning and improvement, and build relationships with a variety of organizations aligned with Strada’s strategy, values, and goals.

This role requires a collaborative leader with relevant subject matter expertise, experience with similar strategic initiatives, and a track record of building relationships of trust with peer funders, grantees, educational institutions, major employers, policymakers, or similar field leaders relevant to Strada’s mission. Outstanding people, communications, and leadership skills are required.

Strada Education Foundation is a national nonprofit social impact organization that supports programs, policies, and organizations that strengthen connections between education and employment in the U.S., with a special focus on helping those who have faced the greatest challenges securing economic opportunity through postsecondary education or training (PSET). Our new strategic plan focuses on five strategic pillars: clear outcomes, quality coaching, affordable PSET, work-based learning, and employer alignment. 

We work with partners in education and training, nonprofit organizations, industry, startups, and public policy. We leverage strategic philanthropy, investments, research, communications, advocacy, and collaborating organizations as tools to help advance equitable pathways to opportunity. Strada aspires to be a nonprofit partner of choice working with education and training providers and leaders, policymakers, and peer organizations. Strada offers a dynamic, collaborative, and inspiring professional environment that provides learning and professional development opportunities, both within the organization and with external partners. 

Our work-based learning team is focused on activating a vision that all learners have access to work-based learning experiences, including paid internships and apprenticeships, that help connect their education to their career aspirations. We will do this through a stakeholder-driven strategy that supports state and institutional leaders, employers, and intermediaries in implementing work-based learning, and through research that elevates and advocates for the highest quality, most accessible work-based learning models.

• The Director has four core responsibility areas, listed below with the approximate time required.

• Provide input on work-based learning strategy, including initiative development, goal-setting and operational planning.
• In partnership with SVP, support initiatives related to supporting work-based learning intermediaries.
• Support the development of an advisory group of experts related to work-based learning intermediaries.
• Provide strategic insights, milestone learnings, and future recommendations on initiative impact.
• Ensure initiative spending is within budget.
• In collaboration with the Senior Vice President and pillar team (and/or Executive Sponsor), help manage all initiative activities with Strada colleagues to maximize alignment towards our mission and North Star.
• Working with the Senior Vice President and pillar team, report on initiative progress to senior leadership and the board, as needed.

• Cultivate and manage relationships with a portfolio of grantees in work-based learning throughout the lifecycle of the grants.
• Ensure all initiative grantmaking is fully compliant with Strada’s comprehensive grants management systems and processes; own and manage grant compliance and reporting processes for the work-based learning team.
• Help create and maintain a service culture for grantees by monitoring grantee deliverables, budgets, measurement and evaluation, while also maximizing the range and types of support Strada provides to grantees and minimizing administrative burdens.
• Provide grantmaking strategy, advice, and support for assigned Strada executive stakeholder leader and team, and their relevant grantees and partners.
• Cultivate and manage relationships with key funders to facilitate co-funding opportunities and to connect organizations that may not be right fit for Strada to other funders.
• Cultivate and manage trusting relationships with key organizations and leaders in fields relevant to the initiative. Keep and share documentation as appropriate.

• Support work-based learning team in team agenda management, coordination with other internal teams, meeting preparation and external presentation development.
• Represent work-based learning team on various internal and external committees.
• In collaboration with the Senior Vice President and pillar team, communicate regularly with Postsecondary Education team colleagues, other Strada staff, and experts in the field to assess needs and opportunities in fields relevant to the initiative.
• Maintain subject matter expertise in relevant fields through reading, attending conferences, and other knowledge sharing efforts. In consultation with the supervisor, the Director may also represent Strada presenting  at conferences and/or speaking at other public venues.
• Coordinate with the research team to ensure evaluations and other knowledge is informing Strada’s research agenda and is being shared with relevant stakeholders.

• Help manage the day-to-day work of selected interns and/or contractors (if applicable), including assigning and directing work, evaluating performance, and delivering timely and constructive feedback, in accordance with policies and applicable. laws. Provide mentoring and coaching to colleagues, where applicable.
• Support an inclusive workplace culture through actively engaging in Strada’s diversity, equity, and inclusion activities. Incorporate tools and processes to deliver on Strada’s commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion through grantmaking.
• Support  Human Resources and DEI leadership on policies and programs that attract, promote, develop, and retain staff of diverse backgrounds.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or related experience

• Issue expertise, with at least 5 years of experience in a relevant aspect of higher education, philanthropy, workforce development, or a similar field.
• Demonstrated experience in a project management and/or chief of staff capacity playing a coordination role to senior leadership.
• Combination of strong leadership, communication, and collaboration skills with the ability to work with colleagues at all levels of the organization.
• Clear, concise, and nuanced written and oral communication skills.
• Experience working on DEI-related projects.
• Good judgment and the ability to maintain composure under pressure.
• Excellent organizational, multi-tasking, time management, and prioritization skills.

• Understanding of best practices in grantmaking, ideally with a track record aligned with Strada’s “wings not weights” approach.
• Experience leading a grantmaking initiative, ideally in a field relevant to Strada’s mission.
• Experience disseminated knowledge through webinars, as a conference speaker, or similar public venues.
• At least three years experience managing day-to-day work of colleagues.

Personal Attributes:

Strategic problem solver, disciplined and creative mind, player-coach mentality, takes initiative, embraces ownership and responsibility, secure in sharing and receiving feedback, elevates the success of others, finds fulfillment in teaching and mentoring, eager learner, contagious enthusiasm, integrity and courage, committed to improving individual lives and our society.

Travel Requirements:

The Director will provide leadership and represent Strada in varied settings across the country. It is likely the role will naturally entail some travel for conferences and other meetings. While there is no minimum envisioned, the Director can expect to spend approximately 10-15% of their time away from home on business travel. The amount of travel may vary based on the location of the employee, conference schedules, and the time of year.

Typical Physical & Mental Demands:

Requires prolonged sitting with some bending, stooping and stretching; eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity sufficient to operate a keyboard, telephone, and other office equipment. Requires normal range of hearing and eyesight to record, prepare and communicate appropriate reports. Also requires moderate to intense concentration due to complexity and/or need to meet deadlines, and flexibility to readily adapt to a changing environment.

Mission and Values Alignment:

Committed to providing equitable pathways to opportunity through PSET, particularly for individuals who have faced significant barriers. Demonstrated alignment with Strada's guiding values, commitment to building a strong and healthy workplace culture, and working in a collaborative environment.    

Strategy and Innovation Leadership:

Adept at operationalizing strategy and effectively communicating strategic endeavors within the organization and in external contexts, both verbally and in writing. Particular skill in designing annual plans, monitoring progress, and refining plans as needed. Adaptable with tolerance for ambiguity. Able to problem-solve and navigate varied viewpoints. Capacity to refine efforts based on evidence that change is needed. Ability to lead efforts to visualize and monitor change. Capability to see and support innovative ideas and opportunities across the organization, and to embed innovation within operational plans. Capabilities in taking the perspective of others and adapting an agenda and approach – toward a shared aim - accordingly.   

Strategic Problem Solving: 

Ability to effectively utilize a hypothesis-driven approach to problem solving, with effective quantitative and communication skills. Ability to take on broad-reaching and sometimes ambiguous questions while working collaboratively and cross-functionally with Strada team members across the organization.  

Execution and Operations Leadership:

Ability to translate innovative, strategic ideas into tangible, actionable steps, as well as to effectively monitor progress and partner with others on identifying improvements during implementation to increase the likelihood of successful execution.  

DEI Commitment:

Commitment and professional experience advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within and organization, including incorporating stakeholder perspectives in the design, implementation, and evaluation of strategic efforts.    

Relationship Building and Collaborative Capabilities: 

Demonstrated ability to cultivate, grow, and manage positive, mutually beneficial relationships at all levels of an organization and with partners outside the organization. Strong communication, interpersonal and relationship management skills—including identifying and working through challenges—underscored by strong judgment and emotional intelligence. Proven collaborator, able to work with colleagues at all levels in the organization. 

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to Strada’s organizational vibrancy, employee experience, and mission. Strada is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workplace-certified by Diversity for Social Impact, a strategic professional and organization development company dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion to drive social impact worldwide. We strongly encourage applicants from people of color/the global majority, immigrant, bilingual, and bicultural individuals; people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA2S+  and gender nonconforming communities; and people with other diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. We believe every member on the team enriches our workplace by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and discover, design, and deliver critical insights and solutions.