Director / Business Development

Join Learning Forward as our next Director of Business Development

Learning Forward is looking for a strategic, relationship-driven Director of Business Development to help power our next chapter of growth. This is a rare opportunity to shape how a mission-driven organization builds partnerships, expands its reach, and strengthens its financial sustainability — all in service of better professional learning for educators nationwide.

If you're energized by translating market insight into strategy, love building the systems and relationships that drive revenue, and want your work to directly support the people shaping K–12 education, we encourage you to apply.

Position Summary

The Director of Business Development is a key driver for Learning Forward's revenue growth — building the strategy for lead generation, pipeline growth, cultivation execution, and systems infrastructure that will help expand the organization's reach, impact, and financial sustainability. This is primarily a strategy and enablement role: most strategies developed by the Director are executed in partnership with or handed off to the SVP of Research & Strategy or the SVP of Professional Services and other senior leaders.

The Director also engages directly with the field — leading focus groups and listening sessions with district-level practitioners to inform strategy. For state agency, superintendent-level, and major funder relationships, the Director leads strategy and stays engaged, while final relationship ownership and negotiation sit with the SVP of Professional Services, SVP of Research & Strategy, the Deputy CEO/Chief Learning Officer or the President/CEO.

Areas of Focus: Key Responsibilities

Business Development - Professional Services (50%)

Monitor education policy, funding streams, and market trends, and conduct competitive analysis to guide strategy and growth priorities

Develop business cases and recommendations for new markets, services, and strategic partnerships

Partner with Marketing & Communications on lead-generation campaigns, and identify opportunities to introduce current partners to additional Learning Forward services

Lead focus groups and listening sessions with district-level practitioners to gather insight that directly informs sales, re-engagement, and RFP strategy

Prepare briefing materials and strategic support for SVP- and CEO-level engagement with state agencies and district senior leaders

Partner with the SVP of Professional Services to identify, track, and respond to relevant state and district RFPs and RFIs — collaborating with content experts and program staff on proposal content for larger or complex bids

Business Development - Fundraising (50%)

Develop strategies for identifying and prioritizing national and local funding opportunities aligned with Learning Forward's priorities

Partner with the SVP of Research & Strategy on funder prioritization, grant calendars, and proposal development

Utilize in-person events to make personal connections with educational leaders and officers of grant funders to advance future business and collaborative partnerships

Hand off active funder cultivation and ongoing relationship management to the President/CEO or SVP of Research & Strategy

Produce structured insight briefs from field engagement for use by SVPs and organizational leadership

Prepare briefing materials and strategic support for SVP- and CEO-level engagement with major funders

What You'll Bring

Education

Bachelor's degree in education, business, nonprofit management, public administration, communications, or a related field — Required

Master's degree in a relevant field — Preferred

Experience

5 or more years of progressive experience in business development, sales, strategic partnerships, fundraising, consulting, or client relationship management — Required

Demonstrated success developing strategy and securing partnerships, philanthropic grants, or service agreements — Required

Experience working with K–12 education systems, state agencies, education nonprofits, or professional learning organizations — Preferred

Experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder sales or development cycles — Preferred

Familiarity with educator professional learning, leadership development, school improvement, or instructional coaching — Preferred

Skills & Core Competencies

Strong strategic and analytical skills — able to translate market intelligence into actionable sales, reengagement, and funder strategy

Excellent presentation, communication, and negotiation skills, written and verbal

Understands revenue generation, pricing strategy, contract development, and financial sustainability

Ability to attend to multiple strategic initiatives, deadlines, and stakeholders

Experience with CRM platforms such as Salesforce, HubSpot, or MemberSuite helpful

Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and Google; familiarity with iOS/Mac a plus

Compensation & Benefits

Base Salary Range: $95,000 – $110,000 (commensurate with experience and qualifications)

Retirement: 401(k) with 9% employer contribution (no employee match required)

PTO & Holidays: 15 days PTO / 14 holidays (including the week of Dec. 25 – Jan. 1); sick leave accrues at 1 day per month of service, up to a cumulative 30 days

Additional Benefits: Medical, dental, vision

Professional Learning: Annual conference attendance and development support

Ready to Help Shape the Future of Educator Learning?

If you're a strategic thinker who thrives on building partnerships and driving growth for a mission you believe in, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today and help Learning Forward expand its reach and impact for educators and students across the country.