What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director, Strategic Initiatives position at American Student Assistance?
THE ROLE: Director, Strategic Initiatives
American Student Assistance™ (ASA) is national nonprofit that is changing the way kids learn about careers and prepare for their futures through access to career-readiness information and experiences.
ASA fulfills its mission through free digital-first direct experiences, philanthropy, advocacy, thought leadership, groundbreaking research, and impact investing. We believe that exploring career possibilities, as early as middle school, and providing access to education-to-career pathways aligned with one’s passions and goals will result in greater confidence and long-term success for all students.
We are hiring a Director, Strategic Initiatives. This role will report directly to the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) and be responsible for partnering with the CSO to drive the execution of strategic initiatives across the organization ensuring alignment with corporate goals and objectives.
A successful Director, Strategic Initiatives will be a collaborative, proactive, results oriented professional with a demonstrated ability to successfully drive corporate and business unit alignment around the key choices embedded in the strategy, and translate those choices into specific actions organizational leaders are accountable for. This role will work closely with the CSO, leadership team, and stakeholders to develop and execute strategies that drive business growth, market expansion, and competitive advantage. The Director, Strategic Initiatives will play a crucial role in running an annual strategic planning process, implementing tools to facilitate the operation of the Strategy Office and facilitating strategic partnerships in collaboration with the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships.
What You’ll Do
ASA offers a wide range of perks and benefits to Associates, including comprehensive medical, dental, and vision healthcare plans, a retirement plan (plus match), weekly lunches, commuter benefits, and tuition reimbursement.
We also heavily prioritize a healthy work/life balance, which is why we offer all full-time associates generous PTO options, Summer Fridays (every Friday off between Memorial Day and Labor Day), a company holiday break between December 25th and January 1st, and even a paid sabbatical after five years of employment.
ASA works in a Hybrid schedule (2) two days a week in our Boston HQ. We prioritize strategic thinkers, collaborators, and work/life pros who are looking to help make a difference in kid's education and career goals.
American Student Assistance™ (ASA) is national nonprofit that is changing the way kids learn about careers and prepare for their futures through access to career-readiness information and experiences.
ASA fulfills its mission through free digital-first direct experiences, philanthropy, advocacy, thought leadership, groundbreaking research, and impact investing. We believe that exploring career possibilities, as early as middle school, and providing access to education-to-career pathways aligned with one’s passions and goals will result in greater confidence and long-term success for all students.
We are hiring a Director, Strategic Initiatives. This role will report directly to the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) and be responsible for partnering with the CSO to drive the execution of strategic initiatives across the organization ensuring alignment with corporate goals and objectives.
A successful Director, Strategic Initiatives will be a collaborative, proactive, results oriented professional with a demonstrated ability to successfully drive corporate and business unit alignment around the key choices embedded in the strategy, and translate those choices into specific actions organizational leaders are accountable for. This role will work closely with the CSO, leadership team, and stakeholders to develop and execute strategies that drive business growth, market expansion, and competitive advantage. The Director, Strategic Initiatives will play a crucial role in running an annual strategic planning process, implementing tools to facilitate the operation of the Strategy Office and facilitating strategic partnerships in collaboration with the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships.
What You’ll Do
- Strategic Planning & Development:
- Create and implement a system to manage the annual and long-term strategic planning process, ensuring alignment with ASA’s mission, vision, and objectives.
- Translate strategic initiatives into actionable plans and to report progress toward each initiative.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams (e.g., marketing, operations, finance, product development) to ensure successful execution of strategic goals.
- Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of strategic initiatives and provide regular updates to the executive team.
- Identify risks and challenges to strategy execution and develop contingency plans to mitigate them.
- Market Research & Analysis:
- Conduct in-depth market research to identify emerging trends, competitive dynamics, and potential disruptors.
- Analyze industry data, customer behavior, and competitive landscape to provide insights for strategic decision-making.
- Support the development comprehensive business cases for new initiatives, including revenue projections, cost-benefit analysis, and ROI calculations.
- Innovation & Leadership:
- Champion the adoption of new processes, tools, and technologies to improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness.
- Coordinate across the organization with other units to identify intra-company collaboration.
- Serve as a key advisor to the CSO.
- Be a resource with an understanding of company’s strategic direction and objectives to internal stakeholders and support alignment across the organization.
- Experience:
- 7-10 years of experience in strategic planning, corporate strategy, business development, or a related role.
- Proven track record of successfully developing and executing strategic projects that drive business growth and innovation.
- Project management experience related to complex multi-stakeholder projects related to corporate or product development.
- Successful development and execution of the company’s strategic plan.
- Enhanced organizational alignment with strategic priorities.
- Skills:
- Strong analytical skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information and develop actionable insights.
- Experience with digital tools including for example Monday.com, Salesforce and other similar tools.
- Ability to think creatively and challenge conventional wisdom.
- Experience with venture building, strategic partnerships, and non-profit/for-profit transactions.
- Personal Attributes:
- Experienced professional with the ability to translate the big picture into action.
- Adaptable and resilient, with a proactive approach to problem-solving.
- Results-oriented, with a focus on achieving measurable outcomes.
- Ability to build trust and credibility at all levels.
- A collaborative mindset, with a willingness to engage in constructive debate and diverse perspectives.
ASA offers a wide range of perks and benefits to Associates, including comprehensive medical, dental, and vision healthcare plans, a retirement plan (plus match), weekly lunches, commuter benefits, and tuition reimbursement.
We also heavily prioritize a healthy work/life balance, which is why we offer all full-time associates generous PTO options, Summer Fridays (every Friday off between Memorial Day and Labor Day), a company holiday break between December 25th and January 1st, and even a paid sabbatical after five years of employment.
ASA works in a Hybrid schedule (2) two days a week in our Boston HQ. We prioritize strategic thinkers, collaborators, and work/life pros who are looking to help make a difference in kid's education and career goals.
