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ACT · 2 weeks ago

Senior Program Director, State Chief Liaison

United States

Full-time

Remote

Director/Executive

$120K/yr - $160K/yr

10+ years exp

ACT is an organization dedicated to helping people achieve education and workplace success. The Senior Program Director, State Chief Liaison will focus on connecting K-12 Commissioners and Boards of Education to ACT’s policy-driven strategies that influence revenue and long-term positioning.

Career PlanningEducationNon Profit

No H1B

Responsibilities

Build and maintain relationships with state-level decision-makers (Commissioners, Boards of Education, Deputy Commissioners)

Advise on policy trends and accountability shifts impacting assessment and readiness programs

Serve as ACT’s policy liaison for executive-level discussions, ensuring ACT solutions align with state priorities

Influence and guide RFP executive summaries and “model” frameworks to reflect policy priorities

Provide strategic intelligence on state education policy changes and their implications for ACT’s offerings

Collaborate with Government Relations (GR) to ensure unified messaging without duplicating lobbying efforts

Overall revenue generation and growth of assigned states (indirect / influence)

Number of quality strategic policy engagements at commissioner/board level

Influence on RFP language and executive summaries

Policy-driven opportunities identified and converted into actionable business strategies

Number of ACT solutions added to state level pathways/requirements

Become familiar with ACT products and services and internal/external stakeholders

Establish relationships across the organization where there are common goals

Identify states, create a territory map to include decision makers, history and vulnerabilities

Begin developing strategic initiatives and how to deliver on them

Identify RFPs and deliver multi-level plans for opportunities to flip states

Monitor legislation via tracking system and document actions and progress

Achieve successful outcomes via legislative process and Governor-led initiatives

Influence RFP language to align with ACT products

Start seeing tangible results -- additional states using our products and blocking competition

Qualification

State education policyExecutive leadership experienceInfluencing senior officialsAnalytical abilitiesCommunication skillsNegotiation skillsAccount managementSales experienceTeam managementRelationship building

Required

At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in education industry

Experience serving in a leadership role at a State Department of Education, a State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) agency, or a State Department of Labor, in roles such as Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner, Chief of Staff, State Director, or equivalent executive leadership roles

Demonstrated ability to engage and influence senior state officials

Deep understanding of state education policy, accountability systems, and governance structures

Proven experience translating complex policy landscapes into strategic organizational action

Exceptional communication skills, especially in executive-level environments

Ability to travel frequently (approx. 30%-40%) and manage executive relationships across multiple states

Ability to gain and apply in depth product knowledge of ACT's products and services, including how the products and services are collectively used to provide solutions to state customers

Demonstrated ability to influence and engage key state executives

Ability to gather and use competitive intelligence to create strategies that advance and/or protect ACT's interests

Ability to work effectively and build relationships with individuals within the organization

Strong communication skills including ability to communicate effectively across all levels in the organization, as well as outstanding presentation skills

Strong analytical abilities and the ability to determine logical solutions to complicated problems

Ability to set goals and priorities and manage to completion

Strong negotiation skills

Skills and knowledge required for success in this position attained through experience and education (Bachelor's degree in Education, Business, or related area of study), or a combination of both