VP of External Affairs

Salary Range

$135,200 – $165,300, commensurate with experience

Who We Are

Saga Education is the nonprofit leader in high-impact tutoring, with an ROI that is among the best nationwide. We leverage the power of human capital and technology to accelerate student outcomes and create more equitable learning for students. Rigorous research shows that high-impact tutoring raises grades and fosters student confidence and a sense of belonging. Saga co-designs and collaborates to develop and implement high-quality tutoring models, offering learning technology and resources to enable effective tutoring. To find out more about Saga Education, visit saga.org.

We are proud to have helped tens of thousands of students over our first decade—now the goal is to partner with states and districts to support the 3 million underserved students who struggle with early literacy and 6th–12th-grade math. Find out how you can be a part of the meaningful change needed to accelerate educational equity. Visit saga.org/change.

Saga Education | Change the Equation

What We Do

Inside each student lives a story waiting to unfold. We know every student is capable of shaping a story of success—in school, and in life. But not every student has had a fair chance to see it. Saga Education envisions a world where students–especially Black and Latinx students–have equitable access to economic and social mobility. To achieve this, Saga seeks to establish high-impact, in-school-day math tutoring as an integrated part of a student’s education, as a proven response to accelerating educational equity.

Our research shows our program works–not only to raise math scores but to foster the confidence and sense of belonging that underpin all academic success. As a trusted leader in building powerful tutoring programs, Saga provides the resources and tools to enable all districts to take advantage of our expertise. Saga has the evidence and experience to know what works.

What You’ll Do

As the Vice President of External Affairs, you will be a pivotal member of the Senior Leadership Team and consult regularly with the Executive Team. You will be responsible for shaping the organization’s external affairs strategy. Reporting directly to the CEO, you will oversee organizational advancement by providing leadership to the Marketing & Communications and Advancement teams to build a cohesive and impactful narrative that aligns with strategic goals and strengthens the organization’s brand and reputation. This role requires a visionary leader with a talent for strategic guidance, cross-functional collaboration, and relationship-building to ensure a consistent brand presence while driving revenue through fundraising, grants, and partnerships. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Strategic Leadership and Vision

• Develop and execute a comprehensive external affairs strategy aligned with the organization’s business goals, emphasizing a diverse fundraising strategy, brand positioning, and stakeholder engagement.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the executive team, offering insights on brand strategy, media relations, policy, and fundraising opportunities.
• Collaborate with the Senior Leadership Team to drive strategic priorities across the organization.
• Define and monitor KPIs to evaluate the effectiveness of marketing, communications, and advancement strategies, using data-driven insights to refine initiatives.
• Provide regular reports and updates to the executive team on external affairs outcomes, including fundraising performance and market trends.

Marketing and Communications

• Oversee the Marketing and Communications department, leading and developing the Product Marketing and Brand and Creative Directors, ensuring their strategies are integrated to deliver cohesive messaging across all channels.
• Drive marketing strategies to support business growth, enhance audience engagement, and build brand recognition among district and education partners, with a focus on go-to-market strategy for the organization’s product suite and HIT service offerings.
• Lead external communications, including PR, media relations, content creation, and digital presence, to build a trusted and influential brand image.
• Serve as the organization’s spokesperson in high-stakes settings, including media interviews, industry conferences, and public forums.
• Develop and implement proactive strategies to manage the organization’s reputation and handle crisis communications effectively to maintain public trust.

Grants and Advancement

• Lead the Advancement department, working closely with and developing the Grants Manager and team to ensure alignment with best practices and organizational fundraising goals.
• Oversee the entire philanthropic grant lifecycle, from pre-award to post-award, ensuring compliance, impact reporting, and continuous process improvements.
• Develop and manage fundraising initiatives, including prospect identification, proposal development, stewardship, and reporting, to maintain a strong pipeline of foundation and corporate partners.
• Build and cultivate relationships with donors, prospects, and key stakeholders, including corporate and philanthropic leaders, to enhance community engagement and strengthen financial support.
• Collaborate with the executive team on major gift solicitations and high-level donor engagement initiatives.

What We’ll Use to Measure Success

• Decision Quality – You make good, timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward.
• Manages Ambiguity – You operate effectively, even when things are not certain or the way forward is not clear.
• Directs Work – You provide direction, delegating, and removing obstacles to get work done.
• Develops Talent – You develop people to meet both their career goals and the organization’s goals.
• Manages Conflict – You handle conflict situations effectively, with a minimum of noise.

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Business, Nonprofit Management, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of leadership experience in external affairs, encompassing marketing, communications, fundraising, and grants management, with a successful track record in brand-building.
• Proven success in senior leadership, ideally within education or nonprofit sectors.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and public speaking abilities that translate into great organizational storytelling.
• Strategic leadership skills with the ability to execute actionable plans.
• Experience in managing, mentoring, and developing cross-functional teams.
• Proven success in high-impact marketing and fundraising campaigns, with strong institutional donor relationships.

What We’ll Provide

Saga Education offers competitive compensation and benefits, including health insurance, IVF coverage, paid parental leave, an optional FSA, and telehealth benefits. Saga provides a generous PTO package, which includes a paid Winter Wellness Break, an optional 401(k) with discretionary matching, and company-provided technology. All employees have access to our comprehensive Employee Assistance Program, Saga 360 Wellness Program, and DEIB events and initiatives.

Saga is committed to equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants. In compliance with the ADA, we provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need accommodation during the application or interview process, contact [email protected].

To remain at the cutting edge of educational innovation and impact, we celebrate and leverage our diversity in all of its intersectional identities and nurture a sense of belonging at all levels of the organization. We welcome ideas and perspectives from all employees to fulfill the full promise of our mission. Our diversity is our strength. We encourage veterans and people of all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds to apply for this and all available roles.

Thank you for applying to Saga Education.

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