Job Details

Director, Postsecondary Value and Field Strategy

Position Number: 6927189
Location: Washington, DC
Position Type: Education - Higher Education (study of)

ABOUT US

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society's greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has a campus in Aspen, CO, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

COLLEGE EXCELLENCE PROGRAM

The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program (Aspen) aims to strengthen higher education leadership and practice to improve student outcomes - with the ultimate goal of advancing economic mobility and developing talent for the good of each individual and society as a whole. We support this mission through multiple programs, including the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the American Talent Initiative, the Aspen Presidents and Rising Presidents Fellowships, Unlocking Opportunity, and a range of transfer initiatives designed to improve bachelor's attainment for students who start in community college. Each year, our work engages hundreds of college leaders (and often teams) at universities and community colleges that educate millions of students nationwide. For more information, visit highered.aspeninstitute.org or find us on LinkedIn.

ABOUT THIS ROLE

For over a decade, Aspen has engaged deeply with community colleges to uncover and replicate transformational models that produce dramatically better levels of success for students after they graduateâ€"in attaining jobs with good wages directly after community college or after transferring and earning a bachelor's degree. We are currently exploring parallel engagements with four-year colleges and universities as another major component in our efforts to increase postsecondary value, ensuring that bachelor's degrees lead to good jobs and economic mobility.

This new director position (one of three portfolio leaders at Aspen) will lead a growing body of work that aims to ensure the degrees students earn from US institutions of higher education have value that advances their economic mobility and develops their talents to meet workforce needs. The major project already underway in this portfolio is Aspen's Unlocking Opportunity project, launched in 2023, with aims to improve the value of credentials earned by students graduating from community colleges, by working directly with 65 colleges to set goals and support reforms, gather research on insights and practices used by leaders and teams to achieve strong post-completion outcomes, and sharing those insights with the field in Aspen's other higher education programs and partnerships. The director will also help explore and shape potential projects aimed at ensuring four-year colleges and universities engage in practices that lead bachelor's degree earners to better post-graduation outcomes in labor markets and graduate education.

Reporting to CEP's Executive Director, the director will join CEP's Senior Team, a dynamic leadership team that collaboratively designs CEP's strategy, defines its priorities, manages the organization and its staff, and makes thoughtful choices that maximize CEP's impact in the field. Today, CEP has 40 staff and an annual budget of $13-15 million, most of which is provided by 20 foundation/philanthropic partners.

A key partner in advancing CEP's mission, the ideal candidate will be passionate about changing lives through higher education and will:

Collaboratively develop the postsecondary value strategy

Lead and manage Unlocking Opportunity and related initiatives that aim to substantially increase the number of students who enter and complete programs of study with strong workforce and transfer/bachelor's attainment outcomes. This work currently engages 65 community college leaders and teams over multiple years to develop and enact bold institutional reforms grounded in research-based strategies, with an objective of helping at least 100,000 students complete programs that lead directly to jobs that pay a sustaining wage or to transfer and completion of a bachelor's degree.

Partner with CEP's Executive Director and other team members to scale impact through additional system, state, and national initiatives for two-year and four-year institutions.

Scale change by replicating research-based practices that ensure college education leads to good jobs and economic mobility

Hold primary responsibility for executing a high-impact research agenda focused on strengthening postsecondary value, crafted and implemented in close collaboration with CEP's Executive Director and its Research & Innovation division.

Engage with higher education leaders and practitioners to identify strong practices to improve postsecondary value and synthesize research into technical assistance tools and resources.

Lead project management

With professional drive, move projects from concept to completion at the highest level of quality.

Own the execution of project goals, navigate project complexities, and manage multiple priorities concurrently.

Mobilize project teams composed of staff under the director's immediate supervision, as well as staff working in other CEP divisions and employed by external partners.

Build and manage external relationships and fundraising

Effectively engage and communicate with practitioners and leaders in the field (including college presidents), as well as with funders of CEP's work.

Serve as a key partner in CEP's fundraising efforts, helping to identify grants and other revenue opportunities, prepare proposals, and secure the resources needed to sustain and grow the work. Build strong relationships with donors and foundations and clearly explaining how their support directly fuels talent development, economic mobility, and, ultimately, post-completion success.

Collaborate with colleagues and execute strategy

Work in a deeply integrated, highly collaborative environment, as part of CEP's seven-member Senior Team; with other CEP divisions and projects; and with CEP's external network of alumni, partners, and other stakeholders.

In addition to advancing their portfolio, the director will help define and work towards CEP strategic priorities and will help connect information across CEP divisions to foster a stronger sense of integration, continuity, and consistency within the organization.

Location/Travel: There is a preference for this position to be based in the Aspen Institute's Washington, D.C. office with a minimum of two days per week in the office, and it will require about eight to twelve weeks of travel per year.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

This role demands a thought leader who understands the postsecondary sector and pairs intellectual rigor with a belief in CEP's mission â€" someone who demonstrates a commitment to improving higher education and postsecondary value and believes that student outcomes can be improved at scale through the development and implementation of transformational models. The director must embody a desire to change the world, an optimism for the opportunities, and an excitement for leaning into uncharted territory. An eager and fast learner, the director must quickly grasp CEP's existing and evolving tools and resources, stay abreast of CEP's current and emerging work, and translate this knowledge into the action that advances postsecondary value.

CEP will consider the factors listed below in evaluating candidates. While a successful candidate might not possess all these qualifications and experiences, the candidate should possess most of the following:

Substantive professional experience in higher education, including:
- Knowledge, skills and experience in educational practice, institutional leadership, or policy research and analysis.
- A track record of: leading or directly supporting change at colleges and universities (from within and/or outside); and advancing outcomes-based field reform through research, publications and tools, and professional development programs.
- Ten years of management experience and an advanced degree (preferred).

Outstanding communication and relationship skills:
- Executive presence, reflecting professional maturity and a polished communication style for presenting complex ideas to influence high-level decision-making in the education and workforce sectors.
- Capacity to build relationships, outstanding communication and presentation skills, and the interpersonal ability to be an effective spokesperson. Existing relationships in the higher education and/or workforce sectors are a plus.
- Writing skills with the ability to describe complex issues clearly, accurately, strategically, and persuasively for a variety of audiences.
- Experience with nonprofit fundraising including prospecting, proposals, grants management, and stewarding funder relationships.

A learning and outcomes orientation, focused ultimately on achieving outcomes for students in the field, learning through action, and continuously improving strategies for achieving outcomes. Brings experience contributing to the creation of high-quality tools and resources.

Has set/executed organizational and/or large-scale project strategy. Has delivered results by getting things done through hands-on engagement, team management. Brings an orientation towards action and staff accountability.

The ability and desire to manage and develop a team of professionals and to work transparently and inclusively with talented, mission-driven staff.

Comfort working under tight deadlines in a fast-paced and nimble environment and responding quickly to changing priorities.

Comfort with systems that support nonprofit project delivery including project management (e.g., Asana), grants management (e.g., Airtable), and customer relationship management (e.g., Salesforce).

Compensation: The target salary range is $175,000 - $225,000. This position will report to CEP's Executive Director. The Aspen Institute offers a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, and prescription benefits, retirement benefits, and paid leave.

HOW TO APPLY

All interested applicants must submit the following for full consideration:

A one-page cover letter. CEP prefers cover letters that describe what motivates you and how you understand and relate to our mission rather than a narrative version of your resume. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

Resume/CV.

Please forward your materials to: AspenCEPValue@viewcrestadvisors.com

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, beginning in mid-February, with a desired hiring time frame in Spring 2026.

The Aspen Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District and federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against.

The Aspen Institute welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs, including the interview process. If you would like to request accommodations or have questions about accessibility, please email hrsupport@aspeninstitute.org or call 202-736-2127 in advance of your visit. Requests for ASL or CART services should be made at least two weeks in advance when possible. We will make every effort to fulfill requests, subject to availability.

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