Associate Director, Higher Education Innovation

Benefits Data Trust (BDT) seeks an Associate Director, Higher Education to grow and manage BDT's work with a portfolio of higher education partners, with a focus on state systems and agencies, to connect students to Pell Grants, SNAP, and other assistance to help them succeed in college. Today's college students face enormous financial and basic needs insecurity, affecting their ability to stay enrolled and graduate from college programs. In 2021, BDT established a higher education practice to improve student access to benefits critical to student success through direct service & technology, capacity building, and policy. Building on the successful release of our FAFSA assistance chatbot, higher ed toolkit, and multiple pilots, BDT aims to significantly grow its work with student-serving institutions over the next year. BDT's higher education practice builds on over 15 years of experience streamlining access to public benefits in partnership with government, community organizations, and healthcare entities.
The Associate Director will play a critical role in this work by leading the growth of BDT's engagements with state systems of four- and two-year institutions and state higher education agencies and serving as the primary relationship manager for these partners. The ideal candidate is passionate about college access and success and is an adept relationship manager who can manage senior-level stakeholders toward successful outcomes. This position is an exciting opportunity to shape a rapidly growing area of BDT's work.
The Associate Director reports to the Director of Higher Education Innovation. BDT is a remote-first organization. Employees may work remotely or from BDT's Philadelphia office. While we prefer candidates from the Philadelphia area, we are open to candidates from elsewhere.
Responsibilities

• Work closely with internal teams (e.g., Projects, Research, Product, Contact Center, Legal, and Strategy) to successfully deliver on direct service commitments to partners, including defining goals and scope, troubleshooting, and managing partner expectations. Ensure all projects meet defined research and learning objectives
• Cultivate and manage a pipeline of new partners, focusing on state systems and agencies, and drive toward annual growth goals
• Represent BDT in external settings, including meetings and conferences, and advocate for opportunities to streamline benefits access for students in higher education settings
• Plan and lead partner-facing meetings, including preparing internal stakeholders, agenda creation and note-taking, as well as the communication of action steps to internal and external parties
• Work closely with the internal state partnerships team to elevate partner needs and inform broader state strategies and goals
• Deeply understand partner goals, expectations, requirements, operational contexts, concerns, student needs, and user experiences. Ensure these are acknowledged and incorporated into all project planning and deliverables
• Serve as an internal advocate and steward for BDT's higher education work, independently representing the interests and needs of higher education partners and students in meetings and brainstorming sessions
• Work closely with the Higher Education Innovation and other internal teams to tailor and deliver a technical assistance and training curriculum that helps state higher education partners identify benefits-eligible students and connect them to screening and application supports
• Document learnings and contribute to BDT's higher education strategy, informed by policy developments, user and partner experiences, market trends, and organizational strategy
• Serve as the primary point of contact and relationship manager for BDT's state higher education partners

Requirements

• Superior commitment to detail, follow-through, and transparency
• Working understanding of trends and dynamics in college affordability, financial aid policy, basic student needs, higher education administration, or public benefits is highly preferred
• Travel as needed
• Ability to manage a complex portfolio of projects and deliverables amid competing deadlines
• Exceptional written and oral communication and presentation skills, with experience presenting to and engaging executive-level groups, including senior-level state stakeholders
• Eight+ years' work experience focused on managing internal and external stakeholders towards project goals and milestones, preferably in a setting related to college access and success, public benefits access, or social tech
• Creative, resourceful, and constructive problem-solving skills; ability to self-manage towards deadlines and proactively surface opportunities and roadblocks
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-performance environment where collaboration and fostering/maintaining positive relationships are nothing less than essential
• Experience working in or with state higher education systems and experience cultivating partnerships within state government and/or higher education settings

The salary range starts at $95,000 and is commensurate with relevant experience. This position is currently funded for 12 months and is dependent on receiving continued funding.
About BDT
Benefits Data Trust (BDT) improves health and financial security by harnessing the power of data, technology, and policy to provide dignified and equitable access to assistance. Together with a national network of government agencies and partners, we efficiently connect people today to programs that pay for food, healthcare, and more while helping to modernize benefits access for tomorrow. A nonprofit since 2005, BDT has secured more than $10 billion in benefits for households across the country, helping to reduce hunger and poverty and build pathways to economic mobility. Learn more about BDT - a proud recipient of a 2021 and 2022 Top Workplaces USA Award - at bdtrust.org.