At Rocketship Public Schools, we believe in the infinite possibility of human potential. We believe that every student deserves the right to dream, to discover, and to develop their unique potential and it is our responsibility and our privilege to unleash the potential inside every Rocketeer we serve. Our non-profit network of public elementary charter schools propels student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and partners with parents who enable high-quality public schools to thrive in their community. We are a collective of parents, teachers, leaders, and students working together to transform the future for underserved communities across our country. At Rocketship Public Schools, we are unleashing potential.
Position Description
Reporting directly to the Executive Director, the Director of Strategic Partnerships serves on the regional leadership team and is responsible for shaping the external environment to achieve community transformation grounded in equity for our students and families. The Director of Strategic Partnerships will directly manage the regional strategic partnerships team – including the following functions: enrollment, fundraising, and community engagement.. The charge of the Director of Strategic Partnerships is to 1) achieve financial sustainability through full enrollment and efficient fundraising, 2) cultivate the external environment for Rocketship to thrive, and , 3) shape widespread support for Rocketship in the community. This role could support regional growth in the future.
Critical to the success of the Director of Strategic Partnerships is an unwavering commitment to the community. The Director of Strategic Partnerships is responsible for proactively addressing community needs, being an active participant within the education and non-profit landscape, and aligning regional priorities with the broader network community. Close collaboration and partnership between the Executive Director, our school leaders, and the broader Rocketship network staff is essential. Rocketship attracts regional leaders with ambitious aspirations. Just as we are committed to propelling student growth, we are dedicated to advancing the careers of our talented staff. The Director of Strategic Partnerships will join a regional team and will receive ongoing professional development in alignment with the role. As a member of a growing network, regional leaders have an opportunity to expand their reach and impact beyond their role.
The following are essential functions related to the position:
Enrollment and Family Recruitment
- Lead team responsible for ensuring all Rocketship Wisconsin schools reach full enrollment every year through clear strategies, smart goals, and exceptional project and workforce management skills.
- Partner with network Strategy, Data, and Enrollment teams to set enrollment goals and targets across the enrollment funnel.
- Master and optimize three distinct CRM systems (HubSpot, SchoolMint, and PowerSchool).
- Analyze weekly performance, sharing insights with school leaders and network marketing experts to drive rapid improvements.
Development
- Develop and implement an annual fundraising strategy for the region in partnership with the Executive Director, Regional Board of Directors, and national development team in order to meet regional fundraising goals ($1.3M goal for the 25-26 school year)
- Manage all facets of donor prospecting, cultivation, and stewardship practices in support of the region’s fundraising goals. Prepare funder pitch materials and document relationship management activities in Salesforce.
- Draft and submit competitive grant proposals to funders, as well manage reporting requirements.
- Support the region with recruiting and engaging regional board members. Prepare and present on development and regional financial health during board meetings.
- Continually assess and proactively plan to improve the fundraising health of the region. Lead the regional team to execute development priorities in partnership with the regional Board of Directors and national development team.
- Spearhead the planning and successful execution of an annual fundraising event in support of regional fundraising goals.
External and Community Relations
- Building and sustaining relationships with elected officials, funders, executive directors, and other regional leaders who influence education policy, resources, and public perception.
- Driving Rocketship’s non-partisan civic engagement strategy in compliance with 501(c)(3) regulations—cultivating relationships with candidates
- Designing and hosting events that bring together current and prospective allies—including school tours, community roundtables, and strategic briefings—to elevate family voice and deepen support for Rocketship’s mission.
- Supporting the Executive Director in maintaining strong authorizer relationships, including preparing for school site visits, public hearings, and other high-stakes external engagements.
- Joining advisory boards, associations, and other local leadership spaces to advocate for equitable practices and policies for our students and families. Identifying and encouraging regional staff and families increase civic participation.
- Oversee partnerships with child- and family-serving organizations to expand wraparound services and supports for students and families across Rocketship schools.
- Increasing accountability and empowering parent leadership to ensure success against goals.
People and Strategic Leadership
- Building, developing, and maintaining a rigorous culture of excellence in every interaction with stakeholders, community members, partners, and team members.
- Manages associate director of family partnerships (and other related roles) to outcomes
- Coaching the managers of Family Advocacy to achieve regional goals for external affairs and family advocacy
- Analyzing and action planning around manager survey data and staff satisfaction data to continuously improve coaching, mentoring, recruitment, retention strategies, team engagement, talent development, adult culture and impact.
- Working with the Director of Schools and Schools Team to align teacher professional development to strategic priorities related to external engagement opportunities with our regional staff.
- Craft and execute a regional external-impact plan that integrates community voice, data, and network insights.
- Implement strong project-management systems (OKRs, GRPI) to drive accountability and on-time delivery.
- Advise the Executive Director on risks, opportunities, and critical external decisions.
Qualifications
- BA/BS required; Master’s or higher in Education, Public Administration, or a related field preferred.
- 8+ years of professional experience in nonprofit management with a proven track record of success improving outcomes within their scope of management.
- Experience and successful track record of managing, coaching, and developing team members.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire and motivate staff and bring out the best in peers.
- Excellent project management skills.
- Experience using CRM platforms to drive audience engagement, especially for enrollment - experience using Hubspot, Schoolmint, and/or PowerSchool strongly preferred.
- Excellent writing and data analysis skills to create compelling narratives and pitches for funders.
- Demonstrated success with fundraising with both private donors and government entities at the federal, state or local level.
- Keen analytic, organization and problem-solving skills which support and enable sound decision making.
- Successful experience implementing multi-year strategic action plans.
- Excellent relationship building skills with an ability to prioritize, negotiate, and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders through engaging communication skills
- Outstanding verbal and written communication skills and ability to communicate effectively on multiple levels ranging from the Board, to educators and parents.
- A commitment and ability to develop and maintain constructive relationships with staff, students, parents, donors, community constituents, local government entities, media, and vendors.
- Experience articulating the mission, vision, and values of an entity to the public through media engagements, public speaking, and more.
- Experience in effectively navigating a highly regulated governmental environment.
- Excellent analytical skills, strong ability to lead multiple complex projects under rigorous timelines and political nuances and to work in a demanding dynamic environment to meet organizational goals.
- High emotional intelligence, integrity, and interpersonal skills – and an exceptional collaborator.
- A strong sense of confidence, and the wisdom and courage to make difficult choices, based on available data.
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and communicate with both adults and children. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally climb ladders. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to high.
Compensation:
Commensurate with qualifications and experience, plus excellent health and wellness benefits, 403b retirement plan, flexible spending account (FSA), and generous paid time off.
Rocketship Public Schools provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Rocketship Public Schools complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
Rocketship Public Schools expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Rocketship Public Schools’ employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated. Click here for our Sexual Harassment Policy.
For questions, concerns, or complaints, please contact Human Resources. 
PI273780132
