Director, Partnerships Strategy: Thrive

#### Director of Partnerships Strategy: Thrive *Greater U.S. Regions (Denver, Aurora, New Orleans, Baltimore, Washington D.C.)* * * * #### The Bridge Between High School and a Bachelor's Degree A scholar's journey doesn't pause the day they graduate high school — and neither does College Track's promise. Getting a first-generation student *to* college is only half the story. Getting them *through* it — with the right partnerships, the right support, and the right systems behind them — is where real transformation happens. That's where you come in. We're looking for a **Director of Partnerships Strategy: Thrive** to lead the operational engine behind College Track's national network of college and university partnerships. You'll be the connective tissue between our high school programming and our College Thrive team, making sure every scholar's transition to campus is seamless, every partnership delivers on its promise, and every data point points toward one thing: persistence, retention, and on-time graduation. If you love building systems, stewarding relationships, and translating strategy into results that change lives — this role was built for you. * * * #### Who We Are Since 1997, College Track has grown from **25 scholars in East Palo Alto** into a national movement supporting more than **5,000 scholars and alumni**. Our 13 high school centers span underserved communities across California, Colorado, Louisiana, Maryland, and the D.C. Metro Area — and our alumni community, now **1,350 strong and growing**, is proof of what's possible. College Track scholars graduate from college at a rate more than double the national average for first-generation students from underserved communities. One year out of college, 80% of College Track alumni are employed, and alumni ages 30+ earn an average of $89,823 — higher than the national median. We're not just opening doors — we're making sure scholars walk all the way through them. * * * #### What You'll Do **🤝 Own the Partnership Portfolio** - Manage the full College Thrive lifecycle of College Track's college and university partnerships — ensuring every requirement, benefit, and deliverable is executed with fidelity - Lead the planning and rollout of partnership benefits, including pilots, timelines, and site-team coordination - Build and continuously improve the guides, tools, and materials that keep internal teams aligned - Spot new opportunities within existing partnerships and bring data-informed recommendations to the table **🌱 Steward Relationships That Matter** - Own the full partner engagement cadence — kickoffs, launches, mid-year check-ins, and debriefs - Build trusted, lasting relationships with college and university partners through proactive communication and sharp execution - Represent College Track externally with clarity, professionalism, and vision **🔗 Connect the Dots Across Programs** - Partner closely with College Counseling and College Thrive teams to ensure every scholar's handoff from high school to college is seamless - Align high school partnership strategy with College Thrive implementation - Solve for gaps in transition, communication, or scholar experience before they become problems **📊 Keep the Work Honest — With Data** - Track partnership-related outcomes: persistence, retention, on-track-to-6-year and actual graduation rates - Turn data into insight — identifying trends and opportunities to sharpen partnership effectiveness - Train College Thrive teams on how to use partnership opportunities to strengthen advising and retention - Report progress to senior leadership and keep refining the system as you go * * * #### What You Bring - **A fierce advocate's mindset.** First and foremost, you believe in College Track's mission to help scholars overcome systemic barriers on the path to a degree. - Bachelor's degree required; **Master's degree preferred** - **5+ years** of experience in higher education, higher ed partnerships, or a related field - A tra…