Director, Statewide Strategy

ROLE TITLE: Director, Statewide Strategy  
POSITION REPORTS TO: Senior Managing Director, Alumni and Community Impact 
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications are due on Sunday, August 2, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET. 
LOCATION: New York (Rochester, Syracuse, or Buffalo preferred) 

WHAT YOU’LL DO 
The Director, Statewide Strategy (D, SS) will lead the development and execution of our regional statewide strategy, including partnerships, alumni and community engagement, and policy/advocacy engagement in cities outside of New York City. This role will work across the state to cultivate strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, foster alumni connectivity, and meaningfully engage elected officials and advocates in support of our regional priorities. 

Success in this role will require strong strategic thinking, operational execution, stakeholder engagement, and a results-oriented mindset. The D, Statewide Strategy will serve as the key liaison between partners and alumni in the priority cities outside of New York City (Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany), keeping NYC-based team members appraised of shifts in the landscape across the state that are relevant to our work. 

Key Outcomes in Year One 

• Stakeholder Relationships 

• Established strong relationships with elected officials or their senior staff across the four upstate cities in collaboration with the regional team and lobbyist

• Developed a comprehensive alumni talent strategy, in partnership with district and charter leadership, for Buffalo, Syracuse, and Rochester 

• Completed a formal "listening tour" with school district partners and community organizations in each of the four markets 

• Established a presence with partners and institutions as the “face of Teach For America” outside NYC 

WHAT YOU’LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR 

Set Vision, Strategy, and Execute Operations for Statewide Engagement Strategy (40%) 

• Design and execute a comprehensive strategy for engaging alumni and key stakeholders in the four primary cities outside of NYC (Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse)

• Build strategic partnerships with school districts, charter networks, and other nonprofit organizations/government entities to advance our regional priorities and support the unique needs of each city

• Work collaboratively with the Career Center and regional team to coordinate rural participation in the Rural School Leadership Academy (RSLA)

• Lead engagements with elected officials and other policy leadership across the state in alignment with the regional policy agenda

• Support regional leadership with legislative meetings and follow-up (e.g., prepare briefings, draft follow-up communications, etc.)

• Collaborate across the Teach For America network, including with LEE, to impact policy and advocate for systems change and increase alumni participation in LEE offerings outside of NYC

• Stay well-informed and connected to key issues facing communities in western and central New York 

• Operationalize enterprise-wide alumni benefits and value propositions locally

Design, Manage, and Execute Alumni Programming & Engagement (40%)

• Design and implement engagement strategies and programming that foster alumni connection and leadership

• In collaboration with the communications team, develop and execute predictable, purposeful alumni communications, including a monthly newsletter

• Collaborate with the Director, Alumni and Community Impact, and the Director, Alumni Pathways to ensure coordination of alumni network engagement and career development across the state

Lead Alumni Data Integrity, Accuracy, and Systems Alignment (10%) 

• Maintain and enhance the accuracy of alumni data in TFACT for alumni residing outside of New York City

• Use CRM and analytics tools to monitor campaign effectiveness and alumni engagement

• Create systems and guidance for internal teammates to support ongoing data integrity

Enterprise Responsibilities (10%) 
Participate in cross-functional initiatives, including: 

• Selection processes for corps members and Ignite fellows

• Enterprise and regional leadership development initiatives

• Community engagement events where TFA representation is needed

A WEEK IN THE LIFE 
In a typical week, the D, SS might: 

• Meet with local districts, charter networks, and partners to discuss emerging career/talent opportunities

• Facilitate alumni network engagement through 1:1 interactions and strategic alumni events

• Engage with key elected officials to inform them about our regional policy agenda and key initiatives that support our agenda and/or tee up regional leadership for these engagements

• Aligning with team members in the New York City office around regional performance metrics, alumni leadership opportunities, and other initiatives

• Update alumni records and analyze recent campaign performance

• Host networking events

YOUR EXPERIENCE 
Your areas of knowledge and expertise that matter most for this role (minimum qualifications)

• Minimum of 4 years of professional experience, with a focus on areas such as community engagement, policy and advocacy, and talent development

• Demonstrated success in building career advancement programming or pipelines, ideally in education or nonprofit sectors

• Strategic thinker with proven ability to execute complex initiatives

• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trusted, results-driven partnerships

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Salesforce

• This role includes regular regional travel across Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse. While travel needs may vary by season, candidates should expect frequent in-region travel throughout the month (primarily in Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse with periodic travel to the regional office in NYC

• Availability for evening and weekend events (up to once per month)

Bonus (preferred qualifications): 

• Deep understanding of the local education landscape and nonprofit ecosystem

• Teach For America Corps Member or staff experience 

• Capable of lifting to 30 pounds 

YOUR FUTURE TEAM 
Teach For America New York serves communities across New York State. With a network of nearly 7,000 alumni and corps members, we are committed to reimagining education and driving long-term impact across our region. As a member of our team, you will play a critical role in realizing our shared vision of a more equitable future for all students. 

YOUR COMPENSATION 
The applicable salary range for each U.S.-based role is based on where the employee works and is aligned to one of 3 tiers according to a cost of labor index in that geographic area.  Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of job-related factors, which may include education, training, experience, location, business needs, or market demands. New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint, depending on qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role.

Tier A Salary: $74,300-$97,500