WorldStrides is the global leader in educational travel and experiential learning. The company was founded in 1967 to provide middle school travel programs to Washington, D.C. and has grown to provide a wide range of programs for more than half a million students annually to over 100 countries around the world. WorldStrides offers experiential learning programs in educational travel, performing arts, language immersion, career exploration, service-learning, study abroad, and sports. Each of these experiences helps students to see beyond the classroom and to see the world – and themselves – in new ways.
The Role
This is a defining hire for WorldStrides. As Senior Director of Brand Strategy, you will lead the repositioning of the WorldStrides master brand — consolidating a portfolio of sub-brands, building the storytelling architecture that drives emotional connection with educators and students, and establishing organic content as a top-of-funnel engine. You will be the brand's chief architect and its loudest champion internally and externally.
Key Responsibilities
Brand Repositioning & Architecture
- Lead the end-to-end repositioning of WorldStrides as the definitive educational travel brand across K-12, International, and Performing Arts
- Define and execute a sub-brand consolidation strategy — creating a coherent brand architecture across all WorldStrides products and programs
- Develop brand guidelines, tone of voice, and messaging frameworks that ensure consistency across every customer touchpoint
- Partner with Product and Sales leadership to ensure brand narrative aligns with commercial strategy and segment needs
Storytelling & Organic Content
- Build and own the organic content strategy — editorial, social, video — as a long-term brand-building and SEO asset
- Commission and champion student and educator stories that bring WorldStrides' mission to life authentically
- Oversee development of campaign narratives, brand films, and impact content that differentiate WorldStrides in a competitive landscape
Brand Governance & Team Leadership
- Serve as the internal brand guardian across Marketing, Sales, Product, and Partner channels
- Lead and develop the Manager, Social & Influencer and work cross-functionally with Creative, Digital, and Channel teams
- Build agency and freelance partnerships for brand strategy, PR, and film production
What Success Looks Like
- Unified brand architecture adopted across all sub-brands within 12 months
- Measurable increase in unaided brand awareness among target educator and student segments
- Organic content contributing measurably to top-of-funnel MQL pipeline
- WorldStrides featured in top-tier education and travel media
Requirements
- 8–12 years of brand strategy and marketing experience in education, travel, or consumer brands
- Proven track record leading brand repositioning or relaunch at a company or product portfolio level
- Experience managing brand architecture across a multi-product or multi-brand organization
- Strong storytelling instincts — you write a sharp brief, give decisive creative direction, and recognize a great idea instantly
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence without direct authority
- Experience managing external agencies (brand, PR, production)
Nice to Have
- Experience in K-12 education, study abroad, or experiential travel
- Track record building organic content as a measurable growth channel
- Familiarity with brand tracking tools and qualitative research methodologies
Work Perks
- Comprehensive health benefits: medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, accident, critical illness, disability insurance, FSA/HSA options with employer HSA contributions, and a generous 401(k) match.
- Generous paid time off including 11 paid company holidays, 25 PTO days the first year (prorated), 1 paid volunteer day, 4 mental health days, and bereavement
- Professional development support, including up to $5,250 annually for tuition reimbursement and up to $1,000 for certifications annually
- Opportunities for paid and discounted travel
- Flexible work schedule providing on-site, remote, and hybrid office opportunities
- Encouraged participation in a wide variety of Employee Resource Groups
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and wellness resources, including fitness centers at select locations
- Paid parental, caregiver, and disability leave
- Team Member Discount Program
- Engaging, collaborative, and fun work environment
The minimum and maximum full-time annual salaries for this role are listed below, by location. Please note that this salary information is solely for candidates hired to perform work within one of these locations, and refers to the amount WorldStrides is willing to pay at the time of this posting. Salaries for part-time roles will be prorated based upon the agreed upon number of hours to be regularly worked.
Candidates hired to work in other locations will be subject to the pay range associated with that location, and the actual annualized salary amount offered to any candidate at the time of hire will be reflected solely in the candidate’s offer letter.
The minimum and maximum full-time annual salaries for this role are listed below, by location. Please note that this salary information is solely for candidates hired to perform work within one of these locations, and refers to the amount WorldStrides is willing to pay at the time of this posting. Salaries for part-time roles will be prorated based upon the agreed upon number of hours to be regularly worked.
Candidates hired to work in other locations will be subject to the pay range associated with that location, and the actual annualized salary amount offered to any candidate at the time of hire will be reflected solely in the candidate’s offer letter.
The minimum and maximum full-time annual salaries for this role are listed below, by location. Please note that this salary information is solely for candidates hired to perform work within one of these locations, and refers to the amount WorldStrides is willing to pay at the time of this posting. Salaries for part-time roles will be prorated based upon the agreed upon number of hours to be regularly worked.
Candidates hired to work in other locations will be subject to the pay range associated with that location, and the actual annualized salary amount offered to any candidate at the time of hire will be reflected solely in the candidate’s offer letter.
The minimum and maximum full-time annual salaries for this role are listed below, by location. Please note that this salary information is solely for candidates hired to perform work within one of these locations, and refers to the amount WorldStrides is willing to pay at the time of this posting. Salaries for part-time roles will be prorated based upon the agreed upon number of hours to be regularly worked.
Candidates hired to work in other locations will be subject to the pay range associated with that location, and the actual annualized salary amount offered to any candidate at the time of hire will be reflected solely in the candidate’s offer letter.
The minimum and maximum full-time annual salaries for this role are listed below, by location. Please note that this salary information is solely for candidates hired to perform work within one of these locations, and refers to the amount WorldStrides is willing to pay at the time of this posting. Salaries for part-time roles will be prorated based upon the agreed upon number of hours to be regularly worked.
Candidates hired to work in other locations will be subject to the pay range associated with that location, and the actual annualized salary amount offered to any candidate at the time of hire will be reflected solely in the candidate’s offer letter.
WorldStrides, a global organization, is committed to educate and serve communities worldwide. Our commitment is fueled by the passion of our team members and partners to make experiential learning accessible, while also being socially, environmentally, and ethically responsible. Together, we accomplish this by investing in initiatives to promote inclusion, diversity, and sustainability.
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, WorldStrides is committed to building a diverse workforce, supported by an environment that promotes inclusion and belonging. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
WorldStrides will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States. This is not a position for which sponsorship will be provided. Individuals with temporary visas such as E, F-1, J-1, H-1, H-2, L, B, J or TN, or who need sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future, are not eligible for hire. Select seasonal roles may consider students on J-1 or F-1 visas.
Skills Required
- 8–12 years of brand strategy and marketing experience in education, travel, or consumer brands
- Proven track record leading brand repositioning or relaunch at a company or product portfolio level
- Experience managing brand architecture across a multi-product or multi-brand organization
- Strong storytelling instincts, including writing sharp briefs, giving decisive creative direction, and recognizing strong ideas
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence without direct authority
- Experience managing external brand, public relations, and production agencies
- Experience in K-12 education, study abroad, or experiential travel
- Track record building organic content as a measurable growth channel
- Familiarity with brand tracking tools and qualitative research methodologies
What We Do
WorldStrides provides educational travel and experiences to more than 530,000 students a year. Founded in 1967 by a middle school social studies teacher from Chicago, the company has since grown to become a leader in experiential learning for students of all ages throughout their lifetime learning journey. In addition to domestic and international travel and study abroad programs, WorldStrides offerings include performing arts, sports, language immersion, career exploration, and service-learning. Each of these experiences helps students to see beyond the classroom and to see the world – and themselves – in new ways. Our global team is 1,500+ strong, united by a passion for what we do. We work with students, parents, and teachers, and behind the scenes too, to deliver experiences that transform lives. Let's get out there - together! Community Guidelines We are happy to address questions you may have, but in order to foster a vibrant and useful online community, we’ve outlined a few guidelines to be followed when posting on the WorldStrides and affiliated brands' social channels . Any comments that are in violation of the guidelines will be removed, and repeat offenders may be blocked. Comments will be removed if they contain: • Profane, inappropriate, threatening or offensive language; • Violations of copyright or intellectual property rights; • Purposefully untrue or misleading statements; • Comments that are meant to derail or hijack constructive conversations; • Personal information of community members or WorldStrides employees; • Posts that link to potentially harmful sites.
