Director, Engagement and Strategic Partnerships

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Reports to the President

 

About the Organization


The Jacksonville Public Education Fund (JPEF) is an independent nonprofit organization that activates community support, connects partners, and advances effective ideas for the success of all students. JPEF serves as a trusted civic intermediary that brings together educators, families, community organizations, employers, higher education institutions, philanthropy, and public-sector leaders to accelerate progress for students and strengthen long-term opportunity across Jacksonville.

 

The organization’s FY2027–2030 strategic framework reflects a growing emphasis on ecosystem alignment, strategic learning, innovation, and civic engagement around student success and future readiness.

 

JPEF has a highly engaged board, significant fiscal resources, and talented staff to drive the organization's work. The fast-paced and entrepreneurial organization has more than a decade-long track record of helping public schools significantly improve outcomes for students through innovative, community-focused, and data-driven solutions.

 

Position Summary

The Director of Engagement & Strategic Partnerships is JPEF's lead community engagement and partnership strategist, responsible for implementing efforts that strengthen the network of partnerships advancing the organization's Future-Ready Strategy.

Working collaboratively across all departments, this position cultivates and stewards relationships with employers, community organizations, higher education institutions, civic leaders, philanthropic investors, parents, and other strategic stakeholders to ensure that partnerships translate into meaningful action and measurable results.

The Director leads engagement across JPEF's strategic collaboratives, Future Ready Forums, the Education Innovation Fund, ONE by ONE 2.0, parent leadership initiatives, and other key stakeholder engagement efforts.

This position ensures JPEF's partners, families, and community stakeholders remain meaningfully connected to the organization's work, from initial engagement through ongoing collaboration and implementation. The start date for this position is October 1, 2026.

Success in This Role

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of education in Jacksonville by connecting people, organizations, and ideas that create lasting impact. As a member of JPEF's leadership team, the Director of Engagement & Strategic Partnerships will play a pivotal role in bringing the organization's Future-Ready Strategy to life through meaningful partnerships, collaborative leadership, and community engagement.

Within the first 12–18 months, the Director of Engagement & Strategic Partnerships will have:

  • Strengthened JPEF's network of strategic partners supporting the Future-Ready Strategy.
  • Successfully led implementation of the Postsecondary Success Collaborative while supporting Early Literacy partnerships.
  • Transitioned into leadership of JPEF's annual Future Ready Forums following Year One. (Future Ready Forums serve as JPEF's signature annual convening, bringing together education, business, philanthropy, government, and community leaders around emerging innovations, strategic priorities, and the future of education in Jacksonville).
  • Supported meaningful investor engagement surrounding the Education Innovation Fund in partnership with the Directors of Development.
  • Elevated community engagement and storytelling through a successful ONE by ONE 2.0 exhibition.
  • Expanded parent leadership and stakeholder engagement through Parents Who Lead and related initiatives.
  • Established effective systems for tracking partnership engagement, commitments, and organizational impact.

 

Responsibilities

Partnership Engagement & Relationship Management

  • Implement JPEF's partnership engagement strategy by cultivating and stewarding relationships that advance the organization's Future-Ready Strategy, including:
    • Build and maintain strong relationships with employers, community organizations, higher education institutions, civic leaders, nonprofit partners, and other strategic stakeholders.
    • Implement engagement plans that deepen partner participation across JPEF's strategic priorities.
    • Identify opportunities to connect partners with JPEF initiatives and community impact.
    • Represent JPEF through meetings, presentations, and community events, modeling core values.
    • Maintain systems to track partner engagement, commitments, and follow-up activities.

 

Collaborative Leadership

  • Lead and support collaborative initiatives that advance JPEF's strategic priorities, including:
    • Lead planning, facilitation, and implementation of the Postsecondary Success Collaborative.
    • Support organizational leadership around JPEF’s contribution to community collaboratives related to Early Literacy.
    • Coordinate meetings, agendas, partner communications, and follow-up actions.
    • Document commitments, monitor progress, and help sustain momentum across collaborative efforts.
    • Identify opportunities for stronger alignment among partners and strategic initiatives.
    • Manage future contractors and staff as deemed necessary to advance such collaborative efforts.

 

Future Ready Forums & Strategic Convenings

  • Lead planning and implementation of JPEF's Future Ready Forums and other strategic convenings that advance the organization's Future-Ready Strategy, including:
    • Support planning and implementation of Future Ready Forums during Year One, assuming primary responsibility thereafter.
    • Coordinate partner, speaker, sponsor, and stakeholder participation.
    • Manage cross-functional planning and event execution.
    • Facilitate partner engagement before, during, and after convenings.
    • Capture outcomes, follow-up actions, and opportunities for ongoing collaboration.

 

Education Innovation Fund Partner Engagement

  • Partner with the President and Directors of Development to support implementation of partner engagement activities related to the Education Innovation Fund, including:
    • Coordinate engagement opportunities for Innovation Fund investors following investment.
    • Support implementation of investor communications, recognition, and stewardship activities.
    • Connect partners with funded initiatives and opportunities for meaningful engagement.
    • Help ensure investors remain informed about project progress and community impact.

 

Parent & Community Engagement

  • Provide leadership for JPEF's parent engagement initiatives and strategic community engagement efforts that deepen public understanding of and support for JPEF's mission, including:
    • Oversee the implementation of Parents Who Lead and related parent leadership initiatives.
    • Strengthen relationships with parent leaders and education stakeholders.
    • Expand opportunities for meaningful parent voice and participation across JPEF's strategic priorities.
    • Lead stakeholder engagement, partner coordination, and implementation of ONE by ONE 2.0, working across JPEF teams and community partners to ensure the exhibition serves as a compelling platform for civic engagement, storytelling, and community investment in public education.
    • Support engagement and coordination for other strategic community initiatives, including Stuff the Bus, as organizational priorities evolve.

 

Organizational Collaboration

  • Work collaboratively across JPEF to strengthen partner engagement and organizational effectiveness.
  • Partner closely with the President, Vice President, Directors of Development, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Communications, and Data & Research teams.
  • Coordinate cross-functional engagement efforts that support strategic priorities.
  • Track engagement metrics and prepare reports demonstrating partnership participation and community impact.
  • Recommend improvements to engagement practices and relationship management systems.
  • Actively participate in internal meetings, work sessions, and retreats with a focus on collaborating cross-functionally, strategizing, and evaluating effectiveness.
  • Support other program efforts as overall JPEF strategies or priorities dictate.

 

Qualifications

Education/Career Experience

  • Bachelor's degree in nonprofit leadership, education, public administration, communications, business, or a related field, graduate degree preferred.
  • Five to seven years of progressively responsible experience in partnership development, external affairs, community engagement, nonprofit leadership, or a related field.
  • Demonstrated success building relationships across nonprofit, business, education, philanthropy, or civic sectors.
  • Experience facilitating collaborative initiatives involving multiple organizations.
  • Experience planning and executing high-profile community convenings preferred.
  • Experience working within education, workforce development, philanthropy, or civic leadership is preferred.
  • Experience using CRM or relationship management systems is preferred.

 

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

  • Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
  • Exhibiting independent judgment in the development, implementation, and evaluation of plans, procedures, and policies.
  • A track record of leadership (in professional or personal contexts)
  • Ability to maintain and respect the sensitive, private, and confidential nature of information related to grants, donors, advisors, and the organization.
  • Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize deliverables and handle unanticipated demands and requests.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills, adaptability and a collaborative style with ability to engage colleagues at all levels.
  • Confidence to work internally and externally with various leaders, partners, staff and consultants to support the organization’s efforts.
  • Experience and comfort working with Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Office applications, Teams) and various web-based applications.

 

General

  • Clear commitment to the importance of providing a high-quality public education for all students in Jacksonville, particularly historically underserved student populations.
  • Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, deadline- and goal-driven organization.
  • Excitement and openness to continued learning and development.
  • Knowledge of Jacksonville is preferred but not required.

 

Salary and Benefits

The compensation for this position is competitive and depends on prior experience. JPEF provides a comprehensive benefits package to regular, full-time employees that includes employer-paid life insurance and short- and long-term disability insurance; a generous employer contribution to medical, dental, and vision insurance; and a 100% employer match to a 401(k) retirement plan up to 5% of the employee's salary. Additionally, regular, full-time employees receive 16 paid holidays and accrue 4 weeks of PTO annually.

 

Commitment to Diversity

The Jacksonville Public Education Fund encourages individuals of all backgrounds to apply for this position. We are committed to creating an environment where staff and stakeholders from all backgrounds can thrive.