Assistant Director of Strategic Initiatives and Policy

University of Texas at Austin • Austin, TX

83d • $100,000

About The Position

The Assistant Director of Strategic Initiatives and Policy plays a key role in advancing OnRamps’ strategic priorities through policy analysis, and leadership of key initiatives. This position supports the Executive Director in evaluating new business opportunities, monitoring legislative developments, and informing strategic planning efforts. Through analytical skills, a deep understanding of education policy and school finance, and the ability to translate complex data into actionable insights, this role serves as a connector across all OnRamps teams to ensure alignment and integration of strategic initiatives.

Requirements

• Master’s degree.
• Five or more years experience working with Texas Education policy.
• Exceptional customer service and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage multiple internal and external stakeholders with decorum and tact.
• Ability to communicate technical information to lay audiences using a respectful, client-focused approach.
• Demonstrated understanding of high school teaching and learning.
• Direct experience in an administrator or leadership role at K12 or college level.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated experience in external relations within the K-16 and/or higher education landscape.
• Knowledge of the Texas school finance context.

Responsibilities

• Leads the implementation of strategic initiatives and projects in alignment with OnRamps strategic priorities.
• Develops and manages agreements for identified projects for future development and scale.
• Manages the budget and project to ensure effective development, testing, and preparation for scaled implementation, and reports on allowable budget.
• Collaborates across all areas of work in OnRamps to accomplish goals related to strategic initiatives and projects.
• Contributes to the development of the OnRamps strategic plan, including implementation and progress monitoring across all areas of work.
• Proposes strategies to address complex issues and opportunities in alignment with institutional priorities and market trends.
• Monitors, evaluates, and tracks progress of legislative agendas and changes in agency policies and programs relevant to education and partnership strategy.
• Identifies emerging opportunities and risks to forecast potential impacts on OnRamps programs and partnerships.
• Facilitates internal knowledge-sharing, briefings, and professional learning for OnRamps staff, and evaluates internal practices to align with emerging policy changes.
• Conducts regular market research to assess trends and demand for dual enrollment and college readiness programs.
• Provides recommendations based on findings.
• Monitors and interprets changes in school finance policy and funding structures.
• Develops reports to evaluate the viability of new business opportunities in alignment with UT strategic goals and OnRamps priorities under the direction of the Executive Director.
• Maintains documentation, communication, and reporting in alignment with established processes; applies standard evaluation procedures to analyze data and monitor trends, evaluates and documents outcomes through recurrent issue tracking and reporting; utilizes data to recommend strategic adjustments and applies continuous improvement principles to areas of responsibility and supervises to optimize impact, sustainability, growth, effectiveness, and goal attainment.

Benefits

• 100% employer-paid basic medical coverage
• Retirement contributions
• Paid vacation and sick time
• Paid holidays
• Eligible for hybrid telework

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Master's degree
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees