Director, Strategic Initiatives

Axim Collaborative•Cambridge, MA

1d•$155,000 - $190,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Strategic Initiatives Director helps shape and advance Axim Collaborative’s strategy and emerging areas of work. Reporting to the Chief of Staff & Strategic Initiatives, the Director takes on high-priority, often ambiguous projects requiring rigorous research, expansive thinking, and strong execution. The role combines analytical rigor with an entrepreneurial mindset: quickly developing expertise in unfamiliar topics, identifying implications for Axim, and translating complex analysis into clear recommendations and actionable initiatives. This is a hybrid role requiring regular in-person work in Axim’s Cambridge office. Candidates must be able to commute at least two days per week from Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont. All staff are also required to attend in-person programming three times a year. Axim Collaborative is a nonprofit that transforms education-to-work pathways through collaboration and innovation. It uses catalytic funding to foster partnerships, convene leaders, and scale innovations that improve outcomes for learners. Axim is a joint endeavor between Harvard and MIT that evolved from edX.

Requirements

Deep commitment to education equity and experience applying an equity lens across strategies and work streams.
At least 5 years of professional experience, including significant experience in strategy and/or research.
Strong strategic judgment and ability to bring structure to ambiguity, define appropriate questions and analytical approaches, connect detailed analysis to broader implications, and move work from exploration to action.
Exceptional written and visual communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex ideas into clear, concise, compelling materials for senior audiences.
Strong project management skills, including managing multiple priorities and coordinating effectively across internal and external stakeholders and multi-stakeholder efforts.
Experience designing and driving complex programs, partnerships, or strategic initiatives from concept through execution, with understanding of what it takes for promising models to become sustainable and scale.
High attention to detail and a track record of producing accurate, high-quality work in dynamic, fast-moving environments.
Experience using AI and other emerging technologies effectively for research, analysis, synthesis, and knowledge work.
An MBA, MPP, MPA, or other relevant advanced degree, or a bachelor’s degree plus 5 years of consulting experience.
Ability to commute to the Cambridge office at least two days per week from Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont.
This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in or with government, higher education, philanthropy, or other mission-driven organizations, particularly on education, workforce, or economic mobility issues.
Familiarity with education technology, data systems, or other technologies shaping education and workforce systems.

Responsibilities

Support the Chief of Staff & Strategic Initiatives in developing and advancing Axim’s organizational strategy, including research and analysis of relevant trends, opportunities, and challenges.
Work across the organization on multiple strategic priorities, partnering with the Chief of Staff & Strategic Initiatives and Vice Presidents of Partnership to bring analytical capacity, structure, and an organization-wide perspective to complex questions.
Structure open-ended research and analysis, identify what Axim needs to understand, and translate findings into strategic implications and actionable recommendations.
Conduct rapid, rigorous landscape analyses drawing on research, data, stakeholder perspectives, policy developments, and examples from the field.
Identify opportunities for new programs, partnerships, investments, or strategic initiatives and develop them from early exploration into concepts for leadership consideration.
Synthesize lessons across Axim’s work, identifying themes, emerging questions, and implications for future strategy and organizational learning.
Develop written and visual materials for the CEO, Chief of Staff, and other senior leaders for external meetings and convenings.
Prepare for Board meetings and other key organizational discussions by developing presentations and briefing materials, synthesizing input across teams, and communicating complex topics clearly and concisely.
Partner with the Vice President of Strategic Communications and other senior leaders on thought leadership, translating research and strategy insights into articles, presentations, convenings, and other external communications.
Provide strategic and project management capacity for high-priority partnerships and initiatives requiring coordination across internal teams and external stakeholders.
Support Axim partners in strengthening and scaling promising models, including research and analysis on sustainable business models, growth strategy, and pathways to scale.
Design and manage multi-stakeholder efforts and convenings.
Capture and synthesize learning across convenings, partnerships, and strategic initiatives to inform future convenings, partnership development, strategy, and investments.