Senior Director, CEO Initiatives

College Board•New York, NY

15d•$108,000 - $170,000•Hybrid

About The Position

As the Senior Director, CEO Initiatives, you serve as a leader within the Office of the CEO, owning complex, high-impact strategic initiatives from conception through execution. This role is designed for a seasoned operator who brings strong judgment, enterprise perspective, and the ability to independently drive work that shapes CEO priorities, leadership effectiveness, and organizational outcomes. Reporting to the Executive Director, CEO Initiatives, you act as a primary source of capacity for enterprise-level projects that require sustained focus, cross-functional influence, and senior-level problem solving. You are expected to operate with significant autonomy, translate broad direction into clear plans, and drive results with minimal oversight. Y ou work closely with the Chief of Staff, Executive Director and other senior leaders across the organization, but your core priority is staffing the CEO in the day-to-day and exhibiting strong work product that frees up the CEO’s time and advances College Board’s strategic priorities . You thrive in ambiguity, anticipate issues before they surface, and are comfortable making decisions, setting direction, and holding others accountable . You bring clarity where there is complexity and momentum where there is inertia.

Requirements

10–1 2 + years of experience independently leading complex projects or initiatives in high-stakes, fast-paced environments
Demonstrated success owning strategic work end to end, from problem definition through execution and impact assessment
Experience working closely with senior executives and influencing outcomes at the C-suite or equivalent level
Strong judgment and the ability to navigate ambiguity, competing priorities, and sensitive dynamics with discretion
Proven ability to drive cross-functional alignment and execution across diverse stakeholders
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complexity into clear, actionable insights
Strong analytical skills and comfort using data, dashboards, and qualitative inputs to inform decisions
Excellent organizational and prioritization skills, with a track record of delivering results without close oversight
Proficiency in PowerPoint, Word, and Excel
Willingness to work on-site to support key meetings and initiatives and to travel as needed ( approximately 20 –30%)
Bachelor’s degree
Authorization to work in the United States
A passion for expanding educational and career opportunities and mission-driven work
Curiosity and enthusiasm for emerging technologies, with a willingness to experiment with and adopt new AI-driven solutions and comfort with learning and applying new digital tools independently and proactively.
Clear and concise communication skills, written and verbal
A learner's mindset and a commitment to growth: welcoming diverse perspectives, giving and receiving timely , respectful feedback, and continuously improving through iterative learning and user input.
A drive for impact and excellence: solving complex problems, making data-informed decisions, prioritizing what matters most, and continuously improving through learning, user input, and external benchmarking.
A collaborative and empathetic approach: working across differences, fostering trust, and contributing to a culture of shared success
Authorization to work in the United States

Responsibilities

Independently own and deliver enterprise-level strategic initiatives for the Office of the CEO ( 35 %)
Independently lead complex, multi-month, cross-enterprise initiatives on behalf of the Office of the CEO, from problem definition and strategic design through execution, measurement, and course correction, including work tied to organizational launches, restructures, leadership transitions, and externally driven deadlines
Working closely with our Strategic Execution and Enablement (SEE) team, t ranslate CEO and Executive Director priorities into clear strategic plans, success metrics, and decision pathways that enable progress in ambiguous, high-stakes environments
Continuously assess evolving conditions, proactively identifying risks, dependencies, and tradeoffs, and advancing clear recommendations that drive timely decision-making and execution
Partner with senior leaders across divisions to align priorities, resolve tension, and deliver results against enterprise objectives , particularly during moments of heightened urgency, visibility, or complexity
Use data, dashboards, and qualitative insight to inform decisions, monitor progress, and recalibrate strategy in real time, serving as a steady source of judgment and momentum when stakes are high
Advance CEO effectiveness through targeted, high-leverage work ( 3 5 %)
Own preparation for daily meetings and select high-stakes CEO engagements, initiatives, or decisions requiring deep strategic context and sustained execution
Develop decision memos, strategic framing, and synthesis that support high-quality CEO and ELT decision-making
Ensure commitments made through CEO-led initiatives are translated into action, monitored for progress, and driven through completion
Partner with communications colleagues to shape messaging, narratives, or materials tied to major enterprise initiatives or inflection points
Serve as a senior partner to the Executive Director, CEO Initiatives and Chief of S taff (20%)
Act as a senior thought partner and extension of the Executive Director, assuming full ownership of delegated strategic workstreams with minimal oversight
Bring enterprise-level perspective and pattern recognition to help shape prioritization, sequencing, and focus across the Office of the CEO’s portfolio of work
Represent the Office of the CEO in senior-level forums and working sessions as app ropriate , d riving clarity, alignment, and sustained follow-through
External engagement strategy and CEO leverage (1 0 %)
Own the strategic planning, preparation, and follow-through for a defined portfolio of the CEO’s external engagements, ensuring time and attention are focused where they most advance enterprise priorities
Develop integrated briefing and framing materials that synthesize external context, stakeholder dynamics, organizational objectives , and desired outcomes for high-impact external meetings and appearances
Translate insights, commitments, and signals from external engagements into clear internal actions, recommendations, and strategic inputs for the Executive Director and Chief of Staff
Partner closely with Communications, External Relations, Government Relations, and related teams to ensure external engagements reinforce enterprise narrative, positioning, and priorities
Track themes, risks, and opportunities emerging from external interactions and surface patterns that inform future CEO priorities and strategic decision-making