Vice President, Partnerships

Axim Collaborative•Cambridge, MA

2d•$260,000 - $300,000•Hybrid

About The Position

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 solutions that help learners engage in their studies, persist through programs, and excel in their careers. Axim is a joint endeavor between Harvard and MIT that evolved from edX. The Vice President of Partnerships reports to the Senior Vice President, Strategy, Operations and Talent, serves on Axim Collaborative’s Senior Leadership Team, and develops high-level strategic partnerships and collaborations. Working with the SVP and Education Transformation team, the VP identifies, fosters, and manages partnerships in support of Axim’s mission. The role calls for an entrepreneurial builder who can create opportunities from the ground up, develop sustainable relationships, and balance mission impact with funding sustainability. This is a hybrid position requiring regular in-person work at 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. Staff attend in-person programming three times a year, and the role requires approximately 25% travel. The role is exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Requirements

Deep commitment to education equity and experience applying an equity lens across strategies and work streams.
At least 15 years of professional experience, with demonstrated partnership-development success in areas such as social enterprise, philanthropy, and higher education, including digital technology innovations.
Understanding of how innovative programs and technology can support students in broad-access higher education settings.
Demonstrated success building or scaling partnerships, programs, or ventures from the ground up in social enterprise, early-stage mission-driven organizations, or institutional settings, including models balancing mission impact with sustainable funding strategies.
At least 10 years of progressive leadership experience, including 5–7 years at the senior level, with success leading significant strategic initiatives and collaborating with executive leadership, board members, and diverse external stakeholders.
Fluency in developing and applying a theory of change and assessment frameworks to guide partnership strategy, prioritize opportunities, evaluate partners against impact goals, and define partnership success.
Strong storytelling and fundraising skills for mission-driven audiences, including funders, government partners, and institutional counterparts.
Exceptional relationship-building skills and ability to connect with and influence external decision-makers with diverse priorities.
Strong analytical ability and experience embedding impact measurement and reporting practices that meet the needs of philanthropic funders, institutional stakeholders, and commercial partners.
Strong written communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex ideas into clear, compelling memos, proposals, and presentations.
Board- or funder-facing experience, including presenting partnership pipelines and outcomes to a governance audience.
Ability to commute to the Cambridge office at least two days per week from Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont.
Ability to travel approximately 25%.

Responsibilities

Source, curate, and manage strategic partner relationships with broad-access institutions, intermediary organizations, nonprofit digital innovators, and edtech providers, serving as the relationship lead with senior partner leaders.
Apply Axim’s theory of change and partner assessment framework to prioritize opportunities, evaluate potential partners against strategic focus areas and impact goals, and define success for each partnership.
Use knowledge of issues in broad-access education and workforce sectors to identify and pursue opportunities that improve student outcomes.
Source and structure innovative partnerships and collaborations that balance mission impact with financial sustainability, including blended philanthropic, public, and/or earned-revenue funding models.
Embed impact measurement in partnership models and prepare partnership proposals for review by the Axim Collaborative board.
Oversee execution of projects and strategic convenings, ensuring strong engagement and outcomes.
Develop memos, proposals, and presentations that explain complex ideas clearly and compellingly to funders, government partners, and institutional counterparts.
Represent Axim Collaborative at external events, conferences, and partner convenings through speaking and writing; communicate Axim’s strategy, vision, and approach and present evidence-based models of success.
As a Senior Leadership Team member, build shared purpose and collective culture across departments and cultivate trust within the organization and with partners.
Model inclusive excellence, foster diverse and inclusive environments, and encourage a diversity of perspectives on teams.
Participate in annual organizational goal-setting and planning to align operations and budgets with the broader mission.
Prepare for and guide the organization through change and transition.