VP, Education & Program Development

the National Inventors Hall of Fame • North Canton, OH

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Vice President of Education & Program Development serves as the executive leader responsible for the vision, strategy, innovation, development, implementation, evaluation, and growth of all National Inventors Hall of Fame educational programs, products, and professional learning experiences. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, this individual provides strategic direction for NIHF's education portfolio, ensuring all offerings advance the organization's mission while creating sustainable growth and national impact. The Vice President of Education leads the full lifecycle of educational innovation, from research and development through implementation, scaling, assessment, and continuous improvement. This position serves as the primary visionary for invention education strategy, content development, educational research, district partnerships, and thought leadership. The role requires an executive leader who can successfully align educational excellence, operational discipline, customer needs, revenue growth, and mission impact.

Requirements

• Master's degree or higher in Education, Learning Sciences, STEM/STEAM Education, Educational Leadership, Science Communication, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in K-12 education, educational products, curriculum development, STEM education, museum education, nonprofit education, or related fields.
• Demonstrated success leading large-scale educational programs and teams.
• Experience developing revenue-generating educational products or programs.
• Strong understanding of district decision-making, educational policy, curriculum trends, and implementation models.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and strategic organizational initiatives.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to travel 25-35% nationally.

Responsibilities

• Establish and steward the long-range vision for NIHF's education portfolio.
• Lead strategic planning for program expansion, innovation, and national growth.
• Monitor emerging educational trends, technologies, policy developments, and district priorities.
• Ensure alignment between educational strategy and organizational strategic priorities.
• Serve as a key advisor to the CEO on educational opportunities, risks, and growth and development initiatives.
• Oversee the research, design, development, and modernization of curricula, programs, products, supplemental pieces, and experiences.
• Lead cross-functional innovation initiatives from concept through go-to-market strategy and national implementation.
• Ensure all offerings are aligned with educational standards, district needs, best practices in key fields (e.g., OST) and proven instructional practices.
• Develop systems for evaluating, refining, and scaling educational products and services.
• Oversee the integration of key data—from surveys to focus groups to research and evaluation results to inform R&D.
• Build a multi-year innovation pipeline supporting future growth.
• Lead invention education research and evaluation efforts and partnerships.
• Develop relationships with researchers, universities, foundations, networks, and educational organizations.
• Ensure data-informed decision making across the education department.
• Establish outcome measures and evidence of impact.
• Position NIHF as a national leader in research-informed invention education.
• Build and lead a high-performing education leadership team.
• Strengthen leadership, management, and creative and technical capacity throughout the department.
• Establish clear accountability, performance expectations, and professional growth opportunities.
• Foster a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, collaboration, compassion, and accountability.
• Develop succession plans and talent pipelines for future organizational needs.
• Partner strategically with Sales to support district acquisition, retention, and growth.
• Participate in key district and partner engagements.
• Ensure professional learning experiences are scalable, impactful, and aligned with customer needs.
• Support implementation models that maintain program fidelity while enabling growth.
• Strengthen NIHF's reputation as a trusted educational partner.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Creative leaders to elevate NIHF's educational brand nationally.
• Guide strategy related to curricula assets, multimedia development, and educational storytelling.
• Represent NIHF at national conferences and industry events.
• Build visibility and influence across education, STEM, innovation, and workforce development sectors.
• Partner with Operations leadership to create scalable systems that support program growth.
• Lead long-range planning related to educational materials, fulfillment, implementation, and delivery.
• Identify efficiencies that improve quality, customer experience, and profitability.
• Ensure organizational infrastructure can support future expansion.
• Partner with Development leadership to align fundraising priorities with educational strategy.
• Support cultivation of foundation, corporate, and government partners.
• Help identify and develop high-impact funding opportunities.
• Leverage educational trends and research to strengthen grant proposals and donor engagement.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Enjoy top-tier medical, dental, 100% employer paid vision, and insurance plans, along with flexible spending accounts to help pay for any out-of-pocket medical expenses.
• Company-Paid Benefits: NIHF contributes 100% to provide life and disability coverages.
• Secure Your Future: Benefit from our 401(k) plan with up to a 4% employer match and 100% vesting upon initial contribution, ensuring your financial stability and growth.
• Generous Time Off: Take advantage of paid time off, paid holidays, and a year-end closure from December 24th through January 1st to recharge.
• Additional Support: Access Critical Illness, Hospital, and Accident Supplemental Income plans for extra peace of mind.
• Pet-Friendly Perks: Protect your furry friends with our pet insurance plans.
• Stay Fit and Healthy: Utilize our on-site workout facility to maintain your physical well-being.
• Flexible Work Arrangements: Enjoy alternate workday scheduling and the option for hybrid remote work after 90 days, promoting a healthy work-life balance.
• Thriving Work Environment : Be part of a great team environment with ample opportunities for growth and a culture that prioritizes professional development.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive