Director, Corporate Strategy and Development

Risepoint assists primarily regional universities in increasing their access and impact by making their academic programs available to students online. Founded in 2007, Risepoint's mission is to expand access to high-quality, affordable, and workforce-relevant education, especially for working and adult students. Risepoint brings single-minded dedication to student success, an integrated set of services, and data-driven performance to our collaboration with university partners.

Day In a Life:

The essential functions of this role are as follows:

• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to understand functional business objectives and define and drive high-priority strategic projects, potentially to include di-agnostics, process redesign, and growth/go-to-market strategies.
• Partner with the executive team to align on overall business objectives and priorities, and work with Finance, Operations, and other leaders to ensure tight cascade and management of enterprise goals to functional strategic plans and execution.
• Conduct in-depth market analysis to identify themes, disruptions, innovations, and value at stake, and develop and communicate perspectives on opportunities.
• Design and implement performance monitoring systems to track value capture of strategic priorities and regularly report out and action against findings.
• In partnership with the SVP, maintain corporate development pipeline, conduct market scans, and facilitate potential due diligence, negotiations, and integration processes.
• Develop and maintain a deep understanding of the higher education industry, including emerging trends, regulatory changes, and competitive landscape.
• Engage regularly with peers across other organizations to ensure harmonization of strategy efforts and transparency in outcomes.
• Perform in accordance with Risepoint Policies.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What You'll Need for Success:

You must meet the following requirements to be considered for employment:

• A bachelor's degree is required. An MBA or a master's degree in a quantitative field (such as Economics, Finance, or Statistics) is highly preferred.
• A minimum of 7 years of work experience, including:
  • At least 2 years at a top-tier management consulting firm, investment bank, or corporate strategy organization.
  • At least 2 years within the higher education or edtech sector.
• Ability to quickly adapt to the industry, grasp business context, and understand market dynamics, with proficiency in discussing implications across strategy, finance, marketing, operations, and sales.
• A strong knack for diagnosing, structuring, and analyzing complex business problems and synthesizing insights for senior and executive audiences.
• Proficiency in structuring financial and economic models that incorporate multiple inputs and drivers, enabling assessment of financial outcomes and market forecasts.
• Experience in structuring and driving cross-functional strategic projects, including opportunity identification, scoping, analytical execution, and stakeholder management.
• Exceptional ability to build cross-functional and senior relationships, influence stakeholders, and drive alignment and enthusiasm across all levels of the company.
• Preferred:
  • Experience in building and leading processes that translate top-level vision into functional strategies, with skills in navigating cross-functional impact reporting and value delivery.
  • Strong understanding of industry landscapes and existing relationships that facilitate knowledge-building and opportunity creation.
  • Experience in coaching, performance management, and workplan management within the immediate team and across the organization.

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Risepoint is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce.