Senior Director, Evidence-based Learning and Leadership

About The Team

The Evidence-Based Learning and Leadership Team at The College Board brings together research, assessment, and instructional expertise to empower school system leaders. Our goal is to help them make high-quality, evidence-informed decisions and take action to improve teaching, learning, and student outcomes. We design and deliver convenings, learning experiences, and practical tools, supporting leaders in interpreting evidence, navigating emerging challenges like generative AI, and translating insights into instructional and system-level improvement. Housed within the Learning & Assessment Division, we connect College Board’s robust evidence base to real-world leadership practice.

About The Opportunity

The Senior Director, Evidence-based Learning and Leadership plays a pivotal role in transforming College Board’s learning, assessment, and research evidence into impactful experiences, tools, and supports for school system leaders. This position is responsible for the design and execution of convenings, leadership learning experiences, and practical resources that enable leaders to interpret evidence, make informed decisions, and drive improvements in teaching and learning.

The successful Senior Director candidate will possess deep instructional and leadership experience, strong facilitation and design skills, and a practical understanding of the complex, high-stakes environments in which district and school leaders operate. Working closely with the Vice President, this role ensures the team’s work is rigorous, relevant, and firmly rooted in real-world leadership practice.

In This Role, You Will

Senior Instructional Leader Program Design and Delivery (50%)

• Lead the design of leadership convenings, learning experiences, and cohorts focusing on evidence-based decision making in teaching, learning, coursework, career readiness, and assessment.
• Ensure all experiences are practical, interactive, and directly applicable to leaders’ day-to-day work.
• Integrate emerging issues, such as generative AI, into leadership learning in a manner grounded in instruction and learning.
• Develop tools, frameworks, and resources for district leaders to utilize in their specific contexts.
• Design and implement resources, training, and supports to enhance College Board’s field teams’ skills and confidence in engaging senior academic leaders.
• Collaborate with College Board field and program teams to improve access and actionability of College Board instructional data and reports.

Execution and Operations (20%)

• Manage the end-to-end execution of academic and instructional programs and convenings, including planning, facilitation, and follow-up.
• Coordinate timelines, logistics, and deliverables to ensure high-quality implementation.
• Gather and synthesize feedback for continuous improvement of offerings.

Vendor and Partner Management (20%)

• Manage day-to-day relationships with external academic and instructional partners and vendors (e.g., instructional support organizations, facilitators).
• Leverage partner expertise to achieve speed and scale while maintaining coherence and quality.

Collaboration and Internal Alignment (10%)

• Work closely with colleagues across Learning & Assessment, State and District Partnerships, program, and other teams to ensure content accuracy and alignment.
• Support internal stakeholders by sharing insights and lessons learned from the field.
• Contribute to shaping the team’s approach as demand and scope evolve.

About You

To qualify for this role, you must have:

• Former district instructional leader, or equivalent role.
• Deep experience with teaching and learning, particularly at the high school level.
• Strong facilitation, adult learning, and instructional design skills.
• Experience designing and leading leadership learning experiences or convenings.
• Comfort working with research and assessment data, and other forms of evidence, and translating them for practitioner audiences.
• Highly organized, execution-oriented, and capable of managing multiple workstreams simultaneously.
• Collaborative, adaptable, and effective in ambiguous or evolving contexts.
• 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.
• Ability to travel 20%.

Exceptional Candidates Can Effectively Speak To

• Experience supporting senior academic leaders within K–12 instructional systems, including at least five years in district, network, or intermediary roles focused on instructional design, professional learning, or academic systems improvement.
• How evidence and data inform strong design decisions, including the use of participant feedback, usage data, and formative evaluation to continuously improve trainings, cohorts, and learning supports.
• Translating strategy into execution, including experience planning and delivering complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives with clear timelines, materials, and deliverables.
• Designing learning experiences for senior academic leaders, grounded in evidence, adult learning principles, and the realities of district decision-making.
• Building internal capability at scale, including experience designing trainings, tools, and guidance that strengthen the ability of field teams to engage senior academic leaders.
• The ability to travel 5-8 times a year to College Board offices or on behalf of College Board business.

About Our Process

Application review will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. This role is expected to accept applications for a minimum of 5 business days. While the hiring process may vary, it generally includes: resume and application submission, recruiter phone/video screen, hiring manager interview, performance exercise such as live coding, a panel interview, a conversation with leadership, and reference checks.

What We Offer

At College Board, we offer more than just a paycheck—we provide a meaningful career, a supportive team, and a comprehensive package designed to help you thrive. We’re a self-sustaining nonprofit that believes in fair and competitive compensation, grounded in your qualifications, experience, impact, and the market.

A Thoughtful Approach to Compensation

The hiring range for this role is $108,000 - $165,000. Your exact salary will depend on your location, experience, and how your background compares to others in similar roles at The College Board. We aim to make our best offer upfront—rooted in fairness, transparency, and market data. We adjust salaries by location to ensure fairness, no matter where you live.

You’ll have open, transparent conversations about compensation, benefits, and what it’s like to work at The College Board throughout your hiring process. Check out our careers page for more.

About College Board

The College Board reaches more than 7 million students a year, helping them navigate the path from high school to college and career. We’re a mission-driven, not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to excellence in education. Founded 125 years ago, we are committed to clearing a path for all students to own their future. We pioneered programs like the SAT® and AP® to expand opportunities for students and help them develop the skills they need. Our BigFuture® program helps students plan for college, pay for college, and explore careers. Learn more at cb.org.

Mission

Clearing a path for all students to own their future.

What Guides Us

At The College Board, our work is guided by four Operating Principles, and we seek team members who not only align with these principles but actively live them out in their day-to-day work:

• Prioritize and Simplify – We focus on what matters most, reduce complexity, and move quickly when needed.
• Say and Receive – We give and receive feedback candidly and kindly, welcoming growth and healthy debate.
• Go for Greatness – We pursue excellence using data, iteration, and bold thinking to raise the bar.
• Lead as One College Board – We build a culture of trust, inclusion, and shared responsibility for long-term impact.

We Value and Provide Growth, Recognition, and Purpose

In addition to a competitive salary and benefits, we offer:

• Annual bonuses and opportunities for merit-based raises and promotions.
• A mission-driven workplace where your impact matters.
• A team that invests in your development and success.

✨Learn More ✨

Learn more about The College Board’s Operating Principles, Our Remote-first Workplace Policy, Benefits, Recruiting Process, and More.

EEOC statement

The College Board is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We’re committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status.

Key skills/competency

• Evidence-based Decision Making
• Instructional Design
• Adult Learning Principles
• Program Management
• Data Interpretation
• Generative AI in Education
• Leadership Development
• Stakeholder Collaboration
• Curriculum Development
• K-12 Educational Systems