The Director, Educator Engagement is responsible for developing strategic partnerships and leading programs that strengthen Maine's educator workforce and elevate the teaching profession. This role oversees a portfolio of educator engagement initiatives, including the Maine Teacher of the Year Program, Educator Apprenticeship, and the Teach Maine Center, ensuring their successful implementation, growth, and alignment with Educate Maine's strategic priorities. The Director will collaborate with educators, school and district leaders, higher education institutions, state agencies, and other partners to identify opportunities, strengthen connections across the education ecosystem, and advance initiatives that support educators throughout their careers.
The Director will work closely with internal teams and a wide variety of external stakeholders to expand Educate Maine's impact, foster meaningful partnerships, and develop new opportunities that address the evolving needs of Maine's education workforce. This is a hybrid position.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Programs
● Lead the strategy, growth, implementation, and execution of Educate Maine’s educator engagement portfolio
● Provide strategic oversight of the Maine Teacher of the Year Program and partner with the Program Manager on program delivery, events, stakeholder engagement, and national partnerships
● Lead Educate Maine’s statewide educator apprenticeship work, partnering with the Maine Department of Labor and school districts to develop, launch, and implement apprenticeship programs
● Collaborate closely with the Workforce Partnerships team to align apprenticeship and work-based learning strategies and implementation across programs
● Plan and execute educator engagement programs, professional learning opportunities, convenings, and events, including coordination of logistics, travel, partners, and participants
● Build and maintain strong partnerships with educators, school and district leaders, higher education institutions, state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other stakeholders to advance educator engagement initiatives and identify new opportunities for collaboration
● Partner with the Communications Manager to develop and execute communications strategies that promote educator engagement initiatives through newsletters, social media, website content, marketing materials, and other communications channels
● Evaluate program outcomes and stakeholder feedback to identify opportunities for continuous improvement, innovation, and long-term sustainability
Development & Fundraising
● Partner with the Development Director and senior leadership to secure philanthropic, corporate, state, and federal funding in support of educator engagement initiatives
● Manage grant implementation, deliverables, and reporting to ensure compliance and successful achievement of program objectives
● Cultivate strategic funding and partnership opportunities that strengthen the long-term sustainability of the Teach Maine Center, Maine Teacher of the Year Program, and educator apprenticeship initiatives
Supervisory
● Recruit, supervise, mentor, and develop direct reports, fostering a collaborative, high-performing team culture
● Provide ongoing coaching, performance feedback, and professional development opportunities for team members
General
● Cultivate relationships with new and existing educational institutions, business leaders, and other partners to facilitate new programs or grow existing programs
● Report successes and challenges to internal and external stakeholders
● Contribute to professional development programs, public relations efforts, and press events hosted by Educate Maine or in partnership with other organizations
● Represent Educate Maine at meetings, conferences, events, and partner activities across the state, supporting execution and cultivating external relationships
● Partner with the Executive Director to ensure Educate Maine’s strategic goals are realized
● Develop and manage departmental budget in support of Educate Maine’s financial goals and within the parameters of grant funding requirements
● Other duties as assigned
Required Qualifications
● Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
● Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience, including demonstrated success managing and coaching direct reports and managing projects
● Deep understanding of Maine's education ecosystem and commitment to supporting educators across the education continuum, including K–12, higher education, and the educator workforce
● Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships and influence others through partnership and collaboration
● Excellent verbal and written communications; ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing to diverse stakeholders
● Financial acumen, including financial reporting, invoicing and budget tracking
● Ability to self-start and creatively solve problems, with strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to prioritize in a fast-paced environment
● Proven track record of discretion and maintaining confidentiality
● Ability to pass a Maine CHRC certification
Preferred Qualifications
● Experience as an educator, with progressive leadership experience in a school or district setting.
This position will require the ability to commute to events and meetings throughout Maine. This position is hybrid and, while flexible, is designed to be in person 2–3 days per week on average for employees located near Educate Maine’s Portland office. Applications are accepted from across the state, with remote work flexibility for candidates located outside the Portland area; however, frequent in-person participation in meetings, programs, and events throughout Maine is required. This position requires evening and weekend hours and overnight travel as needed.
Benefits: Benefits include 13 paid holidays, 15 vacation days in the first year of hire, and 12 sick days per year. We offer a competitive employer health insurance plan including an HSA plan, partial premium coverage for spouses and dependents, life insurance, short-term disability insurance, 5% employer contributions for retirement, and annual professional development funding to support your professional growth. Employees may also elect dental and vision insurance. We offer a competitive salary commensurate with experience.