Vice President, Government Relations

About the Team  

Global Policy and External Relations (GPER) is a close-knit, mission-driven team of policy and government relations professionals who work in a fast-paced environment to drive impactful policy proposals and appropriation priorities from design to implementation. We are pragmatic and solutions-oriented, focused on what works to advance our goals with urgency and clarity.  

Our core capabilities are policy design and adoption to reach a broader group of students, field and subject-matter expertise to help College Board programs innovate and adapt, and advocacy and policy implementation to build and maintain a powerful network of external allies that will help us advance our organizational goals.     

About the Opportunity   

As the Vice President of Government Relations, you will play a pivotal role in advancing the College Board’s mission by leading a high-performing team and shaping national and state policy agendas that expand educational opportunity. You are a strategic thinker and systems builder, equally skilled at setting ambitious goals and turning vision into action. You are adept at crystallizing vision and strategy into clear tactics that enable you and your team to achieve big wins in service of your cause. You bring high emotional intelligence, which you apply through individual coaching with your team of over 10 Government Relations Directors and through the trusted relationships you cultivate in the field. You listen deeply, connect the dots, and build durable coalitions in service of broadening access and outcomes for students nationwide.  

In this role, you will:  

Lead and Manage a team of High Performing GR Professionals (40%)  

• Champion a strong, unified vision and strategy through deep partnership with the GR leads, ensuring goals are ambitious and outcomes-driven  

• Hire, retain, and develop top talent – embedding each individuals' strengths and roles into a cohesive team strategy 

• Provide consistent, actionable feedback and coaching that accelerates professional growth and drives high-impact execution.  

• Cultivate a culture of accountability and excellence, where everyone feels ownership over the team’s shared success. 

Design and Execute Vision & Strategy for Government Relations Team (40%)  

• Design and lead an ambitious multi-year strategy that creates clarity and drives action across the team, ensuring all understand their roles in both the short and long-term 

• Model strategic thinking on state and national priorities to ensure all understand the bar for executing effective, creative, and meaningful action en route to winning big in key states 

• Model strategic planning that enables all direct reports to contribute to team goals, particularly those that expand the reach of core College Board programs in states and drive innovation.  

• Development and execute against strategic goals that drive reflection, improvement, and action 

Steward Relationships & Partnerships in the Field to Broaden Access (20%)  

• Model an understanding of all perspectives that enables College Board to build broad coalitions and partnerships in service of all students 

• Identify, maintain and forge strategic relationships and partnerships across a range of stakeholders to protect and expand College Board’s impact and reach 

• Provide expert thought partnership to key contacts in the field to build College Board’s influence and impact 

About You  

 You have:  

• At least 15 years of Experience in Government Relations or related field  

• Demonstrated excellence managing a high performing team leading to strong results and wins 

• Ability to travel routinely throughout the year and especially during legislative sessions; at least 2-3 times a month 

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills 

• Ability to navigate complex political environments in service of bipartisan support 

• Ability to learn context on key issues quickly and nimbly, demonstrated by success in a variety of sectors and causes 

• The ability to travel routinely to College Board offices or on behalf of College Board business 

• Authorization to work in the United States 

About Our Process   

• Application review will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled   

• While the hiring process may vary, it generally includes: resume and application submission, recruiter phone/video screen, hiring manager interview, performance exercise/project, a panel interview, a conversation with leadership and reference checks.    

About Our Benefits and Compensation 

College Board offers a competitive benefits and compensation program that attracts top talent looking to make a difference in education. As a self-sustaining non-profit, we believe in compensating employees fairly in relation to each other, their qualifications, their impact, and the relevant market.  

The hiring range for a new employee in this position is $245,000 to $295,000. College Board differentiates salaries by location so where you live will narrow the portion of this range in which you can expect a salary.  

Your salary will be carefully determined based on your location, relevant experience, the external labor market, and the pay of College Board employees in similar roles. College Board strives to provide our best offer up front based on this criteria.  

Your salary is only one part of all that College Board offers, including but not limited to:    

• A comprehensive package designed to support the well-being of employees and their families and promote education. Our robust benefits package includes health, dental, and vision insurance, generous paid time off, paid parental leave, fertility benefits, pet insurance, tuition assistance, retirement benefits, and more 

• Recognition of exceptional performance through annual bonuses, salary growth over time through market increases, and opportunities for merit raises and promotions based on increased scope of responsibility 

• Once you’ve hit the six-month mark at the College Board, we'll contribute double the amount you put in your TIAA retirement plan each year, up to 10% of your annual salary 

• A job that matters, a team that cares, and a place to learn, innovate and thrive 

You can expect to have transparent conversations about benefits and compensation with our recruiters throughout your application process. 

About Our Culture  

 Our community matters, and we strive to practice and improve our culture daily. Here are some headlines:  

• We are motivated to positively impact the educational and career trajectories of millions of students a year  

• We prioritize building a diverse and inclusive team where every employee can thrive, and every voice is heard 

• We are a dynamic hybrid team, giving staff members the choice to either be fully remote or hybrid if they live close to a College Board office. Hybrid employees go into offices every Tuesday and Wednesday 

• We value learning and growth; we offer formal and informal ways to lead through your superpowers, sharpen your strengths, and meet your development goals 

• We know that our impact is strongest together. Our College Board Cares program offers all staff up to $1,000 annual match against partner non-profit organizations   

• We offer a transparent approach to promotions and merit raises, annual performance-based bonuses, and how to grow your career here over time 

• We are mission-driven – everything we do is grounded in expanding opportunity and creating meaningful change 

• We are pragmatic and solutions-oriented — we focus on what works and move quickly to make it happen. 

• We thrive in a fast-paced environment, working directly with leaders at the highest levels of government to drive real change. 

• We believe deeply in camaraderie and joy — we operate with a non-hierarchical spirit and a shared commitment to mutual respect. 

• We are collaborative by nature — “one team, one fight” is more than a saying; it’s how we show up for each other and for our mission. 

• We support personal growth and development, encouraging our team members to stretch, learn, and lead.