UK Director of Strategic Partnerships

About Guidewell Education: The market for private educational preparation is highly fragmented and has historically lacked a key player who examines student and educator needs holistically. Together, the Guidewell Education family of brands, including UES Education | ESM Prep, has stepped confidently into that role. We provide a full suite of services to meet student needs from elementary school through college, including college counseling, academic tutoring, executive function coaching, and test preparation.

Job Summary: The UK Director of Strategic Partnerships is a key role responsible for driving organizational growth by developing and managing strategic partnerships with schools, American colleges, and other key stakeholders. The successful candidate will lead business development efforts, cultivate strong relationships, and represent the organization as a thought leader in the field of education and college counseling, while simultaneously working with a small caseload of students as a 1-on-1 college admissions counselor. This role combines strategic vision with hands-on engagement, requiring a blend of relationship development, educational expertise, sales acumen, and exceptional communication abilities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Partnership Development & Management:

• Lead business development initiatives, serving as the primary representative to valued partners, including schools, American colleges, and partner institutions.
• Cultivate and maintain strong, trusted relationships with partners, ensuring the delivery of exceptional service and guidance.
• Develop and implement strategies to enhance brand awareness and expand market reach within schools, American colleges, and partner institutions through presentations, events, and other outreach activities.
• Pursue new market opportunities to drive organizational growth.
• Collaborate with internal teams to design and execute outreach strategies that generate high-quality leads and strengthen the sales pipeline through strategic partnerships.
• Develop, manage, and oversee the partnerships budget, including allocation for travel, marketing, and events.
• Create and manage annual conference plans to maximize organizational presence and impact.
• Represent the organization as a public speaker at industry events while leading the planning and execution of educational conferences, roadshows, College Quest events, and webinars to attract new markets and engage prospective clients.
• Oversee all logistics, content development, and participant communication.
• Meet and exceed personal and team revenue and lead generation goals, including targets related to American college and private wealth institution engagement and referrals.

• Provide expert college counseling and guidance to students, supporting them in their pursuit of higher education. The expected caseload for this role is up to 20 students at any given time.
• Guide students through all facets of the college search, planning, and application process, including strategic essay development and application preparation.
• Conduct counseling sessions using a variety of modalities, including video conferencing and in-person meetings, to accommodate student needs.
• Answer college counseling questions from partner institutions, ensuring that all school partners have access to quality resources and guidance related to the US university application process.

• Contribute to the strategic planning and development of new and existing programs to enhance the organization's offerings.
• Liaise with the Guidewell UK Director to ensure effective future planning, budget allocation for travel, marketing, event planning, and other related expenses.
• Attend team meetings and contribute to the overall well-being of the Guidewell Education team.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree.
• 5+ years of experience in education, counseling, sales, or business development, with a proven track record of success.
• Strong understanding of the college admissions process, particularly in the US, the educational landscape, and the role of Independent Educational Consultants and schools.
• Preference for specific experience advising UK students on the US application process.
• Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Proficiency, or the ability to quickly learn and maintain proficiency, in CRM systems and Excel/Google Sheets.
• Ability to spearhead new business development opportunities.
• Ability to travel domestically for relationship management.
• Hybrid working structure, requiring office attendance 2-3 days per week, with weekly travel around the UK/London.

Salary and Benefits:

• Total annual compensation range projected to be £60,000 - 95,000.
• Base salary: £48,000 - £56,000 annually.
• Commission for personal college counseling work with students.
• Annual bonus opportunities.
• Comprehensive health insurance.

Diversity and Inclusion: We believe that diversity and inclusion enrich education and drive success. We are committed to ensuring that all people who interact with Guidewell Education--parents, students, staff, contractors, partners, vendors--are respected and valued holistically. We are committed to attracting and retaining students and staff from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and experiences because we believe that diversity fuels innovation and education to new heights.

The Legal Stuff: Applicants will be considered for the position on the basis of their qualifications and ability to perform the job for which they are applying. Guidewell Education does not discriminate based on the basis of race, color, genetics, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or status as a special disabled or other veteran covered by the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974, as amended.