Program Director, Major Accounts & District Partnerships

Job Description

Job Description

At ACT, Your Work Makes a Difference

Education has power – a power that changes lives forever. It creates opportunities that lift up individuals, their families, and sparks societal change that echoes through generations to come. From our grassroots we have fought the good fight for equity in education, and we remain devoted to helping anyone who struggles to access that power. This is what matters to us and we must do better -- we’ve never been more sure of our purpose.

ACT team members are part of an organization dedicated to a mission that has never been more important: Helping people achieve education and workplace success. Advancing that mission within our organization, by helping our team members achieve education and workplace success of their own, is core to our values. ACT values a diverse workplace and is committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable environment in which every team member has an opportunity to grow.

We want our team members to have the well-being and confidence they need to do their best work, in an environment where both they and ACT thrive. To support this, our total rewards include company paid life insurance, medical, dental, vision, flexible health and dependent spending accounts, 401(k) retirement savings with company match, paid holidays, paid time off, and so much more. You can find a comprehensive list of our benefits here.

We are seeking a Program Director of Major Accounts and District Partnerships to help us fulfill that mission.

ACT's largest and most complex district partnerships require a different kind of leader. The Program Director of Major Accounts and District Partnerships owns a focused portfolio of the nation's largest school districts with responsibility for new business capture, growth within existing relationships, and driving measurable impact at scale. This is a senior individual contributor role for someone who knows these districts, has credibility at the leadership table, and can navigate the full complexity of large-district procurement and decision-making.

The finalist will be hired at the salary and level commensurate with their qualifications. For this position, we anticipate offering an annual salary in the range of $115,000 to $125,000. ACT manages salaries within the range based on relevant factors including, skills, experience, and internal equity. This position is incentive eligible.

Location: This is a remote position, based in the United States.

Visa: Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for visa sponsorship.

What you will be working on:

• A named account list of approximately 50 of the nation's largest school districts
• A plan that identifies, qualifies, and pursues high-value opportunities across assigned accounts, including new solution adoption, expanded utilization, and contract growth with measurable outcomes
• Direct engagement with district senior leadership — Superintendents, Associate Superintendents, and Cabinet-level decision makers, and boards of education — to align ACT solutions with district priorities and initiatives
• Develop and execute comprehensive, multi-year account plans for each assigned district, working with account and program management teams for account support
• Lead ACT's response to large district RFPs — driving solutioning, costing, and requirements development
• Navigate complex procurement processes involving multiple stakeholders, funding sources, and budget cycles
• Advise districts on post-adoption data utilization and best practices to drive measurable outcomes
• Inform internal product, pricing, and delivery decisions based on the unique needs and scale of major districts
• Collaborate with state partnership and field sales teams to align on strategy, share intelligence, and coordinate on shared accounts
• Represent ACT at national and regional events, building and maintaining a strong presence among large-district leadership networks

This could be the job for you if you have (minimum requirements):

• At least 7 years of significant experience selling to or working within large K-12 school districts
• Have an established network of senior district leaders, you either have these districts as current or former clients or you’ve held a senior role inside one; ability to influence and engage individuals at the district senior leadership and decision-making level from day one
• Deep knowledge of district priorities, budget cycles, funding mechanisms, and procurement processes
• Proven track record closing complex, multi-year deals in competitive environments
• Command of the K-12 assessment landscape — policy, competitive dynamics, and how districts evaluate and adopt assessment solutions
• Elite negotiation, consultative selling, and executive presentation skills
• Ability to gather and use competitive intelligence to create strategies that advance and/or protect ACT’s interests
• Ability to work effectively and build relationships with individuals within the organization
• Strong communication skills including ability to communicate effectively across all levels in the organization
• Strong analytical abilities and the ability to determine logical solutions to complicated problems
• Ability to set goals and priorities and manage to completion
• Access to a central hub airport and ability to travel at least 25% of time
• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Business or a related area of study; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

It’s a plus if you have:

• Direct experience with college and career readiness programs, assessments, or related solutions
• Familiarity with state-level education policy and how it shapes district decision-making
• Experience coordinating across internal teams (product, operations, finance) to structure large, customized deals

About ACT

When ACT was founded in 1959, it disrupted the assessment industry with a new approach to helping students better understand their readiness so they could take steps to improve it. By leveraging our expertise and authority in assessment and research, we will again disrupt the industry—helping more people learn, better measure their progress, and improve their navigation through life’s transitions.

More than ever before, ACT is fulfilling its mission of helping people achieve education and workplace success. We’re doing it by pushing the boundaries of learning innovation through the work of our people, who we call team members because we’re all in this together.

We know transformation does not come without challenge. That’s why ACT invests in a variety of experiences for team members to strengthen their connections, explore ideas, learn from customers, and celebrate success.

Learn more about working at ACT at act.org!

ACT is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. ACT participates in E-verify. ACT's online position announcements are intended only to provide general descriptions of employment opportunities; none of the information provided for any position should be interpreted as a commitment by ACT to specific terms and conditions for employment.

Completion of the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate is recommended. Find a testing site near you to register for the WorkKeys assessments. Finalists for this position will be subject to a criminal background check as a condition of employment.

**If you have received an ACT employment-related communication from an email address that is not affiliated with @act.org and/or that requests personal or financial information, please do not reply. Instead, reach out to us at View email address on ziprecruiter.com with the details. ACT's recruitment team appreciates your interest in working with us to transform college and career readiness pathways for all learners and wishes you the best of luck in your career journey.**