Managing Director, Global Higher Ed & Workforce

About ETS:

For more than 75 years, we have amplified products and services based rigorous research and our belief in the power of learning. Driven by our mission to advance quality and equity in education, ETS provides learning solutions, pioneering research and trusted assessments that help guide learners around the world on their path to new possibilities.

Our portfolio of trusted measures include TOEFL®, TOEIC®, GRE® and Praxis®. Along with research, development and innovation that explores new frontiers in learning and measurement our educational measurement solutions and research contribute to the development of new methods and tools, inform important dialogue with education policymakers, and shed light on critical issues and potential solutions - all with the aim of creating a world where all learners can improve their lives through education.

With new senior leadership at the helm, ETS aims to continue changing the lives of all learners as we expand our organization's global footprint. Our goal is to remain at the forefront of assessment and measurement efficacy within the education and ed tech space as it continues to grow and evolve.

The Managing Director of Global Higher Education & Workforce is pivotal for steering the global expansion of GRE and associated products, with a keen emphasis on effective product management and strategic initiatives. This leadership position encompasses overseeing the entire spectrum of the business, from sales and marketing to product development and operations, prioritizing growth and profitability. Operating within a matrixed organization, the MD collaborates closely with functional areas, including assessment operations, customer service, technology, HR, and finance, fostering synergies to drive business results and operational efficiency.

Moreover, the role involves a strategic focus on product management, aligning closely with market strategies to enhance margins and ensure the effective implementation of products and services. As a client-facing leader, the MD is accountable for cultivating relationships, gathering feedback, and ensuring satisfaction. Reporting to senior leadership, the MD will contribute to a comprehensive and cohesive product strategy across the business unit.

• Responsible for building the three-year strategy for HE and workforce product and go-to-market plan, including high-level timing for product launches, market analyses, resource and staffing needs, and KPI

• Recruit, organize and inspire high-performing product development, marketing, and GTM teams focused on building and commercializing a new product suite that: creates a new data-driven, HE (and secondary education)-to-work pathway; empowers student progress along that pathway, that positively impacts our broken HE system
  • Manage ~[$5M] product development budget across internal and external resources.

• Create an operating model that efficiently leverages ETS shared services like AOps, technology, etc.
• Lead rigorous customer-discovery process for high-priority stakeholder groups (admissions, student success, HS counselors, teachers, administrators, employers, etc.) along the path from HS to HE to work; identify and prioritize pain points, map to budgets/payors, determine market entry point, etc.
• Existing Products:
• Work with VP og K12 to re-organize GRE product and market team, freeing up resources and reducing expenses while ensuring GRE
• a) maintains its (and ETS's) premium brand position,
• b) continues to deliver value to schools,
• c) supports its test-takers
• Evaluate, rationalize, and organize sub-scale ETS products that exist in and around the higher ed space - Vericant, Kira, Crescend IP, PSQ, Aprize, HiSet, MTC
• • New Products
  • Develop an MVP/Alpha version of undergrad admissions/HS exit product that captures cognitive abilities and durable skills.
  • Pilot with 10+ receptive ‘buyers' (note: pricing and ultimate payor still very much TBD);
  • Evaluate existing GRE and Praxis Core assessments as a starting point for cognitive components
  • Scale a Beta (V2 and beyond) product and take meaningful share from the SAT/ACT in its first 2 years post-launch (considering penetration pricing or even free product)
  • Partner with the product team and data science team to develop a privacy-first, data model that underpins the entire product suite, places "the right" emphasis on existing and new data / AI tools, and supports all customers and stakeholders
  • Work close with K-12 Skills team to a) craft coordinated message for the market and b) leverage IP embedded in the current and proposed Mastery Transcript
  • Build Advisory Board with new mission around supporting young people in the journey through life and work post-secondary (e.g., Paul LeBlanc)
  • Manage and build out nascent HE/Workforce business development function ;
  • Re-orient resources to provide higher-fidelity and better organized market intelligence and customer feedback
  • Align against existing IP and/or ETS Solutions offerings that are immediately sellable
  • Accountable for the profit and loss (P&L) of the product line, including revenue and pricing strategy, margins, cost-efficiency, and meeting revenue/surplus targets.
  • Exemplify core values and behaviors through products and as a day-to-day leader.
  • Build and maintain strategic partnerships, making recommendations for investments, including minority stakes and mergers and acquisitions.
  • Help lead product strategy and roadmap through the entire creative cycle, from ideation and specification to development, release, analysis, and iteration.

  This role demands a seasoned leader with a strong product focus, strategic acumen, and the ability to drive growth and innovation across a diverse and global product portfolio.

• Proven leadership and management skills in leading a large, diverse organization with a track record of strategic thinking and problem solving.
• Ability to establish credibility throughout the organization by effectively balancing strategic vision with tactical implementation.
• Significant experience in successfully managing and meeting operational budgets and relevant financial metrics.
  • Ability to manage complex projects from inception to completion.
• Ability to improve efficiency within an organization and deliver to customer service level agreements
• Ability to organize resources, your own time, and the time of others.
• Ability to influence customer and leadership decisions
• Superlative communication skills, particularly the ability to communicate as a leader.
• A good sense of how to improve business operations using technology, business process analysis and redesign.
• Able to adapt new and emerging technologies to solve real-world business problems.
• Must be knowledgeable in business process development, governance processes, budget and administrative operations.
• Be a team player that motivates and educates other team members.
• Must possess and exhibit high levels of initiative.
• Ability to identify new opportunities and marshal resources to evaluate, prioritize, pursue, and deliver on opportunities identified
• Ability to make effective business decisions and trade-offs; possess strong decision-making and prioritization skills
• Proven track record of driving B2B or B2B2C sales and related commercial experience
• Global experience, having lived & worked in different geographies and/or managed global teams
• Previous Managing Director experience at a global organization with 50-100M revenue preferred
• Prior experience in entrenched industries / products that underwent disruption preferred
• Early career experience in channel management, B2B sales and/or business development preferred
• Bachelor's degree in business major is preferred
• MBA or master's degree/graduate degree preferred

ETS believes in a Total Rewards philosophy for our employees, and they include:

• Health, Vision, Dental insurance plans to choose from
• Generous continuous learning support, from individual learning grants to up to 6 classes a year for tuition reimbursement as well as on-line learning access!
• Generous PTO and vacation time to balance your work and life
• Additional 8 hours of PTO for volunteer work
• Retirement plan (401(a)) and traditional Roth (403b) with company contribution
• Commuter Benefits, Pet Insurance, 1 year subscription to Calm App

ETS is mission driven and action oriented

• Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is at the forefront of the ETS employee's daily work. To further foster an inclusive environment ETS is home to a wide variety of Affinity groups that celebrate the diversity of our talented employees.
• How about cultivating growth, innovation, and continuous transformation for the next generation of rising professionals as leaders? ETS offers multiple Business Resource Groups (BRG) for you!
• Are you passionate about volunteering and being active in your career and community? ETS offers our Center for Advocacy & Philanthropy (CAAP) where we encourage ETS employees to become active volunteers in their communities and schools through the ETS Cares Giving Campaign. Our employees can support any 501c3 or eligible charity of their choice.

ETS is an Equal Opportunity Employer comprised of people with different experiences, strengths, and backgrounds who share a passion for advancing quality and equity in education. We are dedicated to building teams that reflect the various backgrounds, experiences, and identities of those we serve. The Talent Acquisition team strives to ensure candidates enjoy a fair and equitable hiring process. We believe our differences empower us to be a better team, making better decisions and delivering better results.