State Strategy Director (Western US)

Overview

About PowerSchoolAt PowerSchool, we power education for students around the world. As the global leader in cloud-based K-12 software, we support the full education ecosystem—from the central office to the classroom to the home. Joining PowerSchool means being part of a mission-driven team that is transforming K-12 education by helping schools operate more effectively and deliver better outcomes for educators, students, and families.

Team Overview

PowerSchool’s Global Public Sector team works with state leaders to tackle some of the most important challenges facing education and workforce development. We bring together government, policy, technology, and business strategy to help states modernize education systems, strengthen the connection between education and the workforce, and improve outcomes for students.

As a State Strategy Director, you will serve as PowerSchool’s strategic leader across a portfolio of states. You will build relationships with senior government leaders, develop state-level growth strategies, shape opportunities well before they become procurements, and bring together teams across PowerSchool to turn bold ideas into statewide impact.

This is a highly visible role for someone who understands how state government works and is energized by the opportunity to build markets, influence strategy, and create partnerships at scale.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities 

• Own the full sales cycle for statewide opportunities across the PowerSchool portfolio at the state level, including SIS, Naviance college and career readiness, Connected Intelligence, analytics, assessment, data infrastructure and learning platforms 

• Build and maintain relationships with state superintendents, chief information officers, deputy commissioners, State governors', education and workforce advisors, and legislative staff 

• Shape opportunities early by aligning PowerSchool solutions to state policy goals, strategic plans, and emerging legislation 

• Navigate state procurement paths, including competitive RFPs, sole source justifications, state term contracts, and cooperative vehicles  

• Identify and structure funding across state appropriations and federal streams such as Title I, Title IV, Perkins V, and WIOA 

• Lead capture planning and proposal strategy in partnership with bid management, solutions engineering, legal, sales, and product teams 

• Maintain an accurate pipeline and forecast in Salesforce, with clear account plans for each state in your territory 
• Serve as the voice of state customers internally, bringing policy and market intelligence back to product, sales, and customer success leadership 

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of 12+ years of relevant and related work experience, including experience in state government, government affairs, public-sector business development, enterprise strategy, or a related field.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, or equivalent years of relevant work experience.
• Travel occasionally, up to 30–40%, for key moments such as customer and government meetings, state capitol engagements, team summits, training, and company events, with increased frequency during peak periods based on business demands.
• Additional experience may substitute for an advanced degree.
• 5+ years of experience working with or within state government, including executive branch agencies, governors’ offices, legislatures, education agencies, workforce agencies, or similar public-sector organizations.
• Demonstrated experience developing or executing state-level legislative, policy, appropriations, government affairs, or business development strategies.
• Experience building and managing relationships with senior government officials, agency executives, legislative stakeholders, or other public-sector leaders.
• Experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives involving multiple internal and external stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with a governor’s office, state legislature, state education agency, workforce agency, or other state government organization.
• Experience in K-12 education technology, government technology, SaaS, data and analytics, or workforce solutions.
• Demonstrated experience supporting large-scale statewide initiatives, enterprise technology programs, or complex public-sector procurements.
• Experience working with or managing lobbyists, government affairs firms, political consultants, or public-sector strategic advisors.
• Experience developing strategies involving state or federal education and workforce funding, including appropriations, Title programs, Perkins V, WIOA, or similar funding streams.

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation & Benefits

PowerSchool offers the following benefits:

• Comprehensive Insurance Coverage (including Medical, Dental, Vision, Pharmacy benefits, Life Insurance and AD&D)
• Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts
• Short-Term Disability and Long-Term Disability
• Comprehensive 401(k) plan
• Generous Parental Leave
• Unrestricted paid time off (known as Discretionary Time Off - DTO)
• Wellness Program, including ClassPass & Employee Assistance Program
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Optional Benefits: Pet Insurance, Identity Theft Protection, Student Debt Repayment Program and Prepaid Legal coverage

A reasonable estimate of the base compensation range for this position is $124,000 - $165,100 USD plus applicable commission. This compensation range is specific to the United States and it incorporates many factors including but not limited to an applicant's skills and prior relevant experience and training; licensures, degrees, and certifications; internal equity; internal pay ranges; and market data/range parameters.

EEO Commitment

EEO Commitment

PowerSchool is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. PowerSchool is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status. Our inclusive culture empowers PowerSchoolers to deliver the best results for our customers. We not only celebrate the diversity of our workforce, we celebrate the diverse ways we work. If you have a disability and need an accommodation regarding our recruiting process, please let us know by emailing accommodations@powerschool.com.