Director of Higher Education Strategy & Implementation
About the role
The Director of Higher Education provides strategic and operational leadership for Immigrants Rising’s higher education portfolio as a core pathway to educational access, persistence, and completion for undocumented students. This role is responsible for advancing a cohesive higher education approach that bridges direct services, affordability implementation, institutional partnerships, technical assistance, campus engagement, and statewide higher education strategy. The Director leads program strategy and execution, manages a growing team and portfolio of partners, and plays a central role in strengthening Immigrants Rising’s impact across colleges and universities.
Key roles & responsibilities
Set and advance a clear, cohesive higher education strategy aligned to Immigrants Rising’s strategic plan goals—including affordability implementation, institutional partnerships, technical assistance, campus engagement, and statewide higher education strategy—that advances equitable postsecondary access and success for undocumented students.
Identify opportunities to strengthen and adapt higher education models in response to student needs, institutional dynamics, and field-level trends.
Translate higher education policy, research, and program insights into programmatic direction and improvements.
Lead and manage Immigrants Rising’s institutional higher education partnerships, including relationship management, campus engagement, and statewide convenings.
Manage strategic partnerships with aligned organizations to expand the organization’s higher education reach, technical assistance capacity, and institutional influence.
Serve as a senior programmatic leader and issue expert advancing Immigrants Rising’s higher education agenda across external advocacy campaigns, coalitions, and strategy spaces, ensuring postsecondary access and success remain central pathways within the organization’s broader economic mobility framework.
Partner closely with policy, research, and communications colleagues and external stakeholders to align higher education strategy with policy priorities, narrative change efforts, and systems-level interventions that expand access to in-state tuition, financial aid, and equitable postsecondary opportunities for undocumented students.
Elevate insights from higher education programming to stakeholders to inform solutions related to college affordability, financial aid access, institutional support structures, and graduate and professional education pathways.
Represent Immigrants Rising in coalitions, policy tables, and convenings focused on higher education equity and postsecondary systems change, strengthening cross-sector partnerships and institutional influence.
Contribute to thought leadership—through presentations, written products, and field-building efforts—that elevate Immigrants Rising’s role in advancing equitable higher education systems for undocumented students.
Build, lead, and manage a high-performing higher education team, including direct supervision of staff, fellows, and consultants.
Oversee the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of higher education programs, ensuring alignment across college access, persistence, and completion.
Establish department-level goals, priorities, and success metrics, and hold the team accountable for outcomes and impact.
Provide strategic direction, coaching, and professional development to team members, ensuring clarity of roles, strong delegation, and accountability.
Foster an inclusive, equity-centered, and results-driven team culture aligned with Immigrants Rising’s values.
Support cross-functional collaboration and ensure alignment across Immigrants Rising’s programs, as well as research, communications, and development teams.
Support fundraising efforts related to higher education programming by contributing program concepts, data, and narrative to grant proposals.
Oversee grant-funded higher education initiatives, ensuring deliverables, reporting, and compliance requirements are met.
Manage and oversee the department budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility, transparency, and alignment with organizational goals.
Partner with development, finance, and executive leadership to identify sustainable funding strategies for the department.
Lead operational planning and infrastructure for the department, strengthening internal systems, workflows, and cross-functional coordination to ensure effective execution, accountability, and long-term sustainability.
Qualifications
7–10 years of relevant professional experience within higher education systems, supporting undocumented student access and success, immigrant justice, or related fields, with progressively responsible leadership roles.
At least 3–5 years of people management experience, including direct supervision and responsibility for team performance and development within higher education systems.
5-7 years of demonstrated expertise in CA higher education systems, including college access, persistence, and completion, with a strong understanding of how immigration status shapes opportunity.
Proven ability to lead complex higher education program portfolios bridging direct services, institutional capacity building, and systems-adjacent work.
3-5 years of experience working within CA colleges, universities, and higher education partners to advance inclusive practices for undocumented students.
3-5 years of experience overseeing grant-funded programs, including accountability for deliverables, reporting, and compliance.
Strong facilitation, communication, and partnership-building skills.
Preferred Skills & Experience:
Experience operating at a CA statewide or multi-institutional level across colleges and universities.
Experience leading and contributing to CA institutional or systems-adjacent change in higher education.
Experience working in cross-sector partnerships involving community-based organizations, philanthropy, or public agencies in CA.
Familiarity with research, data, and evaluation approaches used to inform higher education practice and policy.
Experience contributing to CA public-facing higher education work, such as panels, reports, or convenings.
Training or experience in equity-centered, student-centered, or trauma-informed practices.
Time commitment, compensation & location
This is a full-time, exempt position at an annual salary of $100,000 - $103,700. Work must be performed in CA.