Director of School Success - East Region

About the role

You've spent time in higher education, maybe in housing, student affairs, or campus operations, and somewhere along the way you realized you're wired a little differently than most. You care deeply about students and the institutions that serve them, but you're also energized by goals, growth, and getting things done. You like building relationships that actually mean something. You get restless when there's no challenge in front of you.

If that sounds familiar, keep reading.

At GradGuard, we provide a critical safety net for college students and their families, protecting them from the unexpected so they can stay focused on what matters. We are looking for two Directors of School Success: one for our Central and another for our East team. This is an individual contributor role, no direct reports, no management ladder. We use the "Director" title because of the level of ownership you will carry and the senior campus leaders you will work alongside. You will be the strategic account owner and primary relationship manager for a dedicated portfolio of university partners, and the results in that portfolio will be yours.

What you'll do

• Pivot from a campus role into a commercial environment and thrive
• Partner deeply with your institutions
• Consult on what actually matters
• Identify and pursue opportunities
• Drive results
• Advocate for your partners internally

Qualifications

• Experience: 2–5+ years in a role that meaningfully combines higher education (student housing, residence life, student affairs, campus operations) with account management, customer success, or strategic partnerships.
• Industry Knowledge: Firsthand experience in higher education administration or student housing operations is highly preferred. Familiarity with embedded insurance, EdTech, or financial services is a plus.
• Drive: A demonstrated track record of owning outcomes, retaining and growing a portfolio, hitting goals, and finding ways to win even when it is not easy.
• Strategic Mindset: The ability to work independently, navigate complex organizations, find the right people, and build a plan without needing someone to hand you one.
• Communication Skills: You can build real relationships and hold a room — whether you are presenting to a VP of Student Affairs or working through a problem with a housing coordinator.
• Tech Savvy: Comfortable using modern sales and CRM tools (Salesforce experience is strongly preferred). Familiarity with the Apple ecosystem (including Keynote) is a plus.
• Education: Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Flexibility: Willingness and ability to travel up to 30% of the time for campus visits, conferences, and partner events.

About GradGuard

As the leader in college tuition and renters insurance, GradGuard serves more than 1.7 million students across 1,900+ institutions. Our national technology platform embeds innovative insurance protections into the enrollment processes of over 700 institutional partners, empowering schools to increase college completion rates and reduce the financial impact of preventable losses.

We support College Life Protected, a social purpose entity that promotes research, professional development, and best practices that strengthen campus communities, families, society and the economic competitiveness of our nation.

GradGuard was recognized as one of the Top 50 Financial Technology Companies of 2025 by The Financial Technology Report, a RISE Internship Award winner, and a Phoenix Business Journal Best Places to Work finalist, GradGuard remains committed to innovation, excellence, and supporting students and families.

Hear from our students, families, and partners: https://www.youtube.com/@GradGuard