Senior Director, National Market Leader
About the role
The National Market Leader is a critical Senior Director role at Year Up United (YUU), responsible for leading a high-performing team of Regional Market Leaders while directly overseeing one assigned region. This dual responsibility positions the National Market Leader as both a local ambassador and a national integrator, advancing YUU’s mission, deepening market presence, and ensuring the consistent execution of enterprise strategy across all geographies.
Key Responsibilities
Lead and support Regional Market Leaders to ensure consistent implementation of national market strategy.
Serve as a thought partner to the COO, Executive Team, and senior leaders, surfacing regional insights and opportunities to inform enterprise decision-making.
Monitor performance across markets and support Regional Market Leaders in setting priorities and resolving operational challenges.
Convene and facilitate regular Market Leadership forums to align on strategy, execution, and continuous improvement.
Represent the Market Leadership function in cross-functional strategic planning and transformation efforts.
Partner with Enrollment, Program, Talent Networks, CE, YUPRO, Grads of Life, and other national teams to ensure field perspectives shape national strategy and vice versa.
Develop and execute a regional strategy to expand YUU’s reach within assigned markets.
Identify and evaluate new market opportunities based on workforce trends, economic data, and local labor needs.
Cultivate opportunities to increase talent employment, explore and vet revenue generation opportunities for YUU, leverage cross-functional relationships, and engage in relationship management within markets.
Share information and create strategic alignment internally, developing market insights to explore innovation to include apprenticeships, educational institutions, and workforce entities to expand YUU’s blueprint, reach, and influence.
Meet with peers in other markets to share learnings and best practices.
Collaborate with YUU Advisory Boards to validate local market strategies and offerings.
Strengthen relationships with community colleges, corporate partners, and local organizations to meet partnership targets aligned with the 2025 strategic roadmap.
Engage with market workgroups defining the rapidly changing future of work, showcasing YUU’s expertise as a forward-thinking workforce solution provider that anticipates and adapts to emerging industry trends.
Attend internal and external partner meetings to build relationships, exchange feedback, educate partners about Year Up United, and address their talent needs.
Organize roundtables, engage with influencers, establish advisory boards, and convene local board meetings to drive robust community engagement.
Build strong alumni connections in the market, creating onramps for student, staff, partner, and civic engagement.
Coach and develop Regional Market Leaders, supporting their success, professional growth, and impact.
Provide direct oversight and guidance to the Director of Market Operations (once hired), ensuring operational excellence across markets.
Support onboarding and development of new market leadership hires to accelerate effectiveness and alignment.
Model and promote a culture of collaboration, accountability, and inclusive leadership.
Qualifications
12+ years of experience, including leadership in workforce development, regional growth strategy, or public-private partnerships.
Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder/client management skills.
Proven experience in workforce, youth, and community development initiatives.
Self-motivated and proactive, with a proven ability to drive initiatives with minimal oversight.
Adept at thriving in high-visibility, high-pressure environments.
Versatile contributor who adds value across high-level strategic planning and detailed operational execution.
Strong change management expertise—embracing change as an integral part of Year Up United’s culture while designing and driving transformative initiatives.
Deep passion for Year Up United’s mission and a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Comprehensive understanding of the Opportunity Divide and its underlying drivers.
Exceptional public speaking and storytelling skills.
Must reside in one of the assigned Regional Markets.
Working At Year Up United
Starting January 5, 2026, employees are expected to work on-site at least two days per week (Monday through Thursday dependent on job requirements).
Compensation & Benefits
Year Up United has established salary ranges for each of our sites, which allows us to pay employees competitively, equitably and consistently in different geographic markets.
Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process.
Benefits: Comprehensive healthcare options and dental coverage; 401(k) match for eligible participants.
Vacation: Earn three weeks paid vacation in first year of employment; four weeks after initial year.
Organization Description
Year Up United is a national 501(c)3 workforce development organization committed to ensuring equitable access to economic opportunity, education, and justice for all young adults—no matter their background, income, or zip code. Employers face a growing need for talent while millions of talented young adults lack access to meaningful careers. These inequities only further perpetuate the opportunity gap that exists in our country—a gap that Year Up United is determined and positioned to close through three interconnected strategies: providing targeted skills training and connections to livable-wage employment for students and alumni; empowering others to serve and support young adults, and changing systems that perpetuate the opportunity gap.
Commitment To Diversity
Year Up United embraces diversity and equal opportunity in a serious way. All aspects of employment, including the decision to hire, promote, discharge, or discipline, are based on meritocracy. We do not permit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristics protected by federal, state, or local laws. Learn more about our commitment to diversity: here.