Chief Growth Officer

Description

The Chief Growth Officer (CGO) is a newly created executive role reporting directly to the CEO. As the CGO, you will spearhead Waterford.org’s ambitious growth strategy, with a goal of serving each year over 400,000 children by 2030. This position unifies the organization’s efforts across school relations, government relations, philanthropy, community engagement, and marketing, presenting a transformative opportunity to scale impact and drive systems change. The CGO will expand partnerships, enhance partner engagement, increase revenue streams, and position Waterford.org as a leader in early education innovation.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a mission-driven organization at the forefront of early childhood education. As Chief Financial Officer, you will play a critical role in shaping the future of thousands of children and families nationwide, ensuring that every child has access to a brighter future.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement comprehensive growth strategies in line with Waterford.org's mission and market dynamics.

• Set measurable objectives and lead cross-functional efforts to achieve short- and long-term growth targets.

• Identify and pursue opportunities to expand Waterford.org’s partnerships and impact into new states and communities.

• Evaluate potential partnerships, funding opportunities, and market segments to drive sustainable growth.

• Establish and nurture strategic partnerships and collaborations that improve learning outcomes for PreK-2 children.

• Ensure high levels of partner satisfaction and retention by building trust and delivering consistent impact.

• Drive organizational revenue goals by focusing on multi-year commitments, renewal rates, and expanding the number of children served.

• Manage key revenue-generating activities and encourage collaboration among teams to improve impact.

• Build and lead high-performing growth teams, including school relations, government relations, philanthropy, community engagement, and marketing.

• Foster a strong team culture based on collaboration, innovation, and accountability.

• Develop and implement legislative strategies to secure sustainable program funding.

• Strengthen Waterford.org’s reputation and influence through active engagement with policymakers and key partners.

• Leverage data-driven insights to inform decision-making, optimize processes, and measure growth outcomes.

• Manage CRM systems, contract tools, critical metrics, and dashboards to ensure transparency and track performance.

• Build and maintain productive relationships with federal, state, and local leaders, as well as donors, partners, and community leaders.

• Represent Waterford.org at public and private events, including expert panels, legislative hearings, and formal speaking engagements.

• Manage budgets for growth-related functions, ensuring efficient allocation of resources and maximum impact on learning.

• Monitor expenses and forecast opportunities to ensure alignment with organizational goals.

• Travel between 25 - 50%

• Continuously champion, promote, and advance diversity, equity, and inclusive excellence at Waterford.org.

• Collaborate on and contribute to organizational efforts and goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Public Policy, or a related field. Equivalent experience will be considered. (Master’s degree or equivalent experience preferred).

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience driving revenue growth in organizations with $30+ million in annual revenue, ideally in educational technology, nonprofits, or related sectors.

• Demonstrated success in building partnerships, achieving revenue goals, and managing high-performing teams.

• Outstanding ability to think critically, solve problems, and make decisions.

• Strong interpersonal, mentoring, and communication skills, with a track record of building relationships with collaborators such as school district leaders, elected officials, and executives.

• Expertise in managing complex projects and implementing innovative solutions to achieve growth objectives.

• Familiarity with Salesforce.com, Power BI, or similar tools is highly beneficial.

• Experience developing and completing Government Affairs strategies preferred.

• High levels of integrity, emotional intelligence, and business judgment.

• A collaborative, open, and creative approach to problem-solving and leadership.

• Passion for Waterford.org’s mission to transform lives through early childhood education.

About Waterford.org

Waterford.org provides PreK through 2nd grade reading, math, and science programs that children can use wherever they learn. Our programs help children reach critical milestones by 3rd grade, laying the foundation for their future success. Waterford.org serves over 200,000 children across 42 states every year.

Our Commitment to Equity & Inclusion

Waterford.org's commitment to inclusive excellence is foundational to achieving our mission of universal literacy. Waterford.org is a mission-driven organization, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are at the heart of what we do. These values inform our internal culture and drive our external focus on making a difference for children, families, and caregivers in underserved communities. At Waterford, we actively seek talent who bring different backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and identities to their work and demonstrate a commitment to advancing our mission.

Working at Waterford.org

Waterford.org team members are located across the United States and primarily work from home. We anticipate this full-time, salary position will pay $250,000 - $275,000 per year and an additional commission package. Salary depends on the education, experience, and skill level of the individual we hire. We also offer a phenomenal benefits package that includes fully paid primary premiums for health insurance, dental insurance, basic life insurance, and disability insurance. New hires receive a one-time HSA contribution. Retirement contributions are matched up to 5% by the organization. Plus, a generous vacation, sick, and holiday offering.

Waterford.org Employee Growth & Applications

At Waterford.org, we truly believe in the boundless potential of our team members and their continuous growth and development. We are dedicated to encouraging a culture that nurtures talent from within, which is why we prioritize internal applicants for all job postings. External candidates may experience a delay in being contacted by our Talent Acquisition team.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Waterford is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Waterford is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.

Qualifications