[Remote] Founding Head of Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem Growth

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Actual Education is a stealth-stage startup focused on building an ecosystem at the intersection of artificial intelligence and education. They are seeking a Founding Head of Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem Growth to help establish strategic partnerships and develop the ecosystem from the ground up, engaging with various stakeholders to create long-term institutional value.ResponsibilitiesIdentify and engage high-value partners across corporations, universities, foundations, investors, governments, accelerators, training institutions, and innovation ecosystemsBuild a global partnership pipeline across priority cities, sectors, and strategic categoriesDevelop partner targeting strategies for education institutions, workforce organizations, entrepreneurship programs, AI communities, research networks, and professional ecosystemsCreate structured outreach systems that generate qualified conversations with senior decision-makersBuild repeatable partnership processes from first contact to meeting, pilot, collaboration, and long-term relationshipMaintain organized tracking systems for targets, conversations, follow-ups, priorities, and outcomesReach founders, executives, university leaders, investors, program directors, ecosystem builders, and institutional decision-makersUse warm introductions, cold outreach, events, communities, and network mapping to create strategic conversationsRepresent the startup in high-level conversations with external stakeholdersBuild trust quickly with sophisticated partners who may not yet understand the categoryTurn ambiguous opportunities into concrete next stepsHelp leadership enter every major conversation with clear context, partner intelligence, and strategic positioningIdentify exceptional individuals and organizations globally who should become part of the ecosystemHelp expand the network of founders, researchers, investors, educators, operators, students, and future buildersSupport the launch of new programs, competitions, events, partner pilots, city initiatives, and ecosystem collaborationsHelp design partnership models that create value for the startup, the partner, and the broader capability networkConvert conversations into collaborations, collaborations into projects, and projects into measurable ecosystem growthHelp build a long-term global institution, not just a short-term productHelp clarify how the startup should be presented to different partner categoriesTranslate a complex AI-era capability system into language that institutions, investors, universities, and ecosystem partners can understandIdentify which messaging angles resonate with different audiencesHelp refine partnership materials, outreach language, pitch narratives, briefing memos, and follow-up documentsBring market feedback back into the organization to improve strategy and executionHelp create early pilots, joint events, institutional collaborations, talent programs, research conversations, and strategic initiativesSupport partnership models with training institutions, universities, professional communities, startup accelerators, and city-level ecosystem partnersHelp move relationships from exploratory conversations into signed agreements, pilot programs, and long-term initiativesIdentify partners who can become long-term nodes in the global ecosystemSupport ecosystem expansion across multiple countries and priority marketsSkillsExperience in strategic partnerships, business development, ecosystem growth, venture networks, corporate innovation, founder's office, community building, or growth leadershipProven ability to build relationships with high-value individuals and institutionsAbility to move from introduction to meeting, from meeting to collaboration, and from collaboration to long-term valueStrong instinct for which relationships matter and how to activate themAbility to create opportunities without waiting for a fully defined playbookComfort operating in a founding-stage environment where the path does not yet existStrong interpersonal judgment and executive presenceAbility to communicate credibly with founders, investors, executives, academics, policy leaders, and institutional partnersSkilled at building trust with sophisticated stakeholdersAble to represent an ambitious early-stage project with professionalism and confidenceStrong follow-through and relationship management disciplineComfortable asking for introductions, creating momentum, and moving conversations forwardExcellent written and verbal communication skillsAbility to explain complex ideas clearly and powerfullyStrong sense of positioning, framing, and audience psychologyAbility to make a new category feel concrete, urgent, and credibleStrong judgment about when to educate, when to listen, and when to move toward actionAbility to prepare thoughtful outreach, briefing notes, partnership memos, and meeting follow-upsResourceful, proactive, and comfortable building from zeroAble to operate independently while working closely with leadershipStrong organizational systems and pipeline disciplineComfortable balancing strategy with hands-on executionAble to manage multiple partner conversations at onceHigh ownership, high accountability, and high discretionStrong interest in AI, education, workforce development, human capability, entrepreneurship, or future talent systemsCurious about how institutions will evolve as AI changes the value of knowledge and skillsExcited by the challenge of helping define a new categoryMotivated by building a long-term ecosystem rather than simply closing short-term dealsRelevant experience may come from: Strategic Partnerships, Ecosystem Development, Venture Capital Networks, Startup Accelerators, Founder's Office, Corporate Innovation, Business Development, Community Building, Growth Leadership, University Entrepreneurship Programs, Global Talent Networks, Education or Workforce Development, AI, EdTech, or Future of Work PlatformsExisting network across founders, investors, universities, accelerators, corporations, or innovation ecosystemsExperience building partnerships across multiple countries or regionsExperience launching new programs, summits, competitions, accelerators, fellowships, or ecosystem initiativesExperience working directly with founders or executive leadershipExperience with strategic outbound, relationship mapping, and high-level institutional outreachExperience in AI, education, workforce transformation, talent assessment, or future of workExperience creating partnerships with universities, training institutions, foundations, or government-adjacent organizationsExperience using CRM tools, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Apollo, Airtable, HubSpot, Notion, or similar systemsAbility to travel occasionally for important meetings, conferences, ecosystem events, or partner developmentChinese language proficiency is a plus, but not requiredBenefitsCompetitive salary, performance incentives, and significant long-term upside for exceptional candidatesCompany Overview“A child without education is like a bird without wings” - Tibetan proverb Recent shifts to online learning have exacerbated the pervasive, negative outcomes associated with an already strained education system. It was founded in 2021, and is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, US, with a workforce of 2-10 employees. Its website is https://actual.education.