Executive Vice President

Partners for Rural Impact’s (PRI) envisions a nation where all young people in rural communities have the opportunity to succeed in school and in life. Our mission is to ensure that all rural students succeed from cradle to career, by building place-based partnerships, shaping supportive policy, and aligning resources to where they are most needed. PRI was born out of a 25-year commitment to rural Appalachia and now leads efforts nationwide to advance educational outcomes and economic mobility for rural youth.

Grounded in our Strategic Plan 2030, PRI is building a movement of rural communities that share a common goal to create the conditions where every child has access to a choice-filled life. Our strategic plan includes strategies for:

• Advancing place-based partnerships (PBPs) that center local leadership
• Aligning systems for greater impact across education, workforce, and health
• Growing rural talent and leadership - Expanding access to resources, data, and technology
• Sustaining a healthy and enduring organization

Position Summary

The Executive Vice President (EVP) is a senior leadership role reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and serving as a key member of PRI’s Executive Leadership Team. This role provides executive oversight and strategic direction across core organizational initiatives, supporting PRI’s national growth, operational excellence, and long-term sustainability. The position leads and operates with the goal that All Rural Students Succeed.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each primary duty satisfactorily. The requirements of the position are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required, with regular and predictable attendance essential. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Provide visionary leadership to PRI’s efforts to grow and sustain a dynamic, national movement of rural place-based partnerships, advancing cradle-to-career outcomes for all children. This includes bolstering, connecting, and amplifying rural PBPs and building the infrastructure needed for them to thrive.
• Lead the design and execution of PRI’s flagship interactive digital portal—an innovative, web-based platform that connects rural practitioners to tools, best practices, and one another. Drive cross-functional teams to ensure the portal meets the needs of rural practitioners, and champion this initiative as a transformative lever to strengthen and activate rural capacity-building and field-wide collaboration. This portal is a milestone in our strategic plan and enables us to expand access for rural PBPs to data, knowledge, and collaboration.
• Provide strategic oversight and accountability for a portfolio of high-impact national programs. Ensure each initiative is executed with excellence, aligned with PRI’s mission, and achieving key
• performance indicators and measurable outcomes. Employ practices that drive continuous improvement and scale promising innovations and practices.
• Oversee, mentor, and coach senior leaders to deliver on organizational priorities, foster leadership development, and embed a high-performance culture. Ensure alignment of team goals with strategic objectives, and establish accountability systems that support effective execution and measurable impact across all functions.
• Foster strategic alignment across the organization by serving as a key systems architect in building and strengthening internal systems, operational discipline, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure PRI operates with clarity, discipline, and the infrastructure required to achieve the bold goal that All Rural Students Succeed.
• Other roles/duties will be assigned as necessary to assist and support the attainment of our mission: All Rural Students Succeed.

Position Location & Schedule

The position will be considered for remote work with local, state, and sometimes national travel required.

Normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET with in-office, hybrid and/or remote work a possibility. Because of the nature of the responsibility to schools, partners, funders, and to the service region, individual offices or departments may have operating hours that extend beyond this period and may include evening and/or weekend hours.

Minimum Qualifications

Education required to ensure success in this position:

• Master’s degree in Public Administration, Education Leadership, Business, Nonprofit Management, or related field required
• Terminal degree or comparable advanced credential (e.g., Ed.D., Ph.D., J.D.) preferred

Experience required to ensure success in this position:

• Minimum of 15 years of progressive leadership experience in nonprofit, philanthropic, public sector, or mission-driven organizations
• At least 7 years in senior executive roles with responsibility for organization-wide strategy or program leadership
• Demonstrated success scaling place-based initiatives or leading national networks in education, youth development, or rural community impact
• Experience supervising senior staff and managing cross-functional teams
• Proven ability to co-design and implement large-scale initiatives that achieve measurable outcomes
• Familiarity with development and oversight of digital platforms or online engagement tools strongly preferred

Special skills, knowledge and abilities:

• Strategic thinker and systems-level leader able to translate vision into action
• Deep understanding of rural education, economic mobility, and place-based approaches
• Skilled in organizational design, performance management, and continuous improvement
• Financial and operational expertise, including management of complex budgets and funding streams
• Excellent communicator and public representative with strong writing, speaking, and influence skills
• Experience developing national partnerships and collaborative initiatives
• Commitment to advancing access, opportunity, and community-driven solutions
• Strong analytical skills, ability to synthesize information and manage complexity
• Adaptability to lead in dynamic and fast-paced environments

License, certification, or registration necessary:

• Valid driver’s license
• Successfully complete pre-employment background check

Physical requirements:

• Ability to work in a high-energy office
• Ability to accurately communicate and exchange information with partners, stakeholders, and/or meeting participants
• Ability to occasionally lift to up to 25 lbs
• Ability to travel independently by car and plane regionally and nationally
• Ability to operate standard office equipment
• Ability to operate motor vehicle

Environmental conditions:

• Work in a fast-paced setting with frequent interruptions and shifting priorities

Compensation:

Hiring range is $200,000 - $240,000 per year, based on experience and qualifications

Additional Company Information

PRI offers a wide array of benefit options, to meet the financial, educational, and health needs of you and your family.

• Comprehensive insurance plans including medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage.
• Flexible spending accounts, plus an employee assistance program.
• Life and long-term disability insurance and retirement plan.
• Generous paid time off work options including vacation, sick leave, and annual holidays, in addition to paid parental leave.
• Tuition assistance and professional development for employees.

Partners for Rural Impact is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.