School Board Relations and Project Planning

Company Introduction

WorldStrides is the global leader in educational travel and experiential learning. The company was founded in 1967 to provide middle school travel programs to Washington, D.C. and has grown to provide a wide range of programs for more than half a million students annually to over 100 countries around the world. WorldStrides offers experiential learning programs in educational travel, performing arts, language immersion, career exploration, service-learning, study abroad, and sports. Each of these experiences helps students to see beyond the classroom and to see the world – and themselves – in new ways.

Job Description:

The Manager of School Board relations and project planning will manage WorldStrides relationships with over 300+ School Boards across Canada. As the first point of contact, you will be responsible for introducing, developing, and representing the WorldStrides travel brands (Brightspark, Explorica, WorldStrides Performance) to school boards across Canada.  Further, you will work to ensure all RFQs are completed and submitted on time enabling WorldStrides to remain a preferred vendor.  Additionally, you will work with the Director of Customer Engagement and Innovation on customer engagement surveys, product development and other special projects that aim to improve the overall customer experience.  This is a 1 year contract position to cover a maternity leave.

Responsibilities:

• Proactively engage with school boards across the country to promote WorldStrides Canada.  
• Own the school board RFQ, RFP process which entails completing approval documentation in an organized, streamlined fashion and to ensure submission deadlines are met.
• Own the various RFQ site logins (Biddingo, Bids and Tenders) to ensure that all requests for submission are being reviewed, addressed and managed.
• Proactively reach out to and present the WorldStrides story to school board officials in various capacities include in-person meetings and virtual presentations as well as attending conferences.
• Be knowledgeable about WorldStrides programs and offerings, tours, inclusions, student offerings and various product lines across the organization
• Work with sales team and sales analyst to actively maintain all school board information in our database with the goal of creating better efficiencies and new processes to streamline the information collected and how it is shared. 
• Run reports on a scheduled basis to assist the sales team and regional directors to locate opportunities across the country 
• Work with marketing to improve and update school board submission packages 
• Develop referral network of superintendent, directors of education, managers of purchasing at the school board level
• Work with IT team and analytics team to improve school board reporting, school board tracking, and school board opportunities.
• Assist in the relaunch of WorldStrides ‘Teacher to Teacher’ mentorship program
• Assist in reaching out & engaging with potential new travel partners (eg. Girl Guides of Canada, First Robotics, University Alumni programs) 
• Work with Academics team to improve student outreach & participation for two WorldStrides Canada online credit courses (CCG30 Travel & Tourism; Civics & Careers)
• Conduct market research and gain customer insights to help develop new product lines and competitor practices
• Assist in developing current and new customer engagement initiatives.

Qualifications:

• A minimum of a completed bachelor’s degree 
• Certification through the Ontario College of Teachers is preferred
• 3-5 years of experience in strategic planning and project management 
• Strong communication and presentation skills including the ability to work with all levels of employees and customers in a diplomatic and professional manner.
• Ability to travel to attend Worldstrides Canada Tours for product development, conventions and trade shows.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel
• Strong skills in organization, prioritization, and multi-tasking.
• Proficient computer skills and the ability to learn new software products
• Perseverance
• Self-Motivation
• Negotiation/Influencing Skills
• Listening skills
• Customer service skills
• Ability to handle fast-pace and ever-changing environment
• Sound judgment and rational decision making

Work Perks:

• Fun & driven environment.
• Employer-paid health (including dental, drug benefit, extended health care, and travel benefits), telehealth, life, accidental death and dismemberment, and short-term disability insurance coverage. Employee-paid long-term disability. With a buy-up option for life and accidental death and dismemberment, and critical illness
• Retirement plan options (Registered Retirement Savings Plan and Spousal Retirement Savings Plan) and profit-sharing Deferred Profit-Sharing Plan (DPSP)
• 1 paid volunteer day & 25 PTO days to start – accrue up to 28 over 3 years, 4 mental health days, and 5 bereavement days.
• Tuition reimbursement up to five thousand, two hundred fifty dollars annually or one thousand dollars towards professional certification annually.
• Opportunities for paid and discounted travel.
• Flexible work schedule providing on-site, remote, and virtual office opportunities.
• Encouraged participation in our Employee Resource Groups and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion council.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Team Member Discount Program