Senior Project Associate, Project Unicorn

About InnovateEDU

InnovateEDU catalyzes educational transformation by bridging gaps across data, policy, practice, and research to center the field's needs in accelerating innovation towards an equitable, inclusive, and radically different future for all learners.

About Project Unicorn

Project Unicorn, an initiative of InnovateEDU, aims to improve data interoperability within the K-12 education ecosystem. We believe that seamless data sharing between educational tools and systems can unlock powerful insights, personalize learning experiences, and ultimately improve student outcomes. Project Unicorn convenes a diverse community of stakeholders, including educators, EdTech companies, researchers, and policymakers, to develop and promote data interoperability standards and best practices.

About the Role

InnovateEDU is seeking a proactive, highly organized, and mission-driven Senior Associate to join the Edtech Markets team. The Senior Associate is the key contributor to the development and implementation of the Project Unicorn initiative. This role sits at the intersection of project management, communication, and technical advocacy, supporting our mission to make data interoperability a reality for schools and districts nationwide. You will lead programs including the Emerging Leaders Program, Unicorn Certification, and other program initiatives.

The ideal candidate is someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys managing complex workstreams, and is passionate about the role of technology in closing the educational opportunity gap.

Responsibilities

Project Management & Implementation

• Deliverable Development, Management, and Tracking: Support the program in executing grant deliverables by creating and managing project plans via Asana. Track project progress, identify and mitigate risks, and proactively address challenges. This is a project management and development tracking.
• Operational Support: Manage project documentation, facilitate internal communication channels, and maintain contact databases to streamline collaboration across the Project Unicorn community.
• Strategic Support: Assist in developing project strategies and recommend opportunities to increase impact through internal collaborations and external partnerships. This includes tracking and reporting on progress toward set KPIs.

Communications & Thought Leadership

• Content Creation: Lead drafting reports, policy briefs, case studies, and presentations to communicate findings to diverse stakeholder groups.
• Digital Presence: Manage the Project Unicorn website and social media channels; develop newsletters and multimedia content (slides, webinars, Canva graphics).
• External Visibility: Support the development of conference proposals and twelve written thought leadership pieces annually for external publication. Facilitate and host events for the Project Unicorn audience, which is mostly virtual but could include in-person convenings.

Event & Meeting Logistics

• Conference Planning: Assist in orchestrating the end-to-end planning of flagship events and in-person conferences, managing materials, vendor relations, and staffing.
• Group Facilitation: Plan and host meetings for various Project Unicorn group memberships, including, but not limited to, the Steering Committee and the Technical Advisory Committee.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Advocacy: Serve as a representative for Project Unicorn, staying abreast of trends in the K-12 EdTech landscape and data interoperability standards.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Coordinate with educators, policymakers, and EdTech developers to ensure milestones are met.

Who You Are

• Mission-Driven: You believe in closing the opportunity gap and are excited about the intersection of education, policy, and technology related to data interoperability.
• Optimistic Problem-Solver: You see complex projects as puzzles to be solved and enjoy organizing work for seamless implementation.
• Detail-Oriented & Responsive: You are obsessed with driving deliverables to completion, can manage multiple competing priorities, and work well independently in a virtual environment.
• Growth-Oriented: You are open to feedback, bring your best every day, and are ready to grow within a dynamic, fast-paced team.

Skills and Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Education, Educational Technology, Data Science, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Project Management: Proven experience managing complex workstreams; proficiency in Asana and HubSpot is highly preferred.
• Communication: Exceptional writing and editing skills for professional audiences; comfortable with public speaking and presentation design using Canva and Google Slides.
• Sector Knowledge: Familiarity with the K-12 EdTech ecosystem. In-depth understanding of data interoperability. Knowledge of data standards (A4L, CEDS, Ed-Fi, and/or 1Edtech) is a significant plus.
• Technical Savvy: Mastery of social media platforms and digital content tools.
• Physical Requirements: Ability to lift up to 50 pounds (for event-related tasks).

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: This position’s compensation range is $62,000 to $72,000 annually, determined by a third-party market analysis based on skills, experience, and location.
• Benefits: Full-time employees receive a comprehensive package, including:
  • Paid vacation and sick leave
  • Medical and dental insurance
  • Retirement plan
• Location: This is a full-time remote position. Team members are expected to be available and working during typical office hours in Eastern Standard Time (EST).
• Travel: This role is less then 10% travel from the home remote location.

Application Instructions

Please upload your resume and answer the required questions. Applications will be accepted, reviewed, and interviewed on a rolling basis.