S/VP Corporate Development
COMPLETED: This position has been filled.
The Company
Teaching Strategies, headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, is the leader in the Early Childhood Education (ECE) sector, providing the most widely-used ECE developmental assessment system in the US, serving children from birth through 3rd grade. The Creative Curriculum solution is also one of the most widely-used curriculum systems in the US. Recently, Teaching Strategies launched a first-of-its-kind integrated digital curriculum, assessment and family communications solution to support traditional and remote learning environments and is experiencing significant growth.
The Early Childhood Education sector has been one of the fastest growing segments of the Education market over the past few years. With bi-partisan support and an increasing understanding of the positive impact that whole child development can have on academic and life success, the sector is expected to continue steady growth in the public and private sectors in the coming years worldwide.
In addition to the very healthy market tailwinds, there are few sectors where the intersection of for-profit and for-good combine so powerfully. The opportunity to create down-stream lasting effect on human outcomes is profound: 80% of the human brain is formed by the age of 3, and providing the right developmental experiences from birth to age 5 has an outsized effect on what happens in school and, more importantly, in life. By 3rd grade, developmental deficits are very difficult to remediate and too often seed indelible effect. There is no way to move the needle on human opportunity more drastically than improving the quality and availability of effective early childhood learning.
And there is no other company in the market with the reach, reputation, mission-orientation, balance sheet, and financial sponsors to make the kind of significant new headway over the next 3-5 years as Teaching Strategies continues its migration from print-based delivery to a digital SaaS ecosystem. This digital ecosystem is powered by data to help the adults in the system (teacher, administrator, parent, coach) be more seamlessly connected, and more quickly able to to understand what they are seeing in each child developmentally and how to respond more effectively with the right course corrections.
Teaching Strategies seeks to expand its reach through significant corporate development in the ECE market, adjacent markets, moving upstream into grades K-3, consumer markets, and international markets. Whether through M&A activity or strategic partnerships, the new S/VP of Corporate Development is well-positioned to push this agenda forward. With the dollars and culture to support explosive growth this individual will contribute significantly to Teaching Strategies aggressive revenue and impact goals.
The Private Equity Investors
Summit Partners was founded in 1984 with a commitment to find and partner with exceptional entrepreneurs and help them accelerate their growth and achieve dramatic results. Since then, Summit has become the investment partner of choice for many of the best growth companies in the world.
The Opportunity
Based anywhere in the U.S. and reporting directly to the CEO, the Senior/Vice President of Corporate Development (S/VP) will be an integral member of the senior executive team and head Teaching Strategies’ inorganic growth. Using their deep experience in and comprehension of M&A activities, this individual will work closely with product and other functional areas to understand and identify when to buy vs. build new offerings, focus on acquisitions but be able to transition a deal to a strategic partnership when necessary.
Specifically, this individual will:
- Double revenue through M&A in anticipation of an exit event in as few as three years
- Evaluate the current pipeline, move viable deals forward, eliminate non-desirable options, and continually strategize and source additional companies
- Contribute meaningfully to the product roadmap through acquisitions and partnerships
- Create strategic partnerships when more advantageous than an acquisition
A future at Teaching Strategies includes:
- The chance to work with a passionate and highly functional team of leaders who are opening doors to lifelong learning and opportunity
- The opportunity to consolidate a fragmented market working closely with PE ownership
- The opportunity to drive aggressive growth in a company—to take revenues from <$90M to $200M and more…and to be compensated accordingly
- The flexibility to live anywhere in the United States
- The opportunity to wake up in the morning feeling really good about what you do for a living
Compensation will include salary, performance bonus, and equity commensurate with the individual’s experience.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate for this position has proven success identifying and evaluating potential target companies, and knows what drives businesses forward. They are able to structure deals, run due diligence, and assist in both closing deals and advising on integration as necessary.
You should have the following background:
- Ability to evaluate the true value a deal potentially brings
- M&A expertise ranging from small companies up to $100M deals
- Experience working closely with Private Equity backers
- Accomplished in identifying the difference between potential acquisitions and potential partners, often in an amorphous environment, and act upon the resulting decision
- Emotional intelligence to build trust with founder-led companies and walk them through the M&A process
- Ability to visualize integration and contribute as needed
- 5-7 years of successfully identifying and closing deals
- Willingness to travel as needed
Learn More
The Knowledge Leaders search process is thorough and may include: a written assessment, multiple interviews (recorded and in person), background and social media checks, employment and education verifications, a drug screen, and professional reference checking. After all, our mission is to transform education by recruiting the best world leaders.
If you have not already, submit your resume to April Sarraille at Knowledge Leaders.
Knowledge Leaders, LLC provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants and candidates for employment. Knowledge Leaders, LLC prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type based on race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
