Founding Vice President, Study Abroad

Reports to: President of the Company (also President, International TEFL Academy) Hands-On Mentor (Years 1–2): Founder & Board Member Location: Remote (U.S.), with significant domestic and international travel required Type: Full-Time About This Role We are a new, independent study abroad company built as a subdivision and led by the team behind International TEFL Academy (ITA). ITA's President will also serve as President of this new company, governed by its own board of directors: three founders - including ITA's President and two others from international education and exchange companies - bringing a combined 75+ years of leadership in international education and exchange. This company isn't starting from zero - it's built on ITA's established infrastructure, staff, and operational expertise (finance, HR, technology, accounting, marketing, admissions, student services, and admin support already in place), so this role starts building revenue and student experience immediately rather than standing up back-office functions from scratch. At the same time, it's its own company, with its own mission, brand, and future. A formal company name and brand are being finalized by the time you interview. This company also partners with an established marketing and technology team from a partner company with strong experience across related international programs. While the team is new to study abroad marketing specifically, their broader expertise is a real asset, and this role will work in close, hands-on partnership with them to shape a go-to-market approach built for this industry. What's missing is the founding leader to turn that foundation into a thriving, student-centered organization - and to grow into its public face. Built on ITA's Track Record This is a new study abroad company, but its credibility isn't new - it's built and led by the same team behind International TEFL Academy, which has certified more than 50,000 students since 2010. For students and parents evaluating a new provider, that track record matters: the same leadership, quality standards, and reputation for excellence stand behind this company from day one. Who We Are - International TEFL Academy International TEFL Academy (ITA) is one of the world's largest and highest-ranked TEFL training schools. We have consistently been ranked as the best TEFL certification school for both online and in-person classes for the past eight years in a row. In 2026, ITA won the prestigious GoAbroad People's Choice Award, honoring the top international education organization as selected by study abroad professionals and students - the seventh time ITA has been honored with this award. ITA has also been named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies four years in a row, from 2018–2021. Read more about ITA's recognition and awards here . Company Culture We're committed to changing people's lives by giving them the opportunity to see the world. We've all "been there and done that," and we're travelers at heart - goal-oriented, but with a light-hearted sense of humor. Virtual Work & Culture Originally based in Chicago, we're now a fully remote company across the U.S., with staff able to work internationally. The Team You Will Join ITA has 25 full-time staff members around the U.S. and several abroad, plus additional marketing and tech teams abroad . Our Values - The 4 E's Empower through Education Evolve through Innovation Engage with Integrity Excel with Impact Our Pillars of Success Four pillars guide our decision-making and how we allocate resources: Student Success, Employee Success, Financial Success, and Operational Success. These same four pillars are used throughout this posting to describe how this role's performance is measured. To learn more about our team and our company, read our Vision Statement and Meet the Staff . The Study Abroad Value Proposition - What You'll Be Building This is not a repackaged version of the traditional study abroad model. The programs this role will lead are built around three specific advantages over existing providers - the VP will need to understand these deeply, since they are the core of what gets sold to universities, agents, parents, and students. Financial Access Our initial programs are designed to cost approximately 30% less than comparable traditional provider packages, depending on destination, term, and included services. University tuition and company fees are fixed and transparent. What's not bundled in are optional trips and excursions - the add-ons many traditional programs pre-package into the cost whether or not a student uses them. Instead, we give students vetted local recommendations for guided and self-guided trips, so they control that spending themselves. The result: a meaningfully lower real cost of studying abroad, with nothing cut from the academic experience. Language Access Every program in our initial portfolio offers a meaningful selection of courses taught in English. This removes the single biggest barrier that normally limits study abroad to language majors - students in a wide range of majors can study abroad while making progress toward their degree, subject to course and credit approval from their home institution. It dramatically widens who can realistically go, and where. This also opens up the doors for students from non-English-speaking countries for additional opportunities. Genuine Immersion Full immersion with the international student body - not an American-only "island" experience. Some students, when they first register, lean toward programs that keep them close to a familiar group of fellow Americans - it feels like the safer choice. But many later say they wish they'd been more integrated into the school and local community. Our students are placed as genuine members of the full student body - attending classes and campus life alongside local and international students, not on a separate track. It's a more authentic experience by design; students consistently say they're glad they chose. Together, these three pillars - lower cost, no language barrier, genuine immersion - are the actual product this role builds, scales, and represents. Every partnership conversation, campus rep pitch, and agent relationship should be grounded in this value proposition, not a generic "study abroad" pitch. To the university partners, we are a company of international educators, not a corporate conglomerate - and that's exactly the option many institutions are looking for in the marketplace. What Makes This Role Different Most opportunities at this level fall into one of two categories: a real executive title at an established company, with limited influence and a ceiling already set by someone else's org chart - or a true ground-floor startup, with real autonomy but none of the infrastructure, credibility, or capital to execute at scale. This role is neither. A Typical Senior Role Offers... This Role Offers... An established org chart you fit into An org chart you help design Someone else's playbook to execute The chance to write the playbook for a category you help define Modest, capped bonus tied to targets set above you Real equity ownership plus growth-linked bonus upside as the company scales Years to earn visible influence Direct, ongoing access to the company's founding leadership team - from day one A startup's resource constraints Established finance, HR, tech, and shared-services infrastructure already in place A support role to an existing leadership team A defined path to becoming the public face and eventual General Manager of the company A few things specifically worth naming: Real ownership, not just a title - equity vesting means you build something you actually own a piece of. Details under Compensation. Infrastructure without the bureaucracy - fractional finance, HR, accounting, and admin support exist from day one, so your time goes into revenue and partnerships, not back-office setup. Founder access most executives never get - leadership is directly invested in your success, including a hands-on mentor for your first two years. Details under Leadership Structure. An unusual market moment - industry consolidation has concentrated experienced talent inside a few large, bureaucratic organizations. This is a chance to build an independent, mission-driven alternative, and to be the one who builds it. A real growth arc, not a vague promise - the path toward full general management and eventually leading the company publicly is tied to concrete milestones. The Job Opportunity This is a rare ground-floor opportunity to build and lead this company as its founding operational and commercial leader - not a role managing established processes. The President of ITA will also serve as President of this company and is committed to your success, providing ongoing vision and support. As this role proves out leadership and systems, it will gain increasing autonomy over day-to-day direction, with his involvement shifting further toward vision and mentorship as your role broadens. Mentoring for you: a founding Board member with over 30 years of experience will serve as a direct, hands-on mentor for your first two years in addition to your work with the company president, offering guidance on university partnerships and campus rep strategy. Full details on this relationship are under Leadership Structure below. This is the chance to build something from the ground up, put your own imprint on a company, and share meaningfully in the value you create, without having to found, fund, or carry the company's full risk alone. It's built for the operator who has outgrown the ceiling of a department-head role and wants real authority and real influence over direction, without the binary risk profile of a venture-backed startup: this company is owned by its founders and operators, not investors chasing a forced exit. That asks for someone ambitious and risk-tolerant, judged and rewarded across the same four pillars that guide every decision here. This is also a company built on transparency: finances are 100% open book across revenue, expenses, and profit (individual compensation excepted). Departments propose their own budgets; leaders align around company goals, with the President holding final decision authority - and you'll have real influence in that process. About the Role The VP owns the company's entire student-facing revenue engine and its external partnership growth: university partnerships (U.S. and international), a new international agent network, campus recruiting, admissions/sales, and student services - while partnering closely with the marketing/technology team. Starting contacts and leads for university partnerships come from the founders' leadership; ongoing growth, relationship management, and team-building are owned by this role. In the earliest stage, this is a hands-on, in-the-field role. The VP is expected to personally visit universities and conferences to establish contacts. At universities, you will mentor and model best practices for campus representatives directly - leading by doing until the team and results are established. A dedicated Campus Representative Manager role is expected to be funded within a few years as the team grows. Success at this is measured across the same four pillars this role is directly responsible for balancing: Student, Employee, Financial, and Operational Success. Primary Responsibilities Program Development Design and launch a compelling portfolio of study abroad programs across priority destinations, including semester programs, summer intensives, language immersion, and academic internships. Negotiate directly with in-country educational partners, housing providers, language schools, and activity vendors to build high-quality, competitively priced program packages. Establish program- and vendor-level quality and safety standards aligned with the Forum on Education Abroad's Standards of Good Practice and relevant Forum/NAFSA health, safety, and security guidance. (Distinct from the student-facing health/safety/crisis protocols under Student Services below - this is about vetting programs and partners.) Continuously research emerging destination markets and student demand trends to evolve the program menu. University Partnerships (U.S. & International) Own ongoing growth of university and institutional partnerships, building from contacts and leads provided by the President and company leadership. Personally lead university outreach in the early stage, establishing contacts directly rather than delegating. Develop and negotiate partnership agreements - including Memorandums of Understanding and preferred-provider arrangements - with U.S. universities (sending students abroad) and foreign institutions (accepting short-term, non-degree students). Present programs directly to university study abroad and international education offices to grow the institutional pipeline. Build and lead the team responsible for sustaining and expanding these relationships as the company grows. Campus Representatives (Dual Mandate) Own strategy and performance for the U.S. campus rep team (with founder guidance), which operates on two fronts: Approaching university departments to recommend outbound students for the company's study abroad programs. Approaching university departments to accept incoming short-term foreign students into their institution. Personally mentor and train campus reps in the early stage, demonstrating the approach directly before the team scales. Set territory plans, event strategy, and performance metrics; hire, train, and coach reps across both motions. A dedicated Campus Representative Manager is expected within a few years, shifting this role from execution to oversight. International Agent Network Build a new network of international agents who work with high school students over multi-year relationships toward foreign university placement. Work from initial contacts the President has developed through industry conferences, but own the strategy and team-building to scale this into a real function. Represent the company at international recruitment conferences (e.g., ICEF), education fairs, and other agent-facing events in key markets. Establish agent onboarding, training, and brand-consistent support materials, along with tiered commission structures, performance incentives, and tracking systems. Admissions / Enrollment (Sales) Direct oversight of in-house admissions staff converting inbound interest into enrolled students, starting with ITA's established, quickly-trainable admissions staff. Own the full sales pipeline: lead response, consultation booking, application and enrollment conversion. Set KPIs, coach the team, and own CRM/sales process performance and enrollment forecasting. In Year 2 or 3, an Admissions Manager is expected to be funded to oversee this team. Student Services & Risk Management (Build Function) Direct line management of the Study Abroad Student Services Manager. Build the company's student services function from the existing ITA service team - financial aid, academic credit, health/safety/risk management, and visa compliance for enrolled students require their own protocols, distinct from both ITA's existing programs and the vendor-level standards under Program Development. Identify and close expertise gaps through hiring, training, or outside consultants, with budget authority for advisory support, particularly in year one. Maintain a peer-level, dotted-line relationship with the existing Director of Student Affairs for institutional knowledge-sharing. Own onboarding, pre-departure, in-program support, crisis/emergency protocols, retention, satisfaction, and compliance metrics. Marketing & Technology Partnership (Dotted Line) Serve as operating partner to the marketing/technology team - collaborative, not supervisory. The team brings strong general marketing/tech capability; this role brings the industry expertise to shape it into study abroad-specific strategy together. Bring enrollment and student data back into marketing to improve lead quality and conversion. Financial Stewardship Propose annual budgets for all owned functions, tied to outcomes. Participate in open-book financial reviews; monitor profitability within owned functions. Collaborate with other leaders to align budgets with company-wide goals; the President holds final decision authority. External Representation Serve as a leading public face of the company at conferences, with partners, and in the industry, growing into the primary public leadership role over time. The President will remain an active supporting resource; day-to-day external representation increasingly shifts to this role as the company matures. Student Safety, Risk Management & Compliance Develop and enforce health, safety, and emergency response protocols across all active program locations. Maintain compliance with U.S. State Department travel advisories, FERPA, Title IX, and applicable international regulations. Serve as the primary point of contact for student crises, medical emergencies, or incidents abroad. Manage relationships with international health and travel insurance providers and third-party risk consultants. Leadership Structure Reports to: President - holds final decision-making authority Hands-on mentor, Years 1–2: Founder & Board Member - guidance on university partnerships/contracts and campus rep strategy; part of the hiring decision for this role and provides feedback to the President on KPIs; no direct-report or decision authority over this position Ongoing advisors: All three founders, on a continuing basis Direct reports: Campus Representatives (lead/manager), Admissions/Enrollment staff (lead/manager), Student Services Manager, International Agent Network (lead/manager) Peer / dotted-line: Director of Student Affairs (knowledge-sharing); Marketing & Technology team (operating partnership) Who You Are Entrepreneurial mindset - you thrive with ambiguity, ownership, and a blank canvas. Highly energetic and self-motivated; you do not need to be managed, you need to be resourced. Integrity and student-first values; genuinely committed to delivering life-changing experiences. A builder, not a maintainer - you are most energized when creating something from scratch. Motivated by equity upside and long-term value creation over short-term security. Led multi-function teams in study abroad, higher education, international education, or a related service business, and you've built partnership and recruitment networks from the ground up - not just managed ones handed to you. Want ownership of both the operational engine and the external relationships that drive growth, including building entirely new channels like an international agent network. Motivated by the opportunity to put your own imprint on a company, build and lead a team, and genuinely own a role and its direction. Ambitious and risk-tolerant, and you want to be judged and rewarded the way we judge ourselves: across the company's four pillars, not on a single number. Comfortable being the person who represents the company in the room, and comfortable being hands-on in the field while the team you're building is still small. Qualifications Required 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in study abroad or international education. 5+ years of people leadership. Personally lived, worked, or studied abroad for 6+ months. Private-sector study abroad industry experience required; university-only experience, while valuable, does not on its own meet this bar. Demonstrated experience building or scaling university partnerships and/or international agent/advisor networks. Willingness and ability to travel internationally and domestically on a regular basis, including industry conferences such as ICEF and NAFSA. Valid passport with no travel restrictions. CRM experience (Salesforce, HubSpot, or similar in the industry). Highly Valued Direct experience at a recognized private-sector study abroad brand (e.g., IES Abroad, CIEE, API, AIFS, CEA, Arcadia, EF Education, Academic Programs International, or similar). Established network of education advisors or independent agents in international student-sending markets. Experience designing programs for the U.S. outbound market alongside international inbound student recruitment. Existing relationships within the study abroad ecosystem: university study abroad offices, foreign institutional partners, or international education agents. Experience building a student services function from scratch or improving an existing one, or managing outside compliance consultants. Experience with budgeting and financial management. Compensation Compensation is intentionally weighted toward shared growth rather than a large fixed salary alone - this role earns meaningfully more as the company succeeds, both in annual bonus and in equity. Component Year One Base Salary $120,000 – $130,000 Performance Bonus Annual bonus tied to net revenue targets - see below Equity Vesting begins after two years - see below Annual Performance Bonus This role includes an annual performance bonus tied to achieving the company's net revenue targets, set and reviewed each year. As the role's influence over cost structure and profitability grows, the bonus structure evolves accordingly, with performance judged against the same four pillars that guide the company overall - Student, Employee, Financial, and Operational Success. Company-Wide Gain Share Separate from individual performance bonuses, the entire company participates in gain share - a shared cash bonus pool distributed quarterly and annually whenever the company hits defined profit milestones, paid to every employee, not just leadership. Equity This role includes equity, with vesting beginning after two years of service. Equity is earned through sustained leadership and results, not granted automatically at hire. Benefits Insurance: Medical and dental coverage from day one (with a co-pay). Time Off: 28 days in year one - 18 vacation days, 10 personal days. Sick Days: 10 paid sick days per year, available in full on day one. Parental Leave: 12 weeks total - 8 weeks fully paid, 4 weeks unpaid. Professional development support. A seat at the table in building a mission-driven company from day one. Growth Path This role has full operational and revenue ownership from day one, backed by fractional HR, finance, accounting, and admin support already in place. As profitability supports dedicated specialists, this role takes on direct oversight of HR, finance, and legal - moving toward full general management over time. Formal review for expanded scope, title, and compensation ties to enrollment, partnership, and profitability milestones, typically at 18–24 months, with expanded autonomy phasing in around Year Three or upon profitability. TO APPLY: You must apply for this position through the International TEFL Academy website using the link below. Your application will require 2 documents: Resume (Word or PDF) - please include your name in the title of the digital document. Example: Steven Smith Resume and Cover Letter - ITA Study Abroad VP. If this opportunity resonates with you, we want to hear from you. Please submit the following: A current CV or resume. A cover letter that specifically addresses: your relevant private-sector experience, the partnerships or networks you would bring to this role on day one, and why you are motivated by equity/opportunity over salary Your international travel and living experience, countries you have studied, worked, volunteered, etc and how that has impacted your life. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. We encourage early submissions. Finalists will be invited to a video interview with the founding partners, followed by an in-person meeting for shortlisted candidates. For final consideration, three references will be required. We are an equal opportunity venture and welcome candidates from all backgrounds and nationalities. You must have legal work authorization in the United States. Note: Our recruiting platform prompts you to "upload your resume" but does not state that you must upload a "cover letter." That is a limitation of the platform. A cover letter is still required. We will not reply to any candidate without a cover letter.