At Instawork, our mission is to create meaningful economic opportunities for local businesses and skilled hourly professionals in communities around the world. We're building the leading AI-powered labor marketplace—and we're looking for exceptional talent to help us scale quickly and make an even greater impact. Backed by world-class investors like Benchmark, Spark Capital, Craft Ventures, Greylock, Y Combinator, and others, we’re transforming the way the world works.
We’re looking for a dynamic Director of Strategic Partnerships to lead and grow Instawork’s Higher Education vertical and help manage our Higher Ed corporate partnerships. In this high-impact role, you’ll be the key contact for our Higher Ed business line, maintain strong industry relationships, and help manage a curated portfolio of our university-focused MSA relationships.
This high-energy, client-facing role is ideal for someone with strong sales acumen and a deep understanding of the university and hospitality industries. You’ll play a key role in shaping our presence across the sector by building trusted relationships, identifying business opportunities, and ensuring Instawork becomes your partners' go-to staffing and hiring solution.
What You’ll Do
- Lead Higher Ed strategy - Serve as the primary point of contact across all university departments.
- Lead Higher Ed system-level sales - coordinate business development efforts across major university systems (e.g., CUNY, SUNY, University of Texas, California State System, University of Georgia).
- Represent IW at key Higher Ed conferences (NACAS, NACUFS, NAEP, etc.) to build relationships and thought leadership.
- Oversee the Higher Ed RFP calendar; respond to all applicable opportunities.
- Visit key markets and business units to build relationships with regional executives, engage directly with key decision-makers, and strengthen Instawork’s visibility and strategic presence.
- Partner with the Instawork Sales team on strategic opportunities to accelerate deal velocity and expansion
- Act as a hospitality industry expert, advising partners on how Instawork aligns with their staffing needs
- Collaborate cross-functionally to enhance the customer experience and unlock new growth channels.
- Travel Requirement: ~50% travel expected for campus visits, conferences, and corporate partner meetings.
What We’re Looking For
- 7+ years of experience in a Higher Ed/Hospitality-focused role, preferably in a partnerships, sales, or enterprise account role
- Familiarity with navigating campus departments (dining, facilities, procurement, etc)
- Experience working with corporate partners such as Aramark, Compass and Sodexo
- Proven track record of exceeding sales and revenue targets
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills with a consultative, solution-oriented approach
- Strong problem-solving skills and ownership mentality—you're proactive, not reactive
- Proficiency in Salesforce and managing complex pipelines
- Skilled in stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration
- Passion for Instawork’s mission and a drive to make a measurable impact
- Entrepreneurial mindset with creativity and agility to adapt in a fast-paced environment
- Willingness to travel to partner sites, conferences, and events as needed
For IL based applicants:
- This role offers a compensation package that includes a base salary and performance-based quarterly bonuses, with total earnings ranging from $130,000 to $200,000.
- This position is eligible for equity in the form of stock options
- This position is eligible for Instawork benefits, including:
- A variety of medical, dental, and vision plans with coverage beginning on the date of hire
- Flexible paid time off
- At least 8 paid company holidays annually
- Home office stipend
- Phone stipend
- Commuter stipend
- Supplemental pay on qualified leaves
- Employee health savings accounts (HSA) contribution
- Flexible spending plans
- 401K plan
- Perkspot - discount program through Lumity
Various factors are considered when determining compensation, including a candidate’s professional background, experience, and location. Final offer amounts may vary from the amounts listed above.
Instawork Values
- Bias for Action -- We are a growing team and an evolving product. We want a team of do’ers to drive the company forward, even if it means making decisions with incomplete information or being wrong.
- Act Like an Owner -- Treat this company as though it is your own. Execute on the fundamentals, and act creatively to drive growth. Your ability to drive impact in any part of our company is only limited by your courage and conviction, not your job title.
- Always Be Learning -- We are changing an entire industry. We strive to learn from each other and get better each day, week, and month, so that our team’s learnings can compound and we can all improve, together.
- Empathy, Trust, Candor -- Empathy for our business partners and professionals means we put ourselves in their shoes. Empathy for our colleagues means we are always upfront and honest with each other, which comes from trust.
Sound like your kind of challenge? Join us in shaping the future of flexible work in hospitality.
#LI-AH1
#LI-Hybrid
About Instawork
Founded in 2015, Instawork is the leading flexible work app for local, hourly professionals. Its digital marketplace connects thousands of businesses and more than five million workers, filling a critical role in local economies. Instawork has been featured on CBS News, the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Associated Press, and more. In 2022, Instawork was ranked among the country’s top 10% of fastest-growing companies by Inc. 5000 and was included in the Forbes Next Billion Dollar Startup list. Instawork was also named the 2022 ACE Award recipient for “Best Innovation” and one of the “Best Business Apps” by Business Insider. Instawork helps businesses in the food & beverage, hospitality, and warehouse/logistics industries fill temporary and permanent job opportunities in more than 25 markets across the U.S. and Canada.
At Instawork, we constantly evaluate how to build an optimal work environment for success. Currently we operate on a hybrid model, but we remain open to adapting our policies to meet the needs of our evolving business and team dynamics. As we continue to grow, we're seeking candidates who are excited about contributing to our in-person culture and open to the idea of working in-office up to 5 days a week.
For more information visit www.instawork.com
We value diversity on our team and firmly believe Instawork is stronger when we hire people who make their own unique contributions to our culture. We welcome all applicants and encourage candidates from underrepresented backgrounds to apply.
To learn more about our company values, please visit: https://info.instawork.com/about
Personnel Privacy Policy
Top Skills
What the Team is Saying
What We Do
Our digital marketplace connects thousands of businesses and more than six million workers, actively working to help bridge the labor demand/supply gap. Instawork helps businesses in food & beverage, hospitality, and warehouse/logistics industries fill temporary and permanent roles in more than 40 U.S. markets.
We have been fortunate to be funded by world-class investors in Silicon Valley including: Benchmark (Bill Gurley), Y Combinator, Spark Capital, Google Ventures, Greylock Capital, Four Rivers Group, Craft Ventures, and many more. Leveraging our accelerated growth, we will continue to expand throughout the U.S. and globally in order to revolutionize the labor market.
Instawork recently raised $60 million in Series D financing, bringing a total funding to over $160 million. The new funding round allows Instawork to accelerate investment in its AI-powered mobile app and platform that connects over 6 million skilled hourly workers with tens of thousands of businesses.
Our values help us craft impactful products and be extraordinary colleagues to each other:
Empathy, Trust, and Candor
Being empathetic helps build trust in our community and company, and fosters successful decision-making.
Always Be Learning
We learn eagerly, from different teams within and outside the company. Respectful debate makes our company stronger.
Act Like an Owner
We have a strong ownership mentality. Every person on the team has the potential to make a huge impact.
Bias for Action
We practice high-velocity decision-making, despite encountering ambiguity frequently.
Why Work With Us
Our team is composed of talented individuals who are passionate about our mission, continuously learning from one another and encouraging each other to achieve their full potential. We believe that failure is not a setback, but an opportunity to learn and apply those lessons toward future growth. We also make sure to have some fun along the way.
Gallery
Instawork Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
We ask that all employees near a hub location come into the office Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.
