[Hiring] Director of Public Sector Strategy & Partnerships @Backpack Healthcare

Role Description

This is an individual contributor role designed for someone who understands how public institutions make decisions, how government funding moves, and how to navigate the complexity of school districts and state agencies.

You'll own Backpack's growth across school-based behavioral health services, government grants and contracts, and strategic community partnerships. This is not a traditional healthcare sales role; it requires equal parts relationship-building, grant development expertise, and public sector fluency.

What You'll Do

• School-Based Expansion
  • Develop and execute strategy for school district partnerships including MOUs, embedded clinician agreements, and district-wide service contracts
  • Navigate school procurement, board approvals, and academic calendar constraints
  • Build relationships with superintendents, student services directors, and state education agencies
  • Represent Backpack at education conferences and school health forums
• Government Grants & Contracts
  • Identify and pursue federal, state, and local grant opportunities
  • Lead grant applications from concept through submission in collaboration with internal teams
  • Respond to government RFPs and navigate public sector contracting processes
  • Build relationships with state Medicaid offices, departments of education, and behavioral health authorities
  • Monitor policy developments that create funding opportunities for school and youth mental health services
• Strategic Public Sector Partnerships
  • Cultivate referral partnerships with government agencies and community-based organizations serving youth and families
  • Develop partnership frameworks suited to public and nonprofit institutional decision-making
  • Collaborate with internal teams to ensure public sector commitments are operationally feasible
• Cross-Functional Leadership
  • Partner with clinical, operations, marketing, and finance teams on public sector strategy
  • Maintain accurate pipeline and grant tracking in CRM
  • Contribute to market expansion and revenue forecasting for public sector segment

Qualifications

• A minimum of 8 years of experience in healthcare sales with 2+ years in public sector sales, government relations, partnership development, or grant acquisition
• Proven track record closing partnerships or contracts with school districts and/or government agencies
• Experience with government grants and RFP processes
• Understanding of how school districts, state agencies, and public institutions operate
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Self-directed with ability to manage long, complex sales cycles
• Willingness to travel up to 40%
• Preferred:
  • Experience in behavioral health, mental health, telehealth, or youth-serving healthcare organizations
  • Existing relationships with state departments of education, state behavioral health authorities, or Medicaid agencies in MD, GA, IL, MI, or VA
  • Background in Medicaid-funded school-based health services or school-based health centers (SBHCs)
  • Grant writing experience with demonstrated award history ($500K+ in secured funding)
  • Familiarity with MTSS, IEP/504 frameworks, and school behavioral health integration models
  • Experience with foster care, juvenile justice, child welfare, or social services sectors
  • Knowledge of Title IV-E, IDEA, or Medicaid school-based claiming programs
  • Background working in or with community-based organizations or nonprofit sector

Benefits

• Base Salary: $125,000 - $150,000 (depending on experience)
• Performance Incentives: Uncapped commission structure tied to contracts closed, grant awards secured, and referral partner activation
• On-Target Earnings (OTE): $200,000 - $240,000+
• Equity: Competitive stock option package

Company Description

Backpack Healthcare delivers accessible, culturally competent behavioral health care to Medicaid-insured children, adolescents, and families across Maryland, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, and Virginia. We partner with schools, government agencies, and community organizations to close critical gaps in behavioral health access for under-served populations.

We believe that the strength of our care depends on the diversity and well-being of our team. We celebrate differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, national origin, physical and mental ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, and other traits that make each person unique. We welcome and encourage diverse candidates to apply for any position for which they are qualified and to bring their unique perspectives, experiences, and talents to our team.