Director, IP Licensing & Partnerships
About the Role: Teachstone is seeking a Director of IP Licensing & Partnerships to help shape how our intellectual property, content, data, and AI-enabled capabilities are protected, extended, and translated into long-term business value. This role sits at the intersection of product, legal, technology, and go-to-market strategy. You will lead the evaluation, structuring, negotiation, and operationalization of strategic partnerships while helping establish scalable frameworks for IP governance, licensing, and responsible innovation. This is a highly cross-functional leadership role requiring strong strategic judgment, comfort operating in ambiguity, and the ability to balance innovation with business, legal, and operational risk. This role requires up to 25% travel. What You’ll Be Responsible For: Strategic Partnerships & External Relationships Identify, evaluate, and prioritize strategic partnership opportunities across technology, research, AI, content, distribution, and platform ecosystems Lead partnership lifecycle management from opportunity assessment through negotiation, launch, governance, and ongoing performance evaluation Structure and negotiate agreements including licensing, integrations, co-development partnerships, vendor relationships, and data-sharing arrangements Conduct vendor and partner evaluations with a focus on strategic fit, scalability, security, operational complexity, and long-term business value Develop clear recommendations on whether opportunities should move forward, evolve, or be discontinued Intellectual Property Strategy & Governance Partner closely with Legal and Product leadership to operationalize Teachstone’s IP strategy across content, products, data, and AI-enabled experiences Help establish governance frameworks and guardrails related to AI usage, derivative outputs, data rights, content licensing, and video-based technologies Support protection and responsible extension of company intellectual property, trademarks, frameworks, and proprietary content Identify and proactively mitigate risks related to IP misuse, licensing exposure, data governance, and partnership obligations Work alongside external counsel and internal stakeholders on licensing structures, partnership agreements, and IP-related matters Commercial Strategy & Monetization Contribute to pricing, packaging, and monetization models for IP-driven offerings and partnerships Support build vs. buy vs. partner evaluations with a strong strategic and financial perspective Ensure partnerships align to product strategy, customer outcomes, operational readiness, and long-term company goals Help translate emerging market opportunities into actionable business recommendations Cross-Functional Leadership Partner across Product, Engineering, Legal, Growth, Operations, and Executive Leadership teams Translate complex agreements into operational plans with clear ownership, dependencies, and success measures Drive alignment across stakeholders with competing priorities and perspectives Help establish scalable internal processes for evaluating and managing partnerships and licensing opportunities Performance & Strategic Insights Define and track partnership success metrics including strategic impact, adoption, revenue contribution, operational leverage, and risk exposure Monitor partnership performance and recommend scale, optimization, renegotiation, or exit decisions Bring a strong point of view on market trends, strategic opportunities, and emerging risks in AI, content, and education technology What We’re Looking For: Experience 8+ years of experience in strategic partnerships, business development, product strategy, licensing, IP-related roles, or adjacent leadership functions Experience structuring and negotiating complex partnership, licensing, or vendor agreements Experience working closely with external counsel and internal legal teams Experience evaluating third-party vendors, platforms, or strategic technology partners Experience operating within product or technology organizations, not solely marketing or channel partnerships Experience managing cross-functional initiatives with executive visibility Skills & Capabilities Strong strategic, commercial, and operational judgment Ability to navigate ambiguity and build scalable frameworks Comfortable operating across legal, technical, product, and business conversations Strong communication and stakeholder management skills Ability to influence decision-making across all levels of the organization Able to move effectively between strategy and execution
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with AI-enabled products, data governance, or responsible AI practices Experience with content licensing, research-based IP, or media/content ecosystems Background in SaaS, edtech, platform, analytics, or learning technology environments Familiarity with video-based technologies, data-rich products, or AI-driven platforms What We Offer: Fair, Competitive Pay: We ensure equal pay for equal work, using consistent salary bands based on market benchmarks, reviewed annually. Prior salaries, negotiation skills, or fear of conflict don’t influence your pay. Salary Range: $140,000 - $160,000, determined by your experience and skills. Comprehensive Benefits: Medical/dental, 401(k), PTO, insurance, development opportunities. Details provided at offer. Eligibility depends on your role and employment status. Ready to Make a Difference? At Teachstone, we believe that every interaction shapes a brighter future. If you're passionate about transforming education and want to be part of a team that's committed to meaningful impact, we want to hear from you. Apply today and help us create classrooms where every child thrives! At Teachstone, we encourage all individuals to apply and bring their unique perspectives to our team. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. We value the different experiences and ideas our team members bring and believe they are essential to solving complex challenges and driving our mission forward.