Vice President of Launchpad

itrek launched in 2011 with a mission to empower leaders to engage their networks in meaningful Israel experiences, fostering an understanding and appreciation of Israel’s unique culture, diversity, richness and complex reality. More than 25,000 graduate students representing 130 nationalities from schools in the U.S., Canada and Europe have traveled to Israel through itrek. Over the last two years, itrek has expanded beyond graduate school students by piloting Launchpad, a program that connects with mission aligned leaders and organizations to create Israel Treks for their influential peers and members. 

REALITY, now a key part of itrek, has led more than 3,000 influential leaders from diverse backgrounds and sectors—entertainment, policy, social innovation, technology, and more—on life-changing journeys to Israel over the past 15 years. Together, we inspire participants to deepen their leadership skills, build meaningful peer connections, and develop a nuanced understanding of Israel and the region.

Position Overview
The Vice President of Launchpad will lead strategy, sales and operations of Launchpad, building a scalable and sustainable product offering from itrek. Reporting to the Chief Executive Offer, the VP focuses on high-level strategy, financial planning, program planning and operations, and research. The VP will supervise a team of four initially, both sales team and program execution, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, talent growth, and driving overall success.

Primary Responsibilities

• Strategic Management:   
• Develop, execute, and iterate the growth strategy for Launchpad working closely with itrek’s CEO and Chief Program Officer (CPO).
• Develop and execute the go-to-market strategy for each target market with demonstrable scalability, sustainability and impact.
• Work closely with the CPO to align Launchpad’s growth strategy and alumni engagement strategy with the organization’s programmatic goals.
• Work closely with the Chief Operating Officer to align Launchpad’s measurement and impact strategy with the organization’s impact goals.
• Oversee the articulation of Launchpad’s value proposition, brand positioning, sales and marketing materials in collaboration with the Marketing department.
• Identify opportunities to enhance Launchpad’s offerings, driving new solutions and strategies to maximize impact.
• Lead and implement an ongoing learning process, including analysis and recommendations for alterations or improvements, in collaboration with the CPO.
• Facilitate inter- and intra-departmental collaboration to ensure effective communication and support. 
• Prepare reports and presentations for internal and external stakeholders, including the Executive Team, Launchpad Committee and Board of Directors.

Research

• Lead the ongoing research and evaluation of segments to target, collaborating with key stakeholders and leveraging a multifactor model (impact, costs, probability of success, follow-up effectiveness) to guide decision-making.
• Collaborate closely with an advisory group of recognized experts within each segment to assess emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities, ensuring Launchpad remains relevant and responsive to each segment’s unique dynamics.

• Department Management: 
• Oversee the sales team who are responsible for outreach, cultivating strategic partnerships and expanding Launchpad’s visibility to attract new opportunities. 
• Ensure partnerships align with Launchpad’s goals, priorities, and capacity for scale and sustainability.
• Support the sales team in effectively transitioning confirmed partners to the Program Managers for implementation and Israel Trek execution. 
• Oversee the Program Managers who are responsible for flawless execution of the Israel Treks and high-quality customer experience and service.
• Identify ways in which to improve operational excellence and efficiency, provide guidance on setting up systems and structures, support the development of processes and use of technology tools that enable scaling, and ensure alignment between strategic goals and execution. 
• Manage Launchpad’s program budgets, build financial projections, and develop growth models to ensure sustainable scaling.
• Responsible for overseeing team performance, ensuring effective collaboration, providing guidance and support for professional development, and fostering a positive work environment that promotes growth and success. 

Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required and minimum of 10 years of related experience.
• Proven a