Account Manager (Remote-US)

DataKind is seeking an Account Manager to serve as the primary relationship owner for our lighthouse institution partnerships. This role is central to ensuring our higher education partners are successful, satisfied, and growing with DataKind's Unified Data and Technology System (UDTS). You'll own the long-term health of these high-visibility partnerships, serving as the connective tissue between institutions and DataKind's internal teams.

Location Remote, anywhere in the U.S. (with a preference to the West Coast). Working hours are primarily between 8am–5pm local time, with flexibility to coordinate across Eastern, Central, and Pacific time zones. This role requires periodic travel to partner institutions (25–40% during peak periods).

Salary Range $75,000 - $94,000, based on DataKind's manager-level salary band. Actual placement depends on experience and internal equity. Candidates who meet core requirements are typically positioned in the lower to middle of the range.

About the Opportunity

Reporting to the Director of Institutional Partnerships and Strategy, the Account Manager will own the ongoing relationships with three university partners who are early adopters of our platform, UDTS — a tool that brings together the disconnected software systems universities use to track students' academic journeys into a single, unified view. This is a relationship-first role: you'll spend most of your time understanding what your partners need, getting ahead of problems before they surface, and keeping institutions engaged and successful so they renew their partnerships and become models for wider adoption across the sector. You'll work closely with our Product, Engineering, and Research teams to advocate for your partners internally, but you won't be expected to lead or own technical work yourself.

Core Responsibilities

Partner Relationship Management

Serve as the primary point of contact and trusted advisor for each lighthouse institution throughout their multi-year engagement with DataKind. Build and maintain strong relationships with institutional leadership — including IR Directors, Chief Data Officers, Provosts, and Presidents — grounded in trust, responsiveness, and deep understanding of each partner's context and goals. Conduct regular check-ins and relationship health reviews to stay ahead of any concerns before they become problems.

Retention & Renewals

Own the renewal process for each partnership, tracking engagement signals and proactively addressing retention risks. Develop a clear understanding of each institution's evolving needs and ensure DataKind's offerings continue to deliver meaningful value. Partner with internal stakeholders to make the case for renewal and document partnership outcomes that support it.

Onboarding & Ongoing Success

Coordinate with DataKind's implementation and product teams to ensure smooth onboarding for new partners, acting as the institutional advocate throughout. Translate partner needs and feedback into clear briefs for internal teams. Help institutions understand what's available to them, connect them to resources, and remove barriers to adoption — without necessarily being the one solving technical problems directly.

Cohort Engagement & Peer Learning

Facilitate Learning Circles and cohort activities among lighthouse institutions, creating opportunities for peer connection and shared problem-solving. Coordinate cross-institutional knowledge sharing and help surface best practices that can inform broader sector adoption.

Feedback & Internal Advocacy

Serve as the voice of your partners internally. Synthesize themes across accounts and bring structured feedback to Product and Engineering on institutional needs, usability issues, and opportunities for improvement. Contribute to the development of scalable account management processes and playbooks as DataKind grows.

Qualifications

Required

• Deep alignment with DataKind's mission and commitment to educational equity and data-driven social impact
• 4+ years of experience in account management, partnership management, customer success, or higher education administration
• Proven track record of managing complex, multi-stakeholder relationships in higher education or a similarly mission-driven environment
• Strong understanding of how higher education institutions operate — including key decision-makers, institutional priorities, and common challenges around student success and data use
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to build trust at all levels of an organization
• Comfortable working cross-functionally, translating between institutional partners and internal technical teams without needing to own the technical work
• Strong organizational skills with experience managing multiple concurrent partnerships or accounts
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly to institutional partners (up to 25–40% during peak periods)

Preferred

• Experience in customer success or account management within edtech, or SaaS-based, mission-driven organizations
• Familiarity with higher education data systems (SIS, LMS, CRM) at a conceptual level
• Knowledge of contemporary challenges in higher education, including enrollment management, student success, and completion initiatives
• Background in institutional research, academic affairs, or educational technology sales
• Familiarity with data governance, FERPA, and institutional compliance at a high level

About DataKind

At DataKind, we believe in the transformative power of data science and AI to create a more promising future. Since our founding in 2012, we've been at the forefront of designing scalable, data-driven tools that address some of the world's toughest challenges—ranging from frontline health, humanitarian action, climate and environment, economic opportunity, education, and more. As both a product innovator and a movement catalyst, we set new standards in the social sector, empowering organizations to harness the full potential of data science and AI while putting communities first.

Why Work with DataKind

At DataKind, we believe that people are the most important asset to delivering on our mission. As a people-first remote organization, we offer the following for all our employees:

Flexibility and time off. Enjoy genuine flexibility that goes beyond adjustable hours. We build in shared time off, organization-wide recharge days, bi-weekly meeting-free days, and flexible PTO (with a minimum of 20 vacation days encouraged annually).

Comprehensive Wellness Support. We care for your total wellbeing with 100% employer-paid medical, vision, and dental benefits for employees (72% for dependents), a wellness reimbursement program for the activities and purchases that matter to you, and 12 weeks paid parental leave when you need it most.

A Culture of Growth. Every team member receives professional development funding each year, alongside mentorship and advancement opportunities. We invest in your future with a 401(k) plan with 5% employer matching.

Meaningful Connection. Despite being distributed across time zones, we value being able to come together in person for conferences, strategic planning, and at our annual staff retreat.

Living our Values. DataKind is committed to a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment in our day-to-day work and via special initiatives driven by our DEI Steering Committee.

DataKind is an Equal Opportunity Employer

DataKind is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages candidates from underrepresented groups in tech to apply. DataKind does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, disability, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected category.

Applicants must have a U.S.-based permanent address and be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis indefinitely without employer visa sponsorship.