Director of Strategic Public Sector Partnerships at Summer

Who We Are

Summer is a Certified B Corp® on a mission to restore financial freedom for the 46 million Americans burdened by student debt. We combine deep policy expertise with powerful technology to simplify every step of college cost planning and loan repayment. We have helped people save an average of $278 per month and more than $1.8 billion in total savings to date.

By partnering with leading employers, cities, and financial institutions, including ADP, the City of New York, Banc of California, Norton Healthcare, and the American Federation of Teachers, Summer helps millions of Americans move closer to a debt-free future.

Backed by $30 million in funding from top investors including Rebalance Capital, SemperVirens, QED Investors, General Catalyst, and Flourish Ventures, we’re building the infrastructure that powers student loan relief and education affordability in America.

Your Role

As Summer’s Director of Strategic Public Sector Partnerships, you will be a senior, external-facing leader focused on opening doors and advancing high-impact public sector opportunities. This is not a traditional sales management role, you will operate as a senior individual contributor, leveraging relationships, credibility, and judgment to generate and move complex government opportunities forward.

You’ll work closely with the CEO and executive leadership to prioritize where Summer engages, qualify opportunities, and shape deal strategy across multi-stakeholder environments. Success is measured by momentum created with senior public sector leaders and the quality of opportunities advanced.

What You’ll Do

• Develop and manage senior relationships across the public sector ecosystem, including mayors, governors’ offices, city and state leaders, lobbyists, as well as key associations, intermediaries, and coalition partners
• Shape deal strategy, stakeholder mapping, and messaging to align Summer’s value proposition with public sector needs
• Generate and advance qualified opportunities through trusted relationships, strategic positioning, and warm access
• Serve as relationship owner for a targeted set of priority opportunities, driving momentum across complex stakeholder groups
• In select cases, own large, strategic deals end-to-end, coordinating internally to move from opportunity to close
• Navigate political, policy, and procurement dynamics pragmatically and efficiently
• Partner with internal teams (Growth, Product, Marketing, Client Success) to qualify opportunities and ensure delivery considerations are addressed early
• Represent Summer at relevant events and forums to build credibility and expand our public sector footprint
• Travel as Needed: Attend in-person meetings, conferences, and events to advance key relationships and drive market expansion (expected travel ~25–40%).

You Might Be a Fit If You Have

• 10+ years of experience in public sector sales, partnerships, government affairs-adjacent GTM, or a similar externally-facing role.
• Demonstrated ability to build senior-level relationships and generate meaningful opportunities inside complex public sector ecosystems.
• Strong understanding of how public sector decisions get made - both through formal procurement and informal influence dynamics
• Experience working alongside or coordinating with government affairs teams, lobbyists, or policy stakeholders to drive outcomes.
• Track record of advancing complex opportunities that involve multiple stakeholders, long sales cycles, and real-world constraints.
• High judgment, strong executive presence, and the ability to operate autonomously with limited structure.
• Comfort working in a fast-moving environment where priorities evolve and the path is not always linear.

Work Environment

Summer is a remote-first company with team members across the U.S. We collaborate asynchronously and meet virtually each week, with in-person gatherings for key moments during the year.

Why Join Summer

Summer is on a mission to help borrowers navigate and eliminate student debt. We partner with financial institutions, employers, and government agencies to provide digital tools that simplify the loan experience for millions of borrowers.

We’re a mission-driven team that believes in solving real problems with real empathy. We care deeply about our users and each other. If you’re excited about building technology that changes lives, we’d love to meet you.

How We Support You

• Equity grant to share in Summer’s success
• 100% employee-covered medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) plan with 3% match, fully vested day one
• Direct contributions toward your student loans
• Up to 11 paid holidays + flexible PTO
• Paid leave for family, health, or personal needs
• Annual in-person events including Summer Camp and Summer Wonderland
• And more!

Equal Opportunity

Summer provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination or harassment of any kind. This policy applies to all employment terms and conditions, including recruiting, hiring, promotion, termination, compensation, and training.