Application Guide

How to Apply for Director of Marketing, K-12 Curriculum

at Fishtank Learning

🏢 About Fishtank Learning

Fishtank Learning is a mission-driven organization dedicated to closing opportunity gaps by providing high-quality, free K-12 curriculum and a digital platform. Unlike many EdTech companies, Fishtank focuses on equity and teacher empowerment, making it an inspiring place for marketers who want their work to directly impact underserved students and classrooms.

About This Role

As the Director of Marketing, you will own the entire marketing strategy and demand generation engine, driving growth for Fishtank's curriculum and platform. This role is critical because effective marketing directly translates to more schools and districts adopting high-quality materials, thereby improving outcomes for historically underserved students.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might start with a stand-up with the sales team to align on lead quality and pipeline needs, followed by reviewing campaign performance dashboards for email and webinars. Afternoon could involve a brainstorming session with the content team on a new resource for teachers, and ending the day with a 1:1 coaching a junior marketer on demand gen tactics.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

Practice questions for this role

🎯 Who Fishtank Learning Is Looking For

  • Experienced in K-12 education marketing: You have 8+ years in marketing, with a strong focus on K-12 education, EdTech, or SaaS, and understand the unique dynamics of selling to schools and districts.
  • Demand generation expert: You have a proven track record of scaling multi-channel demand generation, including email, content, events, and digital ads, to drive qualified leads and pipeline growth.
  • Strategic and hands-on: You can develop a comprehensive annual marketing strategy while also executing campaigns and optimizing operations—especially in a lean team environment.
  • Passionate about equity: You are deeply committed to Fishtank's mission of expanding access to high-quality instructional materials for historically underserved students, and can articulate this in your work.

📝 Tips for Applying to Fishtank Learning

1

In your resume and cover letter, explicitly mention your experience marketing to K-12 school districts or networks, including specific examples of campaigns that drove adoption or engagement.

2

Highlight any experience with curriculum or instructional materials, even if from a marketing perspective, to show you understand the product deeply.

3

Quantify your demand generation results: include metrics like lead volume growth, pipeline contribution, or conversion rates from past roles.

4

Tailor your application to emphasize your ability to build and lead a team over time, as the role includes growing the marketing function.

5

Research Fishtank's current marketing channels (e.g., their blog, social media, webinars) and mention specific ideas for improvement or scaling in your cover letter.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your passion for educational equity and how Fishtank's mission aligns with your career goals.", "Specific examples of demand generation campaigns you've led that resulted in measurable growth for K-12 or EdTech organizations.", 'Your experience working cross-functionally with sales, product, and curriculum teams to align marketing with organizational goals.', 'Your vision for building and scaling a marketing team, including how you would prioritize hiring and structure.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Review Fishtank's current curriculum offerings and blog to understand their content marketing approach and tone.
  • → Read their case studies or partner stories to see how they highlight impact—this will inform how you can position value propositions.
  • → Look into their competitors (e.g., Illustrative Mathematics, EL Education) to understand the landscape and how Fishtank differentiates.
  • → Check their LinkedIn and recent news to see if they've announced any new features, partnerships, or funding that might influence marketing priorities.
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you develop the annual marketing strategy for Fishtank? Walk us through your process.
2 Describe a time you scaled a demand generation engine. What channels did you use and what were the results?
3 How do you approach marketing to K-12 decision-makers (e.g., district leaders, principals) versus teachers?
4 How would you measure the success of marketing efforts at Fishtank, especially given its mission-driven nature?
5 Tell us about a time you built or mentored a marketing team. What was your approach to hiring and onboarding?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don't submit a generic marketing director application—this role requires specific K-12 education experience, so failing to mention it will stand out.
  • Avoid focusing only on B2B or corporate marketing without showing an understanding of the education sales cycle (e.g., grant funding, school year timelines).
  • Don't overlook the mission: Fishtank is not a typical EdTech company; candidates who seem purely profit-driven may not resonate with the team.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Fishtank Learning!

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