Application Guide
How to Apply for Chief of Staff, External Relations
at Khanacademy
🏢 About Khanacademy
Khan Academy is a nonprofit on a mission to provide free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. With over 181 million learners globally, the organization focuses on delivering high-quality supplemental learning content, particularly for historically under-resourced communities. Working here means joining a passionate, mission-driven team that values diversity and innovation in education.
About This Role
As Chief of Staff for External Relations, you will partner with the Chief External Relations Officer to drive strategic initiatives, manage cross-functional projects, and ensure alignment across communications, development, and advocacy teams. This role is impactful because you'll help scale Khan Academy's external reach and fundraising efforts, directly enabling free education for millions of learners.
💡 A Day in the Life
You'll start by reviewing emails and updates from the External Relations team, then join a morning sync with the Chief to align on priorities. The rest of your day might include preparing board meeting materials, facilitating a cross-functional project on a new fundraising campaign, and meeting with the communications team to refine a press release. You'll also carve out time for strategic planning and data analysis to track progress against goals.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Khanacademy Is Looking For
- Experienced in external relations, including communications, fundraising, or advocacy, with a track record of leading strategic projects in a nonprofit or mission-driven organization.
- Strong project manager who can juggle multiple priorities, facilitate decision-making, and drive execution across teams without direct authority.
- Excellent communicator and relationship builder, comfortable working with senior leaders, board members, and external partners.
- Analytical and data-oriented, able to synthesize information to inform strategy and measure impact.
📝 Tips for Applying to Khanacademy
Tailor your resume to highlight specific experience in external relations (e.g., campaigns, donor relations, media strategy) and quantify your impact (e.g., 'Increased donor retention by 20%').
In your cover letter, explicitly connect your past work to Khan Academy's mission of educational equity, using examples that show your passion for the cause.
Research Khan Academy's recent initiatives (e.g., Khanmigo, partnerships with school districts) and mention how your skills can advance those efforts.
Since the role is remote, emphasize your experience with remote collaboration tools and self-management in your application.
Check your email domain carefully—recruiters only use @khanacademy.org. Avoid any third-party recruiters or payment requests.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your alignment with Khan Academy's mission and your personal motivation for advancing free education.", "Specific examples of how you've driven strategy or managed projects in external relations, especially in a fast-paced or growth-oriented environment.", 'Your ability to work cross-functionally and influence without authority, with concrete results.', 'Any experience with educational technology or working with underserved communities.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Read Khan Academy's annual report and recent blog posts to understand their external relations priorities and recent achievements.
- → Explore their 'Khanmigo' AI tutor launch and how it's been positioned in the media and with donors.
- → Look into the organization's diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to speak authentically about their culture.
- → Review the background of the Chief External Relations Officer and other senior leaders to understand their leadership style.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Failing to align your application with the mission—generic corporate experience without a clear connection to education or nonprofit work will stand out negatively.
- Overlooking the remote nature of the role—not demonstrating self-motivation or experience with async communication can be a red flag.
- Ignoring the recruitment scam warning—applying through unofficial channels or engaging with [email protected] recruiters could lead to rejection or identity theft.
📅 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:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!