Associate Director, Experiential Learning, Partnerships

About the Opportunity

The Partnerships Team of the Northeastern University Oakland campus is hiring an Associate Director, Experiential Learning Business Development, to develop, build and optimize regional partnerships focused on expansion of co-op placement opportunities and a variety of experiential learning opportunities in the region. The incumbent will also be responsible for promoting and selling the university's research capabilities, facilities & B2B learning portfolio, fostering new partnerships, and nurturing existing relationships to drive mutually beneficial collaborations.

Reporting to the Head of Partnerships, the Associate Director will network in the region to uncover and set up experiential learning opportunities for undergraduates and graduate students studying at the Oakland campus and beyond. This is an Oakland-based position and time on campus each week and at networking events is essential to this role. 

The focus of the position is to develop strong partnerships that grow and mature over time and ensure positive partner experiences. The role requires strong institutional awareness and excellent communication both externally and cross-functionally within the organization. Events are a key approach for building partnerships and the ability to work with the team to develop and executive convenings is essential. The Associate Director will possess the ability to propose a vision for each partnership and to see that vision through to execution.  The Associate Director will also uncover opportunities for Northeastern University to develop and deploy non-credit offerings within partner organizations that are intended to up-skill or re-skill partner employees. 

The Associate Director works in collaboration with the experiential education infrastructure and other student experience leads on the Oakland Campus and across the University, and in collaboration with academic leaders across Northeastern Universities schools and colleges to identify and cultivate programmatic opportunities throughout the global Northeastern network. The Associate Director seeks opportunities for implementation of new, innovative experiential learning offerings and executes operational plans. The Associate Director is knowledgeable in developing business plans and budgets to assist with successful, scalable, and sustainable implementation of the final program

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate will possess the following skills, dispositions, experience, and qualifications. 

•  Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, Education, or a related field. Master’s degree preferred.
• A minimum of 5 years of professional work experience  
• 2+ years of experience in business development, partnerships, program management, events marketing, relationship management, strategic planning, program operations, and/or special projects or related field. Co-op or internship placement experience preferred. 
• A robust network demonstrated into the Bay Area private and/or public sector. This is essential and a must. 
• The ability to establish and nurture new relationships with key contacts at partner organizations.
• The ability to develop a co-op business development strategy for each partner rooted in partner goals.
• Excellent problem-solving and strong analytical skills with proven ability to strategize and prioritize to meet goals and deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal skills, sufficient to inspire others and work effectively and collaboratively.
• Strong oral and written communication skills; the ability to write clearly and concisely.
• A strong sense of personal accountability to take engagements across the finish line. 
• Familiarity working with high-level decision-makers within varying sizes of organizations.  
• The ability to adjust priorities quickly and efficiently.  
• Strong project management skills paired with the ability to synthesize information.
• The ability to present to external audiences and be an ambassador for the entire University to a diverse set of stakeholders within partners.
• Acute attention to detail and a focus on efficiency. 
• Highly collaborative and able to work in highly agile environments
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently when needed.
• A culturally responsive mindset with the ability to cultivate positive relationships across lines of difference. 
• A can do attitude that sees opportunities in challenging situations. 

Preferred Skills, Experience 

• Co-op 
• Sales 
• Marketing 
• Salesforce 
• Project Management 

Travel Requirement 

• You will be required to travel, mostly regionally, to meet strategically important partners. 
• You may be occasionally required to travel to other Northeastern campuses globally

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategically Identify Growth Opportunities:

• Discern and capitalize on untapped potential within our existing partnerships, using your business acumen to identify avenues for mutual growth.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders across the Global Network to align business development efforts with university goals.

Forge Close Collaborations with Industry Partners and University Networks:

• Cultivate strong ties not only with current industry partners but also with key stakeholders within the university, spanning colleges, campuses, programs, and research centers.
• Utilize your seasoned networking skills to navigate through diverse university connections, drawing on your established track record to comprehend evolving needs. 

Secure New Partnerships 

• Apply your 5+ years of experience to promote and sell the university's B2B learning portfolio to industry partners.
• Leverage your experience to research and analyze industry trends, identifying potential partners (Your network, and the universities network and alumni network)
• Utilize your proven track record to actively seek and engage new stakeholders, establishing strategic partnerships.
• Present compelling proposals, drawing on your extensive experience, that showcase the university's services and value proposition.
• Develop leads for the placement of students in co-op jobs, apprenticeships, and research opportunities.

Collaborate, Market, Communicate  

• Work closely with internal stakeholders to align business development efforts with university goals.
• Provide regular updates on partnership progress, successes, and challenges.
• Foster a culture of collaboration and communication within the partnerships team.
• Support the team in developing and executing events that drive engagement and partnerships.
• Provide regular updates on partnership progress, successes, and challenges.
• Develop, implement, and share best practices for business development in building the experiential learning portfolio.

Manage the Scoping, Presentation, and Proposal Development

• Collaborate with internal teams, leveraging your proven skills, to tailor offerings/proposals based on partner needs, objectives, and deliverables.
• Negotiate and finalize agreements, utilizing your extensive experience, that align with both parties' objectives. Working with colleagues of aligned units and the Office of General Counsel.

Facilitate Experiential Programs  

• Collaborate with academic departments to develop and enhance student experiential programs, such as Experiential Treks, XN Projects, etc.
• Ensure a seamless integration between academic curricula and industry needs.
• Identify opportunities to innovate with partners and academic leads to devising new types of experiential learning opportunities that are aligned with student and partner needs.
• Identify opportunities for non-credit learning opportunities within the partner’s workforce.

Operations 

• Execute best practices in Salesforce.
• Advocate for partner needs/issues cross-departmentally.
• Support internal operational teams in implementing partner engagements and events.
• Monthly and quarterly report creation

The expected hiring range for this position is USD $73,535 to USD $93,755, based upon the position’s scope and responsibilities.

Position Type

Student Services

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.  

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.  

Northeastern University is an equal opportunity employer, seeking to recruit and support a broadly diverse community of faculty and staff.  Northeastern values and celebrates diversity in all its forms and strives to foster an inclusive culture built on respect that affirms inter-group relations and builds cohesion. 

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other  characteristic protected by applicable law.

To learn more about Northeastern University’s commitment and support of diversity and inclusion, please see www.northeastern.edu/diversity .