Manager, Strategic Partnerships and Outreach

Position Summary
The Manager, Strategic Partnerships and Outreach builds support for National University by prospecting and securing new business opportunities through employer and community partnerships. Stewards strong relationships with key external constituent groups to include organizations and industry associations known and unknown to National University. The goal of these relationships is to attain partnerships for National University’s Workforce & Community Education (WCE) division, which will result in enrollment growth for the university by creating pathways for employees to become aware of National University’s program offerings and educational benefits.

Additionally, the Manager designs, develops, delivers, and administers efforts related to establishing and maintaining these strategic partnerships to support National University’s mission and strategic initiatives. Identifies new prospects through research and evaluates, analyzes, and formulates strategies for growth in strategic partnerships. Provides high quality service to all constituencies of National University, organizational partners, students, alumni, and community leaders. Exhibits the highest professional standards and ethical principles.

The Manager is a key member of the Strategic Partnerships and National Outreach team. Is skilled at identifying clients’ goals, organizational structures, and communication channels, recognizing potential opportunities to grow the business with both existing and new accounts for Workforce & Community Education (WCE). Engages external partners, including employers and larger organizations, with experience and knowledge in key areas including the following:

• Tuition Assistance
• Customized Education
• Workforce Development
• Hiring Partnerships
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training
• Prior Learning Credit
• Credential Rich Pathways
• Employee Resource Groups

The Manager is responsible for major account activation and strategy in Arizona, as well as serving as a key business development resource in partnership with the VP, Partnership Development and other National University leaders. Plans and implements partner engagement and outreach strategies and actions, while representing the University to external constituents (e.g. corporate and healthcare partners, government partners, education agencies, public safety agencies, military installations, professional associations, etc.). Builds and sustains working relationships with WCE’s organizational partners and priority prospective partner organizations to promote the University’s vision, mission, and values. In close alignment with WCE leaders and teams, the Manager partners with the VP, Partnership Development to plan and lead WCE’s presence within the university, the community, across industries and throughout the community-at-large primarily in Arizona and, at times, other territories in the West region.
 

Candidate must reside in Phoenix, AZ

Essential Functions:

• Lead the development and execution of corporate, banking, and other strategic partnerships and channel strategies to drive revenue across multiple lines of business.
• Perform prospect research with continual prioritization of targeted organization and activities.
• Develop and executes partnership agreements and MOU’s that drive student interest and admissions.
• Strategic thinker with expectations to engage Senior Executives in discussions and decisions related to establishing new partnerships and opportunities.
• Develop relationships with employers and industry leaders to understand and translate industry and professional needs into relevant course offerings and trainings.
• Contact B2B prospects (email, telephone, face-to-face, direct mail, and networking events) to schedule meetings and explain/answer questions and conduct presentations on partner benefits to activate partnerships regionally and across industries.
• Coordinate existing and new educational partnerships’ growth opportunities with partners, strategic organizations, and other regional and national accounts.
• Plan and execute recruitment activities such as webinars, education fairs, trade shows, conferences, open house/information sessions, and networking events to develop industry and community contacts.
• Maintain documentation, tracking, and ROI analysis of outreach efforts on Client Relationship Management (CRM) and other scheduling software (Salesforce and Monday.com) for planning, reporting, and analysis purposes.
• Participate in alignment efforts with various departments, faculty, and leadership throughout the university in order to maximize outreach and partnership revenue-focused plans and relationship goals. This is accomplished by working with Academics, Registrar, Enrollment, Student Services, Career Services, WCE PACE, and other departments that increase understanding, acceptance, and support for WCE offerings and programming among all constituents.
• Collect, analyze, create, and interpret reports for senior leadership on a variety of metrics and KPIs related to the Arizona market.
• Participate in budget planning by providing historical data and projections and assist in the development of strategic plans.
• Project manages activities with organizations including newsletter submittals, presentation creation, web site updates and links, flyers, etc. to ensure materials/advertising aligns to agreements.
• Meets and exceeds established quarterly business development/sales goals.
• Lead, motivate, and guide team to ensure alignment with National University mission, vision, values, and departmental objectives. 
• Set clear performance expectations, provide feedback, and coach team members to enhance their performance. 
• Identify problems, analyze root causes, and implement solutions to improve processes and outcomes.
• Perform other special projects as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Supervisor duties to include: Hire, train, and develop 3-5 direct reports.  

Requirements:

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in a combination of business development, operations, and developing relationships with corporate leaders and academic professionals, required.
  • Or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of (3) three years of experience in higher education preferred.
• Sales experience to enterprise clients preferred.
• Experience working in a dynamic, hybrid, technology-driven enterprise preferred.
• All skills, abilities and education will be considered for minimum qualifications.

Competencies/Technical/Functional Skills:

• Excellent analytical and organizational skills; strong attention to details and the ability to balance a variety of tasks and deadlines. Extremely well organized and strategic, with strong attention to detail.
• Openness, flexibility, and decisiveness to lead and inspire internal and external constituencies. Commitment to diversity and equality.
• An independent, strategic thinker with good judgment, sensitivity, and common sense.
• Self-motivated, outgoing and results oriented; ability and desire to set and reach ambitious goals.
• Actively seeks to influence, build effective relationships, and gain alignment with peers, functional partners, and/or external partners to accomplish business objectives.
• Ability to drive towards achieving measurable and challenging goals to support organizational success. Demonstrates the ability to focus on achieving results consistent with the organization’s objectives.
• Ability to effectively communicate and build strong working relationships both written and verbal.
• Ability to carry out a variety of professionally complex assignments without detailed instructions.
• Strong computer and database management skills; demonstrated ability to work in a team-oriented environment.
• Proven ability to work cooperatively and sensitively with individuals from diverse cultures, ethnic groups, lifestyles, and backgrounds.
• Ability to understand, diagnose and plan for business issues, processes, structure, outcomes, and profitability. Understands the implications of decisions and actions, including a deep understanding of overall big picture of the business; able to take an idea from concept to reality.
• Actively seeks opportunities to influence, build effective relationships and gain alignment with peers, functional partners and/or external partners to accomplish business objectives.
• Superior interpersonal skills with the ability to project professional competence, leadership capability and successfully communicate with a wide range of individual of constituencies in a diverse community making a positive impression in public forums. Ability to interact appropriately with industry leaders, faculty and staff.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, excellent organizational skills with attention to details, good follow-up and follow-through.  Excellent analytical skills in addition to collecting, organizing, and presenting information in a relevant manner.
• Advanced use of computers and Microsoft Office Suite Applications such as Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook.
• Foster a cooperative spirit within a large and/or small team of diverse cultures across the organization and all levels while working in a fast-paced environment with multiple deadlines and frequently changing priorities.

Location: Remote, must be located in a greater metro area defined as a strategically important location for Workforce & Community Education.

Travel: Frequent Travel Required; up to 40% for employer/partnership cultivation, and participation in partnership and university-wide events as a representative of National University.