Director, Account Management – Partnership Build & Optimization

ICON plc • Raleigh, NC

7d • Remote

About The Position

The Director, Account Management within ICON’s Strategic Partnership & Integration Solutions Team serves as a partnership build methodology expert and drives the creation and optimization of partnership infrastructure. The role engages early with internal and external partnership leaders to understand needs, recommend best practices, and negotiate and design fit-for-purpose partnership build plans. It leads implementation to establish partnership infrastructure, governance, processes, technology, and stakeholder requirements effectively, on time, and to a high standard of quality. The position supports successful partnership launch, sustainability, and ongoing optimization.

The Director contributes partnership content to RFIs and RFPs, supports partnership-level bid defenses, and works with commercial and relationship leads to identify opportunities for ICON services. The role develops partnership build and optimization plans, defining workstreams, milestones, dependencies, deliverables, timelines, success measures, governance, stakeholder engagement, communications, and operational processes. It leads execution, monitors progress and risks, ensures quality and compliance, and transitions completed deliverables into business-as-usual operations.

The position serves as a primary contact for partnership build and optimization, maintains relationships with sponsors and cross-functional stakeholders, facilitates decisions and escalations, and provides executive-level status reporting. It also designs and facilitates partnership kick-off meetings, oversees build logistics and coordination, delivers customized partnership frameworks, supports infrastructure transitions, and conducts follow-up and optimization activities. The Director designs partnership health assessments, applies and improves partnership methodologies and tools, captures lessons learned, and contributes to scalable partnership frameworks and operating models.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree.
• At least 5 years of experience leading complex cross-functional initiatives, partnership implementations, program delivery, or operational transformation efforts.
• At least 5 years of direct operational experience, including broad experience with operational processes and direct client work in a portfolio or partnership leadership environment.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, stakeholders, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong project planning, organization, and execution skills.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, presentation, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Experience driving initiatives through influence rather than direct authority.
• Ability to identify risks, solve problems, and deliver results in dynamic environments.
• Legal right to work in the country where the role is based.

Responsibilities

• Contribute partnership content to RFIs and RFPs and support partnership-level bid defenses.
• Engage internal and external partnership leaders to understand needs and develop fit-for-purpose infrastructure.
• Work with the partnership Commercial Lead and Partnership Relationship Lead to highlight opportunities for ICON services.
• Develop partnership build and optimization plans, including workstreams, milestones, dependencies, deliverables, timelines, and success measures.
• Establish governance structures, stakeholder engagement plans, communication frameworks, and operational processes.
• Lead implementation of partnership build and optimization plans from initiation through completion.
• Monitor progress, identify risks and issues, develop mitigation strategies, and ensure deliverables are completed, documented, and transitioned into business-as-usual operations.
• Serve as a primary contact for partnership build and optimization activities and maintain relationships with sponsors, internal stakeholders, and partnership leaders.
• Facilitate decision-making, issue resolution, and escalation management; provide status updates and executive-level reporting.
• Design, propose, and facilitate partnership build kick-off meetings, including objectives, agendas, expected outcomes, and logistics.
• Ensure alignment between client expectations and internal delivery teams and roll out customized, sustainable partnership frameworks.
• Maintain partnership infrastructure through appropriate transitions and guidance materials, follow up with partnership leaders, and re-engage for optimization as needed.
• Design partnership health assessments, analyze results, and provide guidance on action plans.
• Apply partnership methodologies, tools, templates, and best practices; capture lessons learned and incorporate continuous improvement opportunities.
• Contribute to the development of partnership frameworks, standards, operating models, and scalable partnership management capabilities.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary and performance-related incentives.
• Health and wellbeing programs, including medical, dental, and vision coverage where applicable.
• Retirement and pension plans.
• Life assurance and disability coverage.
• Employee assistance programs and wellbeing resources.
• Learning and development opportunities through structured training and career pathways.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director