Director of Corporate Relations - MSU Business Connect / Community Relations Manager

MSU Internal Job Postings Details • East Lansing, MI

23h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Corporate Relations is a key member of the MSU Business Connect team, a hub for corporate engagement. The Director manages an independent portfolio of corporate relationships and is accountable for advancing these partnerships toward productive outcomes with specific emphasis on outcomes relating to research activity including sponsored research collaborations, start up and commercialization opportunities, access to university labs/cores and institutes. This role will also support the broader university ecosystem by partnering with other offices to facilitate student hiring and internships, professional training, advisory board participation, and other activities aligned with corporate needs and university strengths. This role includes assisting in early-stage negotiation of mutually beneficial contract terms and requires building a strong internal network across colleges, research units, and administrative partners to ensure coordinated and consistent engagement with industry. The Director plays a strategic role in advancing MSU’s research mission by serving as the primary liaison to industry leaders, fostering collaborations that drive innovation, secure external funding, and translate academic research into real world impact. By aligning corporate interests with MSU’s research capabilities, the Director cultivates, maintains, and expands long term partnerships while ensuring timely handling of complex agreements that enhance trust and accelerate collaboration. Success in this role requires exceptional communication skills, and a deep commitment to relationship building both internally and externally, and strong negotiation and organizational abilities. The Director works closely with faculty, deans, administrative partners, and corporate research executives to advance shared objectives. This hybrid position requires at least three days per week on campus and may involve occasional travel to on campus and off site locations.

Requirements

• Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, physical or life sciences, communications, public relations, marketing or related discipline.
• 8 or more years of experience in community relations, event management, or special project development.
• Demonstrated effective and creative writing skills.
• Working comfort with social media.
• Proficiency with use of a computer, MS Office suite, Adobe, conferencing software (Zoom/Teams), Wrike.

Nice To Haves

• Masters or Doctorate degree in business, engineering or the sciences.
• Ten years of working experience in business development, corporate relations, government relations with the majority of experience working within a university environment.
• At least five years of experience in private sector research and development.
• Familiarity with the principles of contracting frameworks, with specific emphasis on knowledge of Intellectual Property best practices.

Responsibilities

• Manages an independent portfolio of corporate relationships.
• Advances partnerships toward productive outcomes, emphasizing research activity, sponsored research collaborations, start-up and commercialization opportunities, and access to university labs/cores and institutes.
• Supports the university ecosystem by partnering with other offices to facilitate student hiring and internships, professional training, advisory board participation, and other activities aligned with corporate needs and university strengths.
• Assists in early-stage negotiation of mutually beneficial contract terms.
• Builds a strong internal network across colleges, research units, and administrative partners to ensure coordinated and consistent engagement with industry.
• Serves as the primary liaison to industry leaders, fostering collaborations that drive innovation, secure external funding, and translate academic research into real-world impact.
• Cultivates, maintains, and expands long-term partnerships.
• Ensures timely handling of complex agreements that enhance trust and accelerate collaboration.
• Works closely with faculty, deans, administrative partners, and corporate research executives to advance shared objectives.

What This Job Offers

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