Director of Partnerships - Digital Learning - UTK

University of Tennessee•Knoxville, TN

10h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Partnerships provides leadership and oversight for the partnership function within the University of Tennessee’s Digital Learning unit. Reporting to the Executive Director, Head of Outreach, Engagement & Partnerships, this founding hire leads the development of strategic partnerships with industry and education organizations to build enrollment pipelines to fully online degree programs and establishes the processes and infrastructure needed to launch, scale, and sustain the program. The Director owns the full partnership lifecycle and serves as Digital Learning’s primary contact for employer partners. The role combines external business development and relationship management with internal program-building, including defining workflows, configuring CRM, drafting agreements, and establishing performance metrics. It operates with a high degree of autonomy, carries enrollment goals, and advises unit leadership on complex operational matters within the Director’s scope. The position is based in Knoxville, Tennessee, in office, with the possibility of a hybrid work schedule. The anticipated hiring range is $105,000–$110,000.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
5–7 years of progressively responsible experience in business development, partnership or account management, sales, corporate relations, higher education recruitment, or a comparable external-facing role, with demonstrated partnership or account development and management success.
Demonstrated ability to independently source, close, and grow partnerships or accounts.
Experience designing or substantially improving processes, workflows, or programs.
Proficiency with a CRM and ability to structure pipeline data and reporting.
Skill in consultative selling, relationship-building, and negotiation with senior external stakeholders, including translating the university’s value proposition into terms relevant to partner goals.
Ability to think strategically and operationally, set direction, and build supporting processes, tools, and infrastructure.
Ability to work autonomously, set priorities, and take ownership of results in an ambiguous, start-up-like environment.
Ability to interpret data and manage to metrics-based performance goals.
Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills for audiences ranging from prospective students to executive leadership.
Ability to collaborate across functions and influence without authority.
Organization and project management skills, including the ability to prioritize and manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
Legally authorized to work in the United States full-time without requiring employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
Experience in higher education, online, continuing, or professional education, or workforce development.
Experience developing community college partnerships, transfer recruitment pipelines, or articulation agreements.
Experience selling into or working with corporate HR, benefits, talent acquisition, or learning and development functions.
Experience recruiting or serving adult learners and working professionals.
Experience building a new program, team, or business line from the ground up.
Experience supervising or building a team.
Knowledge of Tennessee higher education, including Tennessee Board of Regents community colleges, Tennessee Transfer Pathways, and TN Reconnect.
Knowledge of employer tuition-benefit models and related compliance considerations, and experience using Salesforce.
Ability to communicate credibly in both corporate and academic settings.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute outreach strategies to identify, prospect, and secure corporate, government, nonprofit, and organizational partners whose workforce development needs align with the university’s online degree programs.
Cultivate and maintain relationships with current and prospective partner institutions, including community colleges and other education partners.
Lead partnership discussions with organizational decision-makers and connect the university’s value proposition to employer recruitment, retention, and upskilling goals.
Qualify prospects, manage a multi-stage pipeline, and guide opportunities from initial contact through signed agreement.
Negotiate and structure compliant, sustainable partnership agreements.
Monitor market and competitor trends and share relevant intelligence with leadership.
Own relationships with a portfolio of active partners, supporting satisfaction, regular engagement, and renewals.
Coordinate partner onboarding, including employee eligibility verification, co-branded communications, and partner-facing activation materials.
Represent Digital Learning onsite and virtually; organize and deliver recruiting and information sessions and attend partner-hosted events when requested.
Maintain knowledge of Vols Online programs, transfer credit policies, and relevant scholarship and financial aid options.
Coordinate with recruitment on prospective student leads generated through partner activity.
Conduct periodic partner business reviews covering enrollment, student success outcomes, and value delivered.
Define program KPIs and build and maintain reporting on pipeline health and program performance; regularly present results and recommendations to senior leadership.
Evaluate the ROI of partnership and recruitment efforts, use data to refine strategy, recommend whether to initiate, expand, restructure, or sunset partnerships, and adjust the tier model over time.
Design and document end-to-end partnership processes for inquiry intake, review and approval, contracting, eligibility verification, and renewal.
Coordinate with campus stakeholders to support partnerships and partner students.
Collaborate with the Division of Enrollment Management, Transfer Center, and academic colleges on community college partnerships.
Work with university offices to route and finalize agreements through institutional review and approval.
Collaborate with recruitment and student success teams to support partner enrollment, persistence, and completion.
Represent Digital Learning at employer meetings, industry events, community college and transfer events, and professional forums; serve as a spokesperson for the partnership initiative internally and externally.