Director of Strategic Partnerships

Howard University

2d•$115,000 - $120,000

About The Position

The Director of Strategic Partnerships develops, manages, and executes strategic partnerships that advance Howard University's institutional priorities. Reporting under the direction of the Assistant Vice President of Corporate Relations, the Director manages a portfolio of corporate and strategic partners and leads partnership development supporting research, workforce development, student success, innovation, and institutional engagement. The Director collaborates with academic and administrative units to identify, cultivate, negotiate, and manage partnerships that create mutual value for the University and its external partners. The role supervises partnership development staff, monitors partnership performance, and supports initiatives that strengthen Howard University's corporate engagement efforts. It also coordinates with internal and external stakeholders to implement partnership opportunities and advance the Office of Corporate Relations' strategic objectives.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Business Administration, Communications, Marketing, Public Administration, Higher Education Administration, or a related field; a master's degree may substitute for a portion of the required experience where appropriate.
At least eight years of progressively responsible professional experience in strategic partnerships, corporate relations, business development, external affairs, university relations, workforce development, or a related field.
At least three years of supervisory or management experience leading professional staff, managing performance, and fostering a collaborative, results-oriented work environment.
Demonstrated success developing, negotiating, implementing, and managing strategic partnerships that result in measurable organizational outcomes.
Ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with senior executives, external stakeholders, and cross-functional partners while representing an organization professionally and exercising sound judgment.
Ability to develop partnership strategies, proposals, presentations, executive briefing materials, and reports that communicate organizational priorities and partnership opportunities effectively.
Strong written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to communicate with executive leadership, faculty, staff, corporate partners, and external stakeholders.
Ability to manage multiple priorities, lead cross-functional initiatives, solve complex problems, and deliver high-quality results in a fast-paced environment.
Experience conducting prospect research, evaluating partnership opportunities, and using data to support decision-making and relationship management.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and experience using CRM platforms such as Salesforce or similar systems to manage partnership activities, reporting, and stakeholder engagement.

Nice To Haves

MBA, or a degree in Higher Education Administration, Public Administration, Communications, Marketing, Organizational Leadership, or a related field.
Experience developing and managing strategic partnerships within a research university, higher education institution, Fortune 500 company, corporate foundation, or similarly complex organization.
Demonstrated success cultivating and managing relationships with Fortune 500 companies, corporate foundations, and executive-level stakeholders, resulting in strategic partnerships and measurable organizational impact.
Experience developing partnerships supporting research, workforce development, experiential learning, innovation, student success, or sponsored initiatives.
Knowledge of corporate engagement, university-industry collaboration, public-private partnerships, or strategic alliance development.
Experience using CRM platforms such as Salesforce and data analytics to manage partnership pipelines, measure outcomes, and inform strategic decisions.
Experience with corporate philanthropy, corporate social responsibility (CSR), sponsored research, or advancement is desirable but not required.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement partnership strategies aligned with Howard University's mission and institutional priorities.
Manage a portfolio of strategic corporate and institutional partners and build a pipeline of prospective partners.
Identify and cultivate partnership opportunities supporting research, workforce development, student success, and innovation.
Develop partnership proposals, engagement plans, and collaborative initiatives; lead partnership discussions and facilitate mutually beneficial agreements.
Coordinate executive meetings, campus visits, and partner engagement opportunities; prepare briefings, presentations, and recommendations.
Represent the Office of Corporate Relations at meetings, conferences, and events, and maintain relationships with senior corporate and institutional stakeholders.
Support stewardship activities that strengthen long-term partner engagement.
Collaborate with academic and administrative units to identify opportunities, coordinate stakeholders, align activities with institutional priorities, and facilitate communication across participating University units.
Support the development of partnership presentations, reports, marketing materials, briefing documents, success stories, and impact communications; keep departmental communication channels current.
Prepare reports and updates on partnership activities and outcomes.
Supervise, mentor, and evaluate assigned staff; assign responsibilities, monitor progress, and support staff development and continuous improvement.
Monitor industry trends and identify prospective partnership opportunities.
Maintain partnership records and CRM data, track key performance indicators, and recommend process improvements.