Partnership Development Strategist

Howard University

3d•$80,000 - $85,000

About The Position

The Partnership Development Strategist supports the development and advancement of strategic corporate and community partnerships aligned with Howard University’s priorities in academics, research, innovation, financial sustainability, business optimization, and workforce development. The role identifies, cultivates, and coordinates relationships that advance the university’s mission and expand opportunities for students, faculty, and institutional initiatives. It translates institutional priorities into partnership opportunities, connects internal stakeholders with external organizations, and supports collaborative initiatives that foster long-term engagement and impact. Working across higher education, industry, and corporate and community engagement, the strategist helps external partners navigate the university and supports internal units in developing partnership-ready initiatives. These may include workforce development programs, research collaborations, sponsorships, and philanthropic investment. The position has no direct supervisory responsibility, though it may oversee assigned staff, interns, or project teams and coordinate cross-functional teams. It collaborates with stakeholders across academic and administrative units and maintains relationships with corporate partners, nonprofits, community organizations, industry leaders, foundations, and other external stakeholders.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
5–7 years of relevant professional experience in corporate partnerships, university advancement, business development, university relations, or a related field.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Experience preparing proposals, managing complex projects, and preparing briefing materials, reports, or strategy documents.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple stakeholders and coordinate cross-functional initiatives.
Experience in corporate or corporate-facing environments.
Strong relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills.
Ability to navigate complex organizations and coordinate across multiple internal stakeholders.
Organizational and project management skills with strong attention to detail.
Ability to operate effectively in collaborative and cross-functional environments.
Professional judgment and political awareness in managing internal and external relationships.
Strategic thinking and ability to translate institutional priorities into partnership opportunities.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree.
Experience in higher education partnership development.
Experience creating or supervising workforce development initiatives.
Experience in innovation ecosystems or public-private partnerships.
Familiarity with CRM or partnership tracking platforms such as Salesforce or similar systems.
Experience working with corporate philanthropy, sponsorships, or institutional advancement teams to support philanthropic engagement.

Responsibilities

Support the development and implementation of corporate and community partnership strategies aligned with university priorities.
Research, identify, and qualify prospective partners across key sectors.
Develop tailored engagement strategies and partnership concepts aligned with institutional strengths and partner priorities.
Contribute to partnership growth pathways that support long-term engagement and institutional impact.
Provide guidance to partnership staff supporting corporate and community engagement initiatives.
Coordinate partnership-related projects and activities across the Office of Corporate Relations.
Monitor partnership initiative progress and alignment with strategic objectives.
Collaborate with academic units, research centers, and administrative offices to identify partnership-ready opportunities.
Translate university strengths, initiatives, and programmatic needs into external-facing partnership opportunities.
Maintain awareness of existing engagements to support coordination and avoid institutional duplication.
Work with academic leadership, deans, and faculty to identify corporate partnership opportunities aligned with academic strengths.
Support alignment between corporate workforce needs and university programs, including certificates, executive education, and experiential learning.
Help develop industry-connected experiences such as corporate-sponsored courses, capstone projects, research collaborations, internships, apprenticeships, and residency programs.
Facilitate collaboration between corporate partners and academic units to design talent pipeline and student engagement initiatives.
Support cultivation and stewardship of corporate and community relationships.
Prepare briefing materials, partnership proposals, and background documentation for leadership engagement.
Track partnership activities, milestones, and outcomes to support relationship management and coordination.
Build and maintain a strategic pipeline of prospective corporate partners aligned with institutional priorities and emerging sectors.
Conduct industry research and market analysis to identify partnership opportunities.
Support engagement pathways that transition prospective partners into sustained institutional partnerships.
Identify opportunities to connect corporate partners with university innovation assets, including research centers, entrepreneurship programs, and technology commercialization initiatives.
Support innovation challenges, industry collaborations, and research partnerships.
Help identify partnership opportunities with multinational corporations aligned with university academic and research strengths.
Collaborate with university offices to align partnership opportunities with broader institutional initiatives.
Maintain accurate records of partnership activity in CRM or partnership tracking systems.
Support reporting on partnership engagement, metrics, and strategic progress.
Identify trends and opportunities for expanded collaboration or deeper partner engagement.