Partnerships Specialist

Pepperdine University • Malibu, CA

8d • $26 - $27 • Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting to the Assistant Director of University Partnership Office, the
Partnerships Specialist contributes to the operational effectiveness of the
department in pursuit of non-tuition revenue sources to supplement traditional
student tuition, Alumni giving, and Advancement revenue.

The Specialist is responsible for relationship management and communication with
both internal and external stakeholders in pursuit of university partnership &
sponsorship revenue goals. This role involves acting as a key liaison between
the Pepperdine partner community and the university, ensuring effective
representation and alignment with campus needs. The Specialist will also be
responsible for enhancing the engagement and impact of each partnership and
supporting various departmental sponsorship programs.
The ideal candidate will be a recent Pepperdine graduate and have a background
in marketing.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree with at least one year of institutional experience as either a Pepperdine student or staff member.
• Ability to think and act independently.
• Professional demeanor.
• Excellent people skills.
• A high level of trustworthiness and reliability.
• Excellent communication skills in person, on the phone, and via email.
• Identifies strongly with the mission of Pepperdine University.
• Is coachable, accepting & applying feedback.
• Well-versed in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google Suite with knowledge of cloud-based storage.
• Personal cell phone usage (mobile phone allowance is provided.)
• Able and willing to travel off-site for events as needed.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in higher education, marketing, or customer service.
• 1-2 years relevant sponsorship/partnerships work experience; knowledge of sponsorship practices and language.
• Familiarity with Higher Ed vendor relations, partnerships, and sponsorships.
• CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, SponsorCX).

Responsibilities

• External Relations (Pepperdine Partners / Sponsors): Maintain and further nurture relationships with Pepperdine partners/sponsors via regular contact (e.g., emails, phone calls, meetings) as directed by Supervisor; organize partner/sponsor meetings, information sessions, and other interactions (attendance required in-person and virtually); support sponsorship activations and contract fulfillment; willing to attend some evening and/or weekend events and occasional travel.
• Internal Relations (Pepperdine stakeholders): Maintain and further nurture relationships with key Pepperdine stakeholders (e.g., Athletics, Advancement, Alumni Affairs, School Deans, Financial Aid, IMC) to advance department objectives; ensure clear and effective communication amongst multiple Pepperdine stakeholders to advance department initiatives.
• Department Operations: Create presentations and assist with benchmarking, analyses, and reports to Pepperdine partners/sponsors; support key stakeholder meetings, partnering with various departments to prepare data and prospect reports for strategy meetings; keep detailed records of all contacts and help plan follow-up strategies with constituents.
• Partnership Activations: Ensure accurate and timely submission of all department compliance (e.g., partner MOUs, General Counsel documents).
• Database management: Maintain department databases (e.g., SponsorCX) to help ensure consistent contact and communication with partners.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Uphold University mission through work performed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees