Senior Specialist- Partner Support

Covista•Minneapolis, MN

2d•$61,721 - $111,585•Hybrid

About The Position

The Partner Support Specialist plays a vital role in cultivating and advancing Covista's partnerships. Leveraging a consultative approach, this role is responsible for fostering, growing, and deepening relationships with employer and professional organizations that leverage Walden University to advance workforce development within their organizations. The Partner Support Specialist serves as a relationship steward and internal advocate, ensuring that partner needs are met while aligning with strategic goals of Covista and its institutions. Success in this role requires a strategic relationship builder who can balance the needs of partner organizations with institutional priorities, identify opportunities for account growth, and serve as a trusted, consultative point of contact throughout the life of the partnership.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree Required
5+ years Experience in account management, partnership/relationship management, business development, client success, or a related consultative, client-facing role required
Strong understanding of employer and professional association partnership models, including how organizations structure workforce development and tuition assistance/benefit programs.
Working knowledge of higher education program structures, pricing, and enrollment processes sufficient to consult credibly with partner stakeholders.
Familiarity with the Covista institutional family (Walden University and Chamberlain University) and how their offerings map to partner workforce development needs.
Highly developed consultative selling and relationship-management skills, with the ability to identify needs and align solutions to partner goals.
Strategic account planning skills, including the ability to translate partner objectives into actionable, measurable plans.
Strong executive-level communication and presentation skills, with the ability to engage credibly with senior decision makers.
Skilled negotiator and problem-solver, able to navigate competing priorities between partner needs and institutional goals.
Strong organizational and project-coordination skills to manage multiple accounts, engagement plans, and deadlines simultaneously.
Collaborative, team-oriented approach with strong cross-functional communication skills, particularly in partnership with the Workforce Engagement Specialist.
Ability to build and sustain long-term, trust-based relationships with diverse organizational stakeholders.
Ability to act as a credible internal advocate, influencing cross-functional teams without direct authority to meet partner needs.
Ability to balance a consultative, partner-centered approach with accountability to institutional goals and KPIs.
Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and manage a complex, multi-account portfolio with minimal oversight.
Ability to identify and capitalize on account growth opportunities through proactive, strategic relationship management.
Ability to adapt communication style and approach to a wide range of partner organizational cultures and stakeholder levels.
Ability to travel regionally on a frequent basis, including occasional evenings, weekends, and overnight trips to support partner events.
Ability to stand for extended periods while staffing event booths or tables, and to lift/transport event materials (up to approximately 25–30 lbs).
Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends to align with partner event schedules.
Reliable home or remote workspace setup for virtual event delivery and prospect follow-up activities.

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree Preferred
Experience managing a portfolio of accounts or partnerships with demonstrated success in relationship growth and retention preferred
Experience with CRM and partnership/account management systems (e.g., Salesforce, PowerBI) preferred
Prior experience in higher education, workforce development, corporate learning and development, or B2B/B2O (business-to-organization) partnership environments preferred
Familiarity with Salesforce, PowerBI, or other CRM systems and account management platforms and standard partnership reporting practices.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary relationship owner and consultative point of contact for an assigned portfolio of employer and professional association partners, building trust with key decision makers and stakeholders, and driving consistent performance and growth.
Develop and execute comprehensive account plans that align partner goals with Covista, Walden, and Chamberlain strategic priorities, identifying opportunities to deepen and expand each relationship.
Proactively identify and pursue opportunities to grow partnership scope, engagement, and utilization, including new departments, cohorts, or workforce development initiatives within partner organizations.
Identify and execute enterprise expansion opportunities across assigned partner portfolio, including proactively identifying new communication channels to promote partnership, engaging in on-site events at partners, and seeking incremental communication opportunities to promote education pathways within the partnership. You are also responsible for engaging in and expanding partnership opportunities in large matrix organizations and associations.
Conduct regular check-ins, business reviews, and strategic planning conversations with partner contacts to assess satisfaction, surface needs, and reinforce partnership value.
Serve as the internal advocate for partner needs, working cross-functionally to resolve issues, remove barriers, and ensure timely, effective responses to partner requests.
Maintain a deep, current understanding of each partner's organizational structure, workforce development goals, and the specific terms and benefits of their partnership agreement.
Anticipate partner needs and proactively communicate relevant program updates, policy changes, or new opportunities that may affect the partnership.
Source, schedule, and strategically plan onsite and virtual engagement opportunities at partner organizations in close coordination with the Workforce Engagement Specialist, ensuring activity aligns with account goals and calendar commitments.
Partner with the Workforce Engagement Specialist to set appointments with new decision makers and stakeholders within large enterprise accounts, supporting efforts to grow and expand the partnership.
Share account context, partner priorities, and relationship history with the Workforce Engagement Specialist to ensure consistent, informed messaging at student-facing events.
Collaborate on post-event debriefs and follow-up strategy to ensure prospect inquiries and partner feedback translate into stronger account outcomes.
Collaborate with Enrollment, Marketing, Academic Affairs, Partner Support, and other internal stakeholders across Covista, Walden, and Chamberlain to ensure coordinated execution of partnership commitments and address and resolve operational issues or inquiries with urgency and professionalism.
Own the operational relationship with third-party platforms (e.g., tuition assistance portals, content/benefit aggregators), ensuring partner content is accurate and engagement channels are optimized.
Track partnership health, engagement activity, and account growth against established KPIs and partnership targets, reporting progress to leadership.
Gather and relay partner feedback and market intelligence to internal teams to inform partnership strategy, program development, and continuous improvement.
Maintain accurate and current partner account records, agreements, and engagement history within the CRM or partnership management system.
Support contract renewals, amendments, and partnership agreement administration in coordination with leadership and legal/contracting teams as needed.
Ensure all partner-facing communication and activity complies with institutional policy and applicable higher education partnership regulations.
Prepare partnership status reports, account summaries, and renewal documentation in a timely and accurate manner.
Performs other duties as assigned
Complies with all policies and standards