Director of Strategic Partnerships

Admissions

Position Summary

The Director of Strategic Partnerships serves as a key architect of UMSL's employer engagement and workforce development strategy, leading the expansion of business-to-business (B2B) partnerships that drive enrollment growth, revenue generation, and regional talent development through the Advanced Workforce Center (AWC).

This role is responsible for identifying, securing, and managing high-impact corporate, government, and industry partnerships that align employer talent needs with UMSL's academic, professional, and customized training offerings. The Director will oversee the full partnership lifecycle-from prospecting and relationship development to program launch, performance tracking, and renewal-ensuring operational excellence and measurable outcomes.

Working cross-functionally across academic units, enrollment, career services, and external stakeholders, this position positions UMSL as a strategic workforce partner of choice in the St. Louis region and beyond.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Employer Partnership Support

• Support the coordination, tracking, and execution of B2B employer education partnerships, including tuition-funded models, corporate tuition assistance alignment, and customized workforce training engagements.
• Assist with the development, documentation, and tracking of partnership agreements, scopes of work, and program launch timelines.
• Serve as an operational liaison between employer partners and internal teams to ensure clarity of expectations, responsiveness, and high-touch relationship management.
• Monitor partnership milestones, participation metrics, and revenue impact; contribute to performance reporting and continuous optimization efforts.

Project Management & Operational Execution

• Support the planning, execution, and monitoring of workforce development initiatives, employer education partnerships, customized training programs, and Advanced Workforce Center (AWC) projects.
• Develop and maintain detailed project plans, timelines, deliverables, task trackers, and documentation to ensure initiatives are delivered on time and within scope.
• Coordinate cross-functional meetings with internal stakeholders (academic units, marketing, finance, enrollment, career services) and external employer partners; prepare agendas, capture notes, and track action items to ensure accountability and follow-through.
• Proactively identify risks, dependencies, capacity constraints, and operational bottlenecks; escalate issues with recommended solutions to leadership.
• Ensure seamless execution from partnership development through program launch and post-launch evaluation.

Data, Reporting & Systems Management

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date partnership and project records within Salesforce CRM and related institutional systems.
• Develop dashboards, trackers, and reporting tools in Salesforce and Excel to support employer pipeline management, revenue forecasting, and leadership decision-making.
• Ensure data integrity, documentation consistency, and real-time visibility into partnership and project performance.
• Support analytics related to employer engagement, enrollment outcomes, program participation, and ROI.

Executive Communication & Documentation

• Draft clear, concise, and professional written communications, including executive updates, partnership summaries, project briefs, and operational documentation.
• Prepare presentations, briefing materials, and strategic reports for senior leadership and external employer stakeholders.
• Ensure consistent, proactive communication across project teams, minimizing silos and reinforcing shared accountability.

Continuous Improvement & Professional Growth

• Apply project management best practices to enhance operational efficiency and partnership execution.
• Demonstrate a commitment to professional development in project management and continuous improvement methodologies, including PMP, CAPM, Agile/Scrum certifications, and Lean Six Sigma (Yellow or Green Belt), as supported by the division.
• Stay current on emerging tools, CRM innovations, workforce development trends, and B2B partnership best practices to support the evolving mission of the Advanced Workforce Center.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. The University will not sponsor applicants for this position for employment visas.

40+ hours per week/ M-F; some nights and weekends required

A Master's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and at least 5 years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary

• Demonstrated experience coordinating projects, initiatives, or complex workflows
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including spreadsheets, formulas, and basic data analysis
• Experience using or willingness to learn Salesforce CRM or similar customer relationship management systems
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Experience in higher education, workforce development, or partnership-driven environments is preferred; however, candidates with experience as an Account Executive or Business
• Development professional in an agency or corporate setting are strongly encouraged to apply. The ideal candidate brings a proven track record of managing client portfolios, driving revenue growth, and leading B2B partnerships.
• Familiarity with project management methodologies or tools
• Prior experience supporting cross-functional teams or external partners

Salary Range: $81,744.00 - $124,904.00 Annual
Grade: GGS-013
University Title: Senior Administrative Consultant
Internal applicants can determine their University title by accessing the Talent Profile tile in myHR.

• Application materials include a cover letter and resume. Finalists will be asked to provide references at a later date.
• Applicants must combine all application materials into one PDF or Microsoft Word document and upload as a resume attachment to the UMSL Careers: https://www.umsl.edu/services/hrs/careers/index.html
• Limit document name to 50 characters. Maximum size limit is 11MB. Do not include special characters (e.g., /, &, %, etc.). For questions about the application process, please email employment@umsl.edu. If you are experiencing technical problems, please email umpshrsupport@umsystem.edu.

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, paid time off, short- and long-term disability, paid parental leave, paid caregiver leave, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at https://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To request ADA accommodations, please email the Office of Human Resources at umslhr@umsl.edu.