Vice President, Corporate Partnerships

Position Summary

The Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at National University is a key leadership role responsible for developing and executing a strategic vision to build and enhance partnerships with Fortune 700 corporations, third parties, and industry leaders. The focus of this role is to expand pathways to education, drive student degree and non-degree enrollments and help students maximize tuition assistance benefits. The Vice President will collaborate with university leadership, enrollment management, financial aid, and academic departments to ensure that corporate partnerships are fully integrated into the university’s strategic goals.

Essential Functions:

Strategic Leadership:

• Develop and implement a strategic plan to create and expand corporate partnerships that directly support increasing student enrollments, maximizing tuition assistance, and enhancing educational pathways.
• Identify and engage with key industries and employers whose workforce development needs align with National University’s academic programs, student demographics, and expanded geographical locations.
• Lead initiatives to integrate corporate partnerships into the university’s enrollment strategies, focusing on creating opportunities for non-traditional, working, and military/veteran students.
• Identify opportunities to work with 3rd parties and expand 3rd party relationships with entities such as education intermediaries, national non-profits, government workforce organizations, and investment firms.

Partnership Development:

• Cultivate relationships with corporate leaders to establish partnerships that include tuition reimbursement programs, scholarships, internships, and career pathways.
• Collaborate with enrollment management and financial aid offices to design programs that make higher education more accessible and affordable for employees of partner organizations.
• Identify opportunities to promote educational pathways, including stackable credentials, degree completion programs, and tailored educational offerings that meet industry needs.

Enrollment Growth:

• Work closely with the admissions and marketing teams to leverage corporate partnerships as a strategic tool for student recruitment, particularly among adult learners and working professionals.
• Collaborate with marketing to develop targeted outreach and communication strategies to engage prospective students through corporate partners, emphasizing the benefits of tuition assistance and career advancement.
• Track and report on enrollment metrics related to corporate partnerships, analyzing the impact of these partnerships on the university’s enrollment goals.

Maximizing Tuition Assistance:

• Collaborate with corporate partners to help students understand and maximize their tuition assistance benefits, ensuring they can access and afford the education they need.
• Create tuition discount analysis and strategy and work across the University to educate and implement the strategy.
• Work with financial aid offices to streamline the process for students receiving employer-sponsored tuition benefits, integrating these benefits into overall financial planning.
• Advocate for the creation of corporate-funded scholarship programs to support working, nontraditional and underrepresented students.

Expanding Educational Pathways:

• Partner with academic departments and industry leaders to develop and promote educational pathways that align with workforce needs, including certificate programs, associate and bachelor’s degree programs, and continuing education opportunities.
• Promote articulation agreements and other initiatives that create clear and efficient pathways from education to employment.

Internal Collaboration:

• Work closely with university leadership, deans, and faculty to align corporate partnership initiatives with academic programs, research priorities, and workforce development goals.
• Serve as a liaison between the university and corporate partners to ensure alignment of objectives, effective communication, and successful implementation of partnership initiatives.
• Coordinate with the marketing and communications team to showcase the impact of corporate partnerships on enrollment growth, tuition assistance, and educational pathways.
• Coordinate with marketing on collateral and communication plans for corporate partners

Leadership and Team Management:

• Lead a team focused on corporate engagement, ensuring that goals related to enrollment growth, tuition assistance, and educational pathways are met.
• Provide mentorship, guidance, and professional development opportunities for team members.
• Manage the budget and resources allocated to the corporate partnerships office.

External Representation:

• Represent National University at industry events, conferences, and other forums to build relationships, enhance the university’s visibility, and promote partnership opportunities.
• Serve as a spokesperson for the university’s corporate partnership initiatives, both internally and externally.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Hire, train and develop the corporate partnership team.

Requirements:

Education & Experience

• Master's degree in a relevant field required; doctoral degree preferred 
• Minimum of ten (10) years of experience in campus programming, operations, or a related field, with demonstrated success in planning and executing a variety of events and activities. 

Technical / Functional Skills

• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse groups of stakeholders. 
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously. 
• Knowledge of event planning best practices, including budgeting, scheduling, marketing, and evaluation. 
• Understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion principles and their application in campus programming initiatives. 
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, as needed to support campus events. 
• Passion for enhancing the campus experience for students and creating a vibrant and engaged campus community. 

Travel: Travel is approximately 20%, or 4-5 days per month.

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Candidate receiving offers will be offered a salary/pay rate commensurate with experience that vary based on a candidate’s qualifications, skills, and competencies.  Absent exceptional circumstances, candidates will be offered a salary within this range for this position. The minimum salary will be offered based on the minimum exemption threshold based on state of residency. Base pay is one component of National University’s total rewards package, as we are dedicated to supporting the needs of the “whole you” with our holistic approach to employee benefits by offering comprehensive well-being benefits for you and your family.  For full details about our benefit plan offerings, please visit benefits.nu.edu. For Part-time benefits, please click here.

Compensation Range:

Annual Salary: $130,000.00 - $220,000.00

National University is committed to maintaining a high-quality, diverse workforce representative of the populations we serve. National University employs more than 5,000 faculty and staff and serves over 41,000 students. We are united in our mission to meet the global education demands of the 21st Century and are dedicated to creating a supportive academic and work environment that allows students, faculty and staff to develop their interests and talents while experiencing a sense of community and a commitment to diversity. With programs available both online and at our many campus locations, National University is a leader in creating innovative solutions to education and meeting the needs of our diverse student population, including adult learners and working professionals.

National University offers an opportunity to work in an innovative environment that supports diversity.

National University (NU) is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant per applicable federal, state and local laws. At NU, a diverse mix of highly talented, innovative and creative people come together to make the impact of a lifetime for each of our student learners. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment, education, and admission at National University. We are focused on equality and believe deeply in diversity of race, color, ancestry, age, family care status, veteran status, marital status, creed, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, and other legally protected group status.