Strategic Partnerships Manager

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

Must be located within 50 miles of Chicago, Illinois.

Reporting to the Regional Manager, the Strategic Partnerships Manager (SPM) researches, develops and expands the network of academic and employer relationships to support the University’s vision. WGU’s partnership efforts increase market reach and student access, improve affordability, and enhance the student experience. This position will develop, secure and work with our partners to provide degreed education to their employees in a specific region, promoting the value of WGU’s educational programs, and executing a flywheel approach to effectively benefit both the university and its partners. The end goal is to support workforce development through degreed education.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Authentically project and reflect the mission of WGU
• Project a professional presence and deliver sales presentations to partner organizations with the sales acumen that incorporates WGU’s “flywheel” approach.
• Develop deep partnerships and pipeline to increase WGU’s reach and educational impact within organizations.
• Execute a relevant strategic account plan for every account owned, ensuring partnership launches, maintenance, project timelines, student growth and business results are achieved.
• Research, recommend, and, attend and participate in appropriate regional, professional organizations or events to represent WGU and extend reach.
• Incorporate consistent utilization of marketing and partnership communication that will enhance WGU being top of mind for educational opportunities.
• Plan, collaborate, and participate in WGU hosted events. Participation includes pre-event efforts to secure partner participation and marketing of the event to appropriate audiences, support the day-of activities and complete follow-up tasks.
• Demonstrate thoughtful and appropriate time management in extending the vision, strategies and tactics required for profitable and sustained partner engagement and implementation across all assigned accounts.
• Maintain timely, accurate and thorough documentation of all activities, tasks, contacts and account management.
• May develop, orient and support engaged alumni to represent WGU in regional events, within their places of employment, or, with other opportunities.

Required Education and Experience

• Must be located within 50 miles of Chicago, IL.
• Bachelor’s degree required
• Three-five years of experience in business development and strategic account management with a record of high performance in solution selling across multiple industry verticals
• Strong business networks are highly desirable
• Knowledge and use of Salesforce and Microsoft Office Suite is equally desirable

Preferred Skills

• Strong network with local leaders, businesses, and community colleges within the Chicago Metropolitan area

Required Skills

• Student focus – the ability to keep the student at the center of what we do, and why we do it. Exhibits passion about improving the educational experiences of our students by creating lasting partnerships with employers, community colleges, school districts, and the community.
• Initiative - Self-directed with a strong bias for action and results; displays keen interest in students and organization.
• Reliability - Accountable to self and others; does what it takes to get the job done; actions are consistent with words; follows through on commitments; exhibits exceptional integrity
• Problem Solving – is able to develop new ideas that will enhance partnership results, is future-oriented and assesses what will help/hinder achieving goals; focuses on what is important.
• Earns trust – is exceptional and persuasive using communication skills, oral and written, delivers on commitments
• Negotiation – can negotiate and influence skillfully and professionally while maintaining relationships.
• sales measuring and improving
• Attitude - Displays commitment to the organization and to personal growth; self-motivated and able to motivate and inspire others; asserts self appropriately to champion ideas; tells the truth in a direct and constructive manner.
• Adaptability – Manages behaviors and communication style to meet the needs of a wide range of situations; tackles obstacles appropriately; is comfortable with ambiguity.

As an equal opportunity employer, WGU recognizes that our strength lies in our people. We are committed to diversity.