Business Development Consultant - Hopkins Edge (Office of the Provost)

About the role

The Office of the Provost is seeking a Business Development Consultant to cultivate opportunities for complex new business opportunities and public dissemination of the portfolio of projects developed at the department/division level. This role serves as a critical 'front door' to Hopkins Edge for external partners, positioning JHU as a comprehensive workforce development solution provider by building strategic partnerships and aligning Hopkins Edge resources and offerings with industry demands.

Responsibilities

• Drive New Partnership Pipeline Development
• Identify partners and cultivate relationships with high-potential organizations and key decision-makers within target areas of growth for Johns Hopkins, particularly in priority sectors including healthcare education, human services, government agencies, workforce development boards, industry associations, and corporate learning & development departments.
• Assemble deep understanding of priority sectors and research emerging workforce trends, credentialing needs, and training opportunities to inform partnership strategy.
• Analyze labor market data and research competitor offerings and pricing strategies in the executive education and workforce development landscape to articulate Hopkins Edge differentiation.
• Conduct needs assessments with employers to identify skills gaps and training requirements that align with Hopkins Edge program offerings.
• Facilitate partnership outreach efforts by preparing customized partner-facing materials (e.g., presentation decks, case studies, storytelling content) that highlight interdivisional capabilities and JHU's unique value proposition.
• Track prospect communications to ensure consistent volume and cadence using CRM systems.

Relationship Management & Cross-Divisional Coordination

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with corporate clients, industry associations, workforce development boards, and government agencies throughout the full relationship lifecycle.
• Cook up comprehensive 'One University' solutions by coordinating closely with Executive Education teams, lifelong learning teams, and corporate outreach departments across JHU's divisions.
• Collaborate with divisional schools' corporate engagement teams to align offerings with client needs and present a unified Hopkins Edge partnership approach.
• Provide outstanding project management support during discovery, scoping, and solution presentations, ensuring smooth scheduling, detailed documentation, and timely follow-up.
• Coach and prepare faculty and subject matter experts to present and pitch effectively to corporate clients, government agencies, and other external stakeholders—bringing academic partners along in the sales process.
• Organize and manage all technology and logistics for partnership engagement events, including introductory webinars, workshops, and high-level meetings.
• Represent Johns Hopkins University at industry conferences, networking events, and professional gatherings nationally and internationally.
• Maintain accountability for post-sale relationship management and renewals, ensuring ongoing client satisfaction, retention, and expansion of existing partnerships.

CRM & Data Management

• Establish and maintain a robust CRM function with strategic contacts in industry, government, and non-profit sectors.
• Maintain prospect and client databases with high attention to data quality and accessibility.
• Support collection and analysis of data from pilot programs and partnerships, tracking key metrics for program effectiveness and partner engagement.
• Contribute to internal reports and presentations demonstrating measurable impact and ROI of Hopkins Edge solutions.
• Develop business plans with revenue projections and track/report measurable outcomes against revenue targets.

Strategic Program Support

• Develop deep understanding of the Hopkins Edge offerings, including understanding of microcredentials, digital badges, stackable credentials, and how these align with employer and industry credentialing needs.
• Navigate JHU's decentralized academic environment by coordinating across autonomous divisional schools with varying priorities, cultures, and decision-making structures.
• Bring forward solutions and recommendations for challenges identified during the partnership development cycle.
• Contribute to process improvement initiatives that create repeatable, scalable partnership engagement models.

Additional Duties & Responsibilities

• Identify potential governmental, non-profit, and industry partners and act as a front door for those partners to Johns Hopkins University.
• Coach and train subject experts to present their inventions and ideas to potential investors.
• Take a leadership role in coordinating all aspects of deal negotiation and oversee deals from identification through closure stage.
• Manage ongoing relationships with partners at a high level, and work with project managers to communicate and report on milestones and other progress.
• Establish and maintain strategic contacts in industry, government, and non-profit sectors including health care education/childcare, and human services.
• Develop creative new methods for engaging funding partners.
• Create and maintain engagement and opportunity reporting including, but not limited to, measurable accomplishments and budget projections.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• Five years of related experience.
• Preferred: MBA or Master’s Degree in a related field.
• Seven years of experience with progressive responsibility in business development, management consulting, sales operations, account management, or client success roles.
• Experience working in higher education or corporate settings; experience at a complex, decentralized academic institution is highly valuable.

Special Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Business Development: Intermediate.
• Data Management and Analysis: Intermediate.
• Event Coordination: Intermediate.
• Marketing Strategy: Intermediate.
• Negotiation: Intermediate.
• Partner Relationship Management: Intermediate.
• Training and Development: Intermediate.