Director - Strategic Partnerships (Finance—banking, insurance, investment, venture)

About the role

The Director will make Carolina the best university partner for the financial industry, including banking, insurance, investment, and venture. Reporting directly to the Vice Chancellor for Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Economic Development, the Director will own this vertical end to end. They will work shoulder-to-shoulder with other Directors of Strategic Partnerships, individual academic units, and Partnership Success Managers.

Responsibilities

• Identify and engage with key industry leaders and partners
• Understand and map partner needs to Carolina’s capabilities
• Close institutional-scale agreements
• Manage and grow existing partnerships
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure successful partnership outcomes

Requirements

• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree and 0-2 years’ experience; or will accept a combination of related education and experience in substitution.
• Deep, current industry experience and contacts in the vertical you bring an active, personal network of senior leaders you can reach directly.
• A strong desire for self-directed, autonomous work.
• A track record of building trusted relationships with senior leaders across business, government, and academia.
• Excellent written, verbal, and executive-level communication skills.
• The ability to collaborate across a matrixed institution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 10 years of specific industry experience; or a Master’s degree and 5 years of specific industry experience.
• Specific industry experience means direct, hands-on experience within, or selling into, the industry vertical relevant to this position.
• Deep, current industry experience and contacts in the vertical you bring an active, personal network of senior leaders you can reach directly.
• AI as a teammate. You already use frontier AI tools every day to research, draft, analyze, and move faster, and you can show specifically how you do it.
• A strong desire for self-directed, autonomous work.
• A track record of building trusted relationships with senior leaders across business, government, and academia, and translating complex needs into creative, executable solutions.
• Excellent written, verbal, and executive-level communication skills, and the credibility to represent Carolina in front of a C-suite.
• The ability to collaborate across a matrixed institution with the other Directors of Strategic Partnerships, deans, faculty, development, legal counsel, and Partnership Success Managers and to build relationships with individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds.
• A creative, strategic, results-oriented work style and a genuine commitment to public service and Carolina’s mission.

Skills

• Deep, current industry knowledge and contacts in banking, insurance, investment, and venture.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Experience working with AI tools.
• Ability to manage and grow partnerships.
• Collaborative and matrixed institution experience.

Benefits

Carolina offers a comprehensive benefits package, paid leave, and a variety of health, life, and retirement plans.

Pay

Dependent on experience and qualifications.

Schedule

Full-Time Permanent