Program Manager, Strategic Partnerships

About the role

The Program Manager, Strategic Partnerships leads the strategic engagement of alumni, donors, and external stakeholders. They collaborate with the Sanger team, campus partners, and students to design and execute logistics for high-impact on- and off-campus events tailored to these key communities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategy, planning, execution, and continuous improvement of a portfolio of leadership development programs and strategic partnerships, ensuring high-impact experiences for students and external stakeholders.
• Develop and steward relationships with advisory board members, donors, corporate partners, alumni, faculty, and campus stakeholders to advance program goals and strengthen external engagement.
• Direct the strategy and operations of the Sanger Advisory Board, serving as a trusted advisor on board engagement, communications, and long-term stewardship.
• Design, facilitate, and present leadership development programming, delivering engaging learning experiences to student and alumni audiences throughout the academic year.
• Collaborate across teams to develop marketing, communications, outreach, and reporting strategies that increase program visibility, participation, and impact.
• Analyze program data, participant feedback, and engagement metrics to evaluate outcomes, inform strategic decisions, and drive continuous innovation.
• Contribute to the overall leadership and strategic direction of the Sanger Leadership Center through cross-functional planning, operational leadership, and development of center-wide initiatives and priorities.
• Recruit, train, mentor, and provide day-to-day guidance to program coordinators and temporary staff, fostering a collaborative and learning-focused team environment.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in education, non-profit management, or a related field, and a minimum of 5 years of related experience (or an equivalent combination of education and experience).
• 3+ years of experience in donor or alumni relations within a higher education, university, or related setting.
• Proven ability to engage and lead presentations confidently, professionally, and authentically with high-profile stakeholders, C-suite executives, board members, and high-net-worth donors.
• Extensive experience designing curriculum and delivering workshops, academic presentations, and communications, with a proven track record of successfully engaging audiences ranging from college students to senior-level executives.
• Strong background in end-to-end program, project, or large-scale event management-including planning, implementation, evaluation, budget monitoring, and managing multiple tight deadlines.
• Experience in fiscal management and budget oversight, along with proficiency in Google Workspace, MS Office, and modern database, email, or CRM technologies.

Why Work at Michigan?

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, the University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future. Benefits include: Generous paid time off (Vacation, Holidays, Season Days, Maternity and Parental Leave), A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting, Many choices for comprehensive health insurance, Life insurance, Long-term disability coverage, Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses, Flexible work arrangements, Access to the onsite Fitness Center at Ross.

Union Affiliation

This position is included in the bargaining unit represented by the University Staff United (USU), which represents bargaining unit members in all matters with respect to wages, benefits, hours and other terms and conditions of employment.