Senior Director, Partnerships and Engagement Initiatives

About This Opportunity

The Senior Director, Partnerships and Engagement Initiatives serves as a key member of the leadership team for the UW Bothell School of Business. Reporting directly to the Dean, this position provides leadership for the development of strategic partnerships, engagement initiatives, and revenue‑generating opportunities that advance the School’s mission and reputation. The Senior Director cultivates and sustains a network of corporate partners, business leaders, and community supporters who enhance student learning and strengthen the School’s impact.

Key Responsibilities

Partnership Programs (30%)

• Promote and represent the School of Business to potential partners, including corporations, foundations, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, entrepreneurial ventures, and professional associations.
• Develop a strategy for growing a pipeline of partners and employers, establishing timelines for engagement and annual activities that leverage the School’s unique strengths and assets.
• Create meaningful opportunities and benefits for strategic partners, ensuring continued value from their relationship with the School.
• Work closely with the Dean to assess new partners, steward existing relationships, and integrate strategic school goals into partner events and activities.
• Oversee the development and distribution of partnership‑related materials, including website content and communications that promote School partnerships and engagement opportunities.
• Prepare annual budgets, reconcile expenses related to partnership activities, and forecast revenue and program expenses.
• Ensure exceptional experiences for partners throughout their relationship with the School, including stewardship, recognition, and ongoing engagement.
• Secure commitments and external support, foster strong relationships with key individuals, pursue multi‑year agreements, and report on outcomes and impact.

Experiential Learning & Business Consulting Projects (30%)

• Source and manage business consulting projects and experiential learning opportunities from corporate and community organizations.
• Develop a deep understanding of successful project requirements to meet sponsor expectations and student learning objectives.
• Partner with program leadership, faculty, and staff to evaluate potential projects and ensure they yield appropriate educational, analytical, and professional outcomes.
• Develop and implement a strategy, timeline, and action plan for growing a sustained pool of projects and sponsors across undergraduate, graduate, MBA, and executive education programs.
• Coordinate project‑review activities with faculty, including workshops, planning meetings, and project definition sessions.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for external project partners, nurturing relationships for continued engagement and future collaboration opportunities.

Engagement Programs (30%)

• Develop a comprehensive external engagement strategy that capitalizes on the School’s programs, faculty expertise, and extensive stakeholder network.
• Design and implement an actionable model for engagement that includes volunteer opportunities, sponsorships, memberships, mentoring, employer engagement, and events.
• Provide leadership and support for engagement initiatives involving alumni, mentors, business‑consulting collaborators, employers, advisory board members, and strategic partners.
• Develop and strengthen employer engagement efforts that connect organizations with students, in partnership with academic programs and campus career services.
• Serve as a key external relations representative for the School’s global engagement activities.
• Arrange employer visits, executive speaker engagements, and other activities that expose students to leading organizations and emerging trends in business, innovation, entrepreneurship, and artificial intelligence.

Staff Management (10%)

• Supervise a Support Staff position responsible for administrative coordination, event support, communications assistance, data management, and logistical support for partnership and engagement activities.
• Exercise supervisory authority, including direct hiring, performance evaluations, corrective action, and oversight of future team growth.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field.
• At least 5 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in partnerships, engagement, or advancement in an academic or industry setting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree.
• Higher‑education experience, fundraising success, strategic planning, and advanced communication and stakeholder‑management skills.
• Flexibility and willingness to lead and implement programs as part of a lean, high‑functioning, entrepreneurial team.
• Strong organizational skills sufficient to prioritize, form strategic plans, and execute programs from inception to operation.
• Exceptional interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills, including political acumen, conflict management, and cultural awareness; experience with presentations and public speaking.
• Creative and independent analytical thinking.
• Ability to develop strategies and plans that integrate with the organization’s mission, priorities, and goals.
• Proven ability to interact effectively with a broad community of faculty, researchers, corporate partners, program managers, staff, students, and funding agencies.
• Professional demeanor, attention to detail, and decisive action.
• Demonstrated fundraising success and partnership development.
• Knowledge of or experience working in higher education, especially graduate and professional programs.
• Experience with strategic planning.
• Ability to articulate academic values and convey complex academic needs to potential partners persuasively.

Working Conditions

• Ability to work evening and weekend hours, as necessary, on short or limited notice.
• Regular and reliable transportation for local travel; willingness to travel when necessary, with frequent local travel expected.