Executive Director, Strategic Partnership Expansion
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Job no: 495104
Work type: Administrative (Full Time)
Location: Cincinnati, OH, Cleveland, OH, Dayton, OH, Fort Wayne, IN, Greenwood, IN, Indianapolis, IN, Louisville, KY, Marion, IN, Merrillville, IN, Remote (within United States)
Categories: Administrative/Professional, Admissions/Recruiting/Enrollment, Executive
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Job Title: Executive Director, Strategic Partnership Expansion
Reporting Relationship: Associate VP, Strategic Partnerships & Expansion
Unit: National & Global
Department: Partnerships - IWU National & Global
Campus Location: Online/Remote; This position is seeking a candidate that lives in or near Indiana, Southwest Ohio, or Northern Kentucky, as some occasional travel to Indiana will be required.
Summary of Position: This position leads the development and execution of partnership growth strategies that expand Indiana Wesleyan University's awareness, influence, and lead-generation pipelines through strategic relationships with external organizations. The role is responsible for leading the Expansion Partnership Executive (PE) team, while identifying and advancing innovative partnership opportunities across priority verticals. The Executive Director is responsible for developing and scaling partnership models that create sustainable growth opportunities, increase qualified lead generation, and strengthen the university's presence in strategic markets. Primary focus areas include business-to-business partnerships, military and veteran-serving organizations, workforce development organizations, corporate education benefit providers, professional associations, and other emerging strategic sectors. Working collaboratively with academic leadership, enrollment, marketing, student success, and operational teams, the Executive Director ensures partnership expansion strategies align with institutional priorities and market opportunities while creating scalable pathways for future growth.
Duties and Responsibilities
Team Leadership & Organizational Development
Lead and develop a high-performing Expansion Partnership Executive team that embodies the mission, values, and strategic priorities of Indiana Wesleyan University
Provide leadership and direction to Partnership Executives
Establish performance expectations, accountability measures, and professional development plans
Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, strategic thinking, and continuous improvement
Ensure alignment of team activities with institutional priorities and assigned vertical strategies
Partnership Expansion Strategy and Vertical Development
Develop and execute strategies that expand partnership pipelines and create new growth opportunities across priority verticals
Identify emerging markets, industries, and partnership opportunities
Evaluate and launch new partnership models that increase awareness and qualified lead generation
Develop strategies to expand IWU's presence within business, military, education, workforce development, and corporate education benefit sectors
Collaborate with university leadership to align expansion efforts with academic and institutional priorities
Assess market trends and competitive dynamics to identify future growth opportunities
Market Intelligence, Data and Innovation
Leverage data, market intelligence and emerging technologies to improve partnership effectiveness
Analyze partnership, market, and lead-generation data to identify trends and opportunities
Utilize AI-powered tools and analytics to improve prospect identification, market research, outreach effectiveness, and strategic decision-making
Partner with Salesforce and institutional data teams to strengthen reporting and forecasting capabilities
Develop recommendations based on market intelligence and performance analysis
Evaluate innovative technologies and partnership models that support growth
Cross Functional Strategy and Market Activation
Collaborate across the university to support successful market expansion and partnership activation
Participate in strategic planning and institutional growth initiatives
Build strong relationships with enrollment leaders, counselors, and support staff to promote enrollment aims
Collaborates with academic leaders to design and execute outreach strategies
Partnership Expansion Strategy & Vertical Development
Develop and execute strategies that expand partnership pipelines and create new growth opportunities across priority verticals
Identify emerging markets, industries, and partnership opportunities
Evaluate and launch new partnership models that increase awareness and qualified lead generation
Collaborate with university leadership to align expansion efforts with academic and institutional priorities
Assess market trends and competitive dynamics to identify future growth opportunities
Strategic Relationship Development
Develop executive-level relationships that create pathways for long-term institutional growth
Identify and cultivate relationships with organizational leaders, influencers, and decision-makers
Facilitate strategic conversations between external organizations and university leadership
Advance partnerships that support enrollment pipelines, workforce development, student success, and institutional objectives
Represent IWU in key industry associations, conferences, and leadership forums
Expand strategic partnerships within assigned verticals and emerging sectors
Recruitment Strategies
Aligns partnership development with recruitment strategies that will effectively communicate to an organization’s associates IWU programs and deliverables
Advances partnerships in a way that supports sustained enrollment
Ensure the execution of recruitment activities at partner organizations
External Representation & Travel
Serves as an IWU representative to organizations and events as requested from time to time to support pipeline development and student recruitment
Frequent travel within the region is an expectation of this role
Qualifications: According to Indiana Wesleyan University employment policy all employees must possess a strong Christian commitment and adhere to the standards outlined in the IWU Community Lifestyle Statement.
Education
A minimum of a bachelor's degree is required
A master's degree is preferred
Experience
A minimum of five (5) to seven (7) years of experience in sales, partnership development, business development, strategic growth, sales leadership, workforce development, or higher education partnerships
Demonstrated success leading teams responsible for developing strategic partnerships and growth initiatives
Experience developing new markets, partnership models, or growth strategies preferred
Required Skills
Strategic Leadership
Ability to develop and execute long-range growth strategies
Demonstrated success identifying and advancing new opportunities
Strong organizational leadership and team development skills
Ability to lead change and innovation within complex organizations
Relationship Development:
Exceptional relationship-building and executive communication skills
Ability to engage senior leaders, executives, and external stakeholders
Strong negotiation, influence, and partnership development capabilities
Analytical & Technical Skills
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
Experience using CRM systems, pipeline management tools, and performance analytics
Proficiency with artificial intelligence (AI) tools and technologies to support market research, prospect identification, workflow optimization, strategic planning, communication, and data analysis
Ability to leverage emerging technologies to improve organizational effectiveness and partnership growth
Collaboration & Execution
Ability to work effectively across diverse teams
Strong project management and execution skills
Ability to manage multiple priorities and initiatives simultaneously
Demonstrated ability to operate independently while maintaining alignment with institutional objectives
IWU Kingdom Diversity Statement
IWU, in covenant with God's reconciling work and in accordance with the Biblical principles of our historic Wesleyan tradition, commits to build a community that reflects Kingdom diversity. We will foster an intentional environment for living, teaching and learning, which exhibits honor, respect, and dignity. Acknowledging visible or invisible differences, our community authentically values each member's earthly and eternal worth. We refute ignorance and isolation and embrace deliberate and courageous engagement that exhibits Christ's commandment to love all humankind.
LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMER
As a religious educational institution operating under the auspices of The Wesleyan Church, Indiana Wesleyan University is permitted and reserves the right to prefer employees on the basis of religion (42 U.S.C., Sections 2000e-1 and 2000e-2).
The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position. Employees will be required to follow other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State Laws.
Advertised: 23 Jun 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: 30 Aug 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
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