Partnership Development Professional

Position Overview

Location: Marble Quay, London / Remote based (Hybrid working in line with business need) (Flexible working options to be discussed at interview)

Term: Full-time; Permanent (Part-time also considered at minimum 0.5fte)

Benefits: The university supports staff maintaining a good work/life balance, offer flexible working and parental leave opportunities, an Employee Assistance Programme which provides free, confidential advice on both home and work concerns as well as optional pension schemes, private medical insurance, season ticket loans and being part of the cycle to work scheme dependent upon length of service. Pro rata 25 days holiday allowance plus winter break 27th to 31st December (excl. Bank Holidays)

Direct Reports: None

Reports to: Head of Experiential Partnership Development

Start: Immediate; November/December 2024

The Role

Northeastern University is a global, experiential, research university built on a tradition of engagement with the world.

In this role, you will work to build and optimise Northeastern University London regional partnerships focused on expansion of student placement opportunities and other experiential learning opportunities in the region.

Reporting to the Head of Experiential Partnership Development and working closely with external partners and with the Careers and Experiential Learning Advising team, you will network in the region to uncover and set up experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students studying at the London campus and beyond. You will also identify and secure income generating opportunities for the University and, where appropriate, Northeastern’s wider global network.

Ideally, you will have experience of developing and facilitating relationships between the HE sectors and the business community and will possess an in-depth understanding of the importance of innovation in a business context. Your focus will be to develop strong partnerships that grow and mature over time and ensure positive partner experiences. This will require strong institutional awareness and excellent communication both externally and cross-functionally within the organisation.

Proactive and results-driven, you will possess the ability to propose a vision for each partnership and to see that vision through to execution as well as uncovering opportunities for the University to develop and deploy credit- and non-credit offerings within partner organisations that are intended to up-skill or re-skill partner employees.

Working in collaboration with partners and the experiential education infrastructure you will seek opportunities for new, innovative experiential learning offerings and to help execute operational plans. This will be achieved through knowledge and experience in developing plans, templates, and processes to assist with successful, scalable, and sustainable implementation.

Through an ability to champion, inspire and communicate opportunities for partner collaboration, you will be a key appointment in the institution’s experiential learning acquisition and external business development activities.

This role is field based and suitable for hybrid working but with a need to travel within the UK and attend the London-based office when required.

Duties and Responsibilities

Support and develop experiential learning partnerships.

• Build and maintain relationships with partner organisations, including sourcing new partners and nurturing relationships with existing partners.
• Grow the number and range of experiential learning opportunities for students (such as co-op, XN projects, internships, and placements)
• Identify opportunities to innovate with partners and academic leads to devise new types of experiential learning opportunities that are aligned with student and partner needs.
• Work with partners to identify experiential opportunities within their organisations and co-develop solutions that add value to both the University and its partners.
• Support the development and dissemination of marketing collateral, drawing on cross-network resources and working closely with the Innovation & Enterprise team.
• Support with all areas of partner engagement including in-person networking and organising events.
• Keeping partners up to date, throughout their partnership journey, including supporting with email campaigns, newsletters, and other digital communications
• Being proactive and responsive to partner needs, both through regular outbound contacts to prospective partners and ensuring excellent management of inbound queries
• Collaborate with experiential learning professionals across the Northeastern network, as needed.

Operations

• Advocate for partner needs/issues cross-departmentally.
• Support internal teams in implementing partner engagements.
• Acquire and maintain the knowledge or contacts required to ensure that learners, partners, and the university comply with relevant (e.g. HR, quality assurance, or visa) requirements.
• Engage effectively with key systems and databases such as Salesforce, and report data, targets, and forecasts as necessary on a regular basis.
• Have clarity on university requirements for learner support from external partners, and an understanding of university systems and services relevant to co-development or co-delivery of experiential learning opportunities.

Emergent work

• Pursue new opportunities with partners as they arise.
• Pivot to meet changing partner needs and interests.
• Respond to new priorities and initiatives with energy and enthusiasm.

Travel

• You will be required to travel, mostly regionally, to meet strategically important partners.

Other

• Attending relevant training as required
• Any other duties commensurate with the level of responsibility of this post, for which the post holder has the necessary experience and/or training.

About the University

Founded in 2012, Northeastern University London (formerly known as New College of the Humanities) has established itself as a prestigious higher education institution based in the heart of London. Northeastern University London is part of Northeastern University’s Global Campus Network. Positioned as top ranking in the USA, Northeastern has campuses in Arlington, Boston, Charlotte, Miami, Oakland, San Jose, and Seattle in the USA, and Toronto and Vancouver in Canada.

After becoming part of Northeastern University’s global network in early 2019, the University has undergone a period of rapid growth, having been granted Taught Degree Awarding Powers in February 2020 and moved to a new, state-of-the-art campus in 2021.

Northeastern University London offers a vibrant, collegiate community delivering broad and academically rigorous degree programmes, designed to equip graduates with the combination of skills and knowledge that are increasingly desired by organisations, employers, and society. It offers state of the art audio visual technology in its teaching and meeting spaces across the organisation.

Person Specification Criteria

To undertake this role, the following should apply – should you not have the experience below, please do highlight where transferrable skills would assist with you undertaking the role.

• Honours degree or equivalent professional or vocational qualification [E]
• Master’s Degree [D]
• Experience in business development, relationship management, and/or special projects or related field [E]
• The ability to establish and nurture new relationships with key contacts at partner organisations [E]
• Highly responsive and proactive in managing partner relationships [E]
• Goal-oriented and able to work effectively towards KPIs [E]
• A problem-solving mindset, able to identify creative ways to engage new partners [E]
• The ability to present to external audiences and be an ambassador for the entire University to a diverse set of stakeholders within partners [E]
• Experience managing events for external partners [D]
• Good project management and organisation skills, able to work to deadlines and with the ability to adjust priorities quickly and efficiently [E]
• Strong interpersonal skills and able to work effectively and collaboratively with others [E]
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; the ability to write clearly and concisely [E]
• Experience writing engaging communications for external stakeholders [D]
• Excellent IT Skills, ideally including Salesforce [E]
• Strong record keeping and reporting skills, able to track understand data [E]
• Acute attention to detail and a focus on efficiency [E]
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently when needed [E]
• Excellent judgement [E]
• A culturally responsive mindset [E]
• Willingness and capacity to undertake continuous professional development [E]

Additional Information

Enquiries

Informal enquiries may be made to Hannah Sullivan-Guckian (hannah.sullivan-guckian@nulondon.ac.uk). However, all applications must be made in accordance with the application process specified.

Application Process

Applications should be made via the 'Apply' button above by 23:59 on Sunday 6th October 2024. Please reference your application “PDP0924”. Participation in the equal opportunities section is encouraged, but voluntary.

Applications must include a covering letter of no more than one page that addresses the criteria for the role and a full curriculum vitae.

Interviews are expected to commence w/c 14th October 2024

Please note this role may require a basic or enhanced DBS check. Our organisation acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard, protect and promote the welfare of our students and staff, and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and Ofsted requirements. You must adhere to the above if you are offered a role with NU London.

Applications are welcome from all sections of the community and will be judged on merit alone. We welcome applications from all underrepresented groups, including the Global Majority. Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.

Job Sponsorship

Please note that this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.