Associate Director, External Affairs & Strategic Partnerships

New York University; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 105,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

New York University’s Gallatin School seeks an Associate Director of External Affairs & Strategic Partnerships to expand visibility and external reach. You’ll cultivate a diverse portfolio of corporate, foundation, and institutional partners, and shepherd partnerships from initial contact through long-term stewardship.

You will collaborate with the Senior Director and offices across the campus to align partnerships with Gallatin’s expansion and strategic programs, contributing to growth in

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Master's degree preferred.
• 5+ years of progressive external affairs or development experience.
• Experience in academic, cultural, or nonprofit settings preferred.
• Strong proposal, report, and strategic presentation writing.
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders with discretion.
• Willingness to travel and occasional evenings/weekends.

Responsibilities

• Lead external affairs, developing partnerships and stewardship across corporate, foundation, and institutional partners.
• Translate momentum from Gallatin's expansion into durable institutional assets and long-term funding.
• Manage full lifecycle of partner relationships, from cultivation to stewardship and proposals.
• Collaborate with Gallatin offices to connect partnerships to ongoing activities.
• Prepare communications and proposals for senior leadership and donors.

Skills

Partnership cultivation

Major gifts experience

Proposal writing

Strategic communications

Relationship management

Multi-stakeholder leadership

Deadline-driven

Independent and collaborative

Executive stakeholder engagement

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree (Preferred)

Job description

Associate Director, External Affairs & Strategic Partnerships

Position Summary

The Associate Director, External Affairs & Strategic Partnerships will work closely with the Senior Director of Alumni Engagement & Development to develop and enhance Gallatin's visibility, external reach, and long-term resource base. Now in its 54th year and experiencing unprecedented momentum - anchored by a capital project adding more than 12,000 square feet and more than $20 million already committed - Gallatin is at a pivotal moment of physical and programmatic expansion. This role is central to translating that momentum into lasting institutional assets.

Responsible for identifying, cultivating, and stewarding a diverse portfolio of corporate, foundation, and institutional partners, the Associate Director will lead Gallatin's shift from transactional giving to ambitious programmatic co-design. Serving as a key external-facing representative of the School, this role leads business development functions, contributes to partnership communications and proposals, and manages the full lifecycle of partner relationships - from initial cultivation through long-term stewardship. The position reports to the Senior Director and works in close collaboration with Gallatin offices including Experiential Learning, the Gallatin WetLab, the Dean of Students, Gallatin Global, and others to ensure that new partnerships are organically connected to the School's ongoing activities.

This is a highly visible position within a dynamic, fast-growing liberal arts school at a compelling strategic inflection point. The position is expected to show tangible results in the form of new institutional and corporate partnerships, sustained growth in the School's external funding base, and the long-term underwriting of Gallatin's signature programs and experiential learning initiatives - aligning directly with President Mills' strategic pathways for NYU.

Location and Work Arrangement

• Location : Location
• US-NY-New York
• Hybrid Remote Work Classification
• Hybrid: 60% to 80% Onsite
• Department
• Alumni Engagement and Development
• School/Division
• Gallatin School of Individualized Study (IS1014)
• Compensation Grade
• Band 53
• Union
• N/A
• FT/PT
• Full-Time
• Category
• Development/Sponsored Research/Grant Writing

Qualifications

Required Education: Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education: Master's Degree

Required Experience: 5+ years years of progressive experience in external affairs, development, corporate partnerships, strategic communications, or a related field - ideally within an academic, cultural, or nonprofit environment

Preferred Experience: 7+ years

Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:

• Demonstrated success in cultivating and closing institutional partnerships or major gifts
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience drafting proposals, reports, and strategic presentations for senior audiences
• Exceptional relationship management skills and the ability to navigate complex, multi-stakeholder environments with discretion and professionalism
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with constant and multiple ongoing deadlines
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Ability to think strategically and creatively and work well under pressure
• Ability to prioritize and proactively ensure deadlines are met; Collaborative and communicative team member
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal skills and the ability to interact with corporate leaders, faculty, staff, donors, and volunteers at all levels
• Occasional evenings and weekends may be required.
• Must be willing and able to travel

Preferred Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:

• Experience managing volunteers, advisory groups, or alumni communities is a plus
• Deep familiarity with or passion for New York City's cultural, creative, and academic landscape
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Extensive experience in engineering-focused research with specialized expertise in makerspace operations, rapid prototyping, and STEM-based problem-solving
• Demonstrated success in spearheading strategic initiatives and supervising cross-functional teams to meet project milestones
• Experience developing and implementing strategies for acquiring new leads, and retaining and upgrading existing leads and relationships
• Experience in initiating new and innovative engagement and outreach programs
• Experience working in a setting with changing priorities and an evolving list of stakeholders

Additional Information

In compliance with NYC's Pay Transparency Act, the annual base salary range for this position is USD $105,000.00 to USD $125,000.00. New York University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as, market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. This pay range represents base pay only and excludes any additional items such as incentives, bonuses, clinical compensation, or other items.

NYU aims to be among the greenest urban campuses in the country and carbon neutral by 2040. Learn more at nyu.edu/nyugreen.

NYU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its recruitment and hiring process without regard to age, alienage, caregiver status, childbirth, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, domestic violence victim status, ethnicity, familial status, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, national origin, parental status, partnership status, predisposing genetic characteristics, pregnancy, race, religion, reproductive health decision making, sex, sexual orientation, unemployment status, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis. All interested persons are encouraged to apply at all levels.