Community Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives Lead

The Ohio State University; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 111,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ohio State University College of Public Health seeks a Community Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives Lead to advance priorities through community engagement, external partnerships, and strategic initiatives.

The position collaborates with the Dean, leadership, faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders to strengthen relationships and develop opportunities aligned with academic, research, workforce development, and community engagement goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent and 6+ years of relevant experience.
• Master's degree or other advanced degree preferred.
• Experience in higher education, public health, or related settings is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead a College community engagement committee to identify and develop external partnerships across the College.
• Establish systems to document engagement activities, relationships, and impact for strategic decision-making.
• Develop relationships with employers, public health agencies, health systems, government and nonprofit organizations; connect stakeholders with faculty, students, centers, and programs.
• Support external community advisory board and coordinate its activities and priorities.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Community engagement

Relationship building

Project coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Job Title:Community Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives LeadDepartment:Public Health | College Administration

At the direction of the Dean, the Community Engagement and Strategic Initiatives Lead, Community Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives helps advance the College of Public Health’s priorities through community engagement, external partnerships, and strategic initiatives. The position works closely with the Dean, senior leadership, faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders to strengthen the College’s relationships across the public health community and develop opportunities that support its academic, research, workforce development, and community engagement goals.

A primary focus of the position is developing and maintaining relationships with employers, public health agencies, health systems, government organizations, nonprofit organizations, foundations, community organizations, and other stakeholders. The Community Engagement and Strategic Initiatives Lead brings these external perspectives into the College and connects organizations and individuals with faculty, students, centers, programs, and leadership to support collaboration, workforce preparation, and other College priorities. The position also works with faculty, faculty directors and leaders of College centers and programs to identify opportunities for collaboration, strategic alignment, and external engagement. In addition, the position helps monitor and report progress on the College’s strategic plan and assists in moving new strategic priorities forward.

Key Responsibilities

Community Partnerships

• Lead a College community engagement committee to identify and develop external partnerships and opportunities and coordinate engagement efforts across the College.
• Establish and oversee systems for documenting college-wide engagement activities, relationships, and impact, which may include maintaining a database or other tracking tools to support strategic decision-making, leadership outreach, and communication about the College’s work.
• Develop and maintain relationships with employers, public health agencies, health systems, government organizations, nonprofit organizations, foundations, community organizations, and other external stakeholders; serve as a connector between these stakeholders and College faculty, staff, students, centers, and programs.
• Support the establishment and ongoing coordination of an external community advisory board, including member engagement, meetings, agendas, discussion topics, and follow-up on priorities and opportunities identified by the board.
• Engage employers and public health stakeholders to understand current and emerging workforce needs and identify opportunities to strengthen connections between students and employers through internships, practicums, applied learning, mentoring, career development, and other experiences.
• Represent the College, as appropriate, in external meetings, events, forums, and other engagements.

College Centers, Programs, and Collaboration

• Build collaborative relationships with faculty, faculty directors and leaders of College centers, programs, and other units to understand their priorities and expertise and connect them with College leadership and external stakeholders to advance strategic priorities and collaborative opportunities.

Strategic Initiatives

• Advise and support the Dean in advancing strategic initiatives that support the College's priorities and long-term goals.
• Work with strategic plan accountable leads, and serve as an accountable lead for assigned priorities, to track progress, coordinate updates, identify challenges and opportunities, and communicate progress and outcomes to the Dean and senior leadership.
• Monitor emerging public health, workforce, community, and external trends and bring relevant insights and opportunities to the Dean and senior leadership.

Position Scope

This position reports directly to the Dean and works closely with College senior leadership, faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders. The position requires significant initiative, sound judgment, relationship-building skills, and the ability to influence and build consensus across organizational boundaries.

The Community Engagement and Strategic Initiatives Lead serves as a strategic partner to the Dean and a connector across the College and external community. The position leads and coordinates initiatives through collaboration and influence and does not assume operational or administrative oversight of independently led centers, programs, or academic units.

Additional Information

**This position is contingent upon funding and will end on or before two years of employment, with possibility of renewal based on continued availability of funding and performance.**

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Six years of relevant experience required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or other advanced degree in public health, business, public administration, higher education, or a related field.
• Eight to twelve years of relevant experience preferred.
• Experience working and establishing relationships in higher education, public health, health care, government, nonprofit, or related settings.
• Experience leading strategic initiatives, partnership development, community engagement, workforce development, or program development.
• Experience working with senior leaders and facilitating cross-functional initiatives.
• Experience in strategic initiatives, program development, external relations, community engagement, workforce development, higher education, public health, or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong written, verbal, analytical, organizational, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and manage multiple priorities.

Pay Range: $111,100-$120,000 annual estimated base salary

Salary will be based off of education, experience, internal equity, and budget allowance.

FUNCTION: Business Planning and Operations

SUB-FUNCTION: Strategic Planning

CAREER BAND: Individual Contributor-Specialized

CAREER LEVEL: S4 Consultant

Essential Job Duties:

55%

• Lead a College community engagement committee to identify and develop external partnerships and opportunities and coordinate engagement efforts across the College.
• Establish and oversee systems for documenting college-wide engagement activities, relationships, and impact, which may include maintaining a database or other tracking tools to support strategic decision-making, leadership outreach, and communication about the College’s work.
• Develop and maintain relationships with employers, public health agencies, health systems, government organizations, nonprofit organizations, foundations, community organizations, and other external stakeholders; serve as a connector between these stakeholders and College faculty, staff, students, centers, and programs.
• Support the establishment and ongoing coordination of an external community advisory board, including member engagement, meetings, agendas, discussion topics, and follow-up on priorities and opportunities identified by the board.
• Engage employers and public health stakeholders to understand current and emerging workforce needs and identify opportunities to strengthen connections between students and employers through internships, practicums, applied learning, mentoring, career development, and other experiences.
• Build collaborative relationships with faculty, faculty directors and leaders of College centers, programs, and other units to understand their priorities and expertise and connect them with College leadership and external stakeholders to advance strategic priorities and collaborative opportunities.

40%

• Advise and support the Dean in advancing strategic initiatives that support the College's priorities and long-term goals.
• Work with strategic plan accountable leads, and serve as an accountable lead for assigned priorities, to track progress, coordinate updates, identify challenges and opportunities, and communicate progress and outcomes to the Dean and senior leadership.
• Monitor emerging public health, workforce, community, and external trends and bring relevant insights and opportunities to the Dean and senior leadership.

5%

• Represent the College, as appropriate, in external meetings, events, forums, and other engagements.
• Other duties as assigned.

Location:Cunz Hall (0293)Position Type:Term (Fixed Term)Scheduled Hours:40Shift:First ShiftFinal candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. A drug screen or physical may be required during the post offer process.

The university is an equal opportunity employer, including veterans and disability.