Director of Strategic Partnerships

Symbiosis Educational Consultants; Paramus (NJ); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Symbiosis Educational Consultants in Paramus, NJ, seeks a Director of Strategic Partnerships to lead and grow relationships with higher education institutions and key partners. This full-time, on-site role oversees the partnership lifecycle from prospecting to renewal, coordinating with instructional design and operations teams to ensure program delivery.

You will negotiate contracts, contribute to market growth strategies, travel to conferences, and translate market insights into strategic

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Education, Marketing, or related field.
• Advanced degree preferred.
• Experience in higher education, edtech, or instructional design services.
• Proven contract negotiation experience.
• Strong analytical and data-driven decision making.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Willingness to travel to conferences regularly.

Responsibilities

• Lead and expand partnership lifecycle with higher education institutions and key partners.
• Manage key accounts and coordinate with instructional design and operations teams to ensure delivery.
• Identify prospective partners and develop outreach strategies; conduct discovery meetings.
• Present tailored solutions aligning with institutional goals and drive renewal.
• Negotiate contracts and agreements; contribute to strategic planning for market growth.
• Represent Symbiosis at conferences and industry events to gather market insights and translate them into initiatives.

Skills

Analytical skills

Account management

Strategic partnerships

Contract negotiation

Strategic planning

Higher education/edtech background

Travel willingness

Communication/interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Education/Marketing or related field

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Company Description

Symbiosis Educational Consultants is a minority- and women-owned learning design firm recognized on the Inc. 5000 list as one of America's fastest-growing private companies. The organization is committed to making online education pedagogically strong, student-centered, and affordable by partnering with leading higher education institutions to develop high-quality in-person, hybrid, and online courses. Symbiosis relies on in-house instructional designers skilled in Quality Matters®, Online Learning Consortium Scorecard, and custom rubrics to help institutions improve learner experience, support enrollments, and strengthen student retention.

Role Description

The Director of Strategic Partnerships is a full-time, on-site role based in Paramus, NJ, responsible for leading and expanding Symbiosis Educational Consultants' relationships with higher education institutions and other key partners. This role oversees the end-to-end partnership lifecycle, including identifying prospective partners, developing outreach strategies, conducting discovery meetings, and presenting tailored solutions that align with institutional goals. Day-to-day responsibilities include managing key accounts, coordinating with instructional design and operations teams to ensure successful program delivery, and monitoring performance metrics to drive partner satisfaction and renewal. The Director negotiates contracts and agreements, collaborates on strategic planning for market growth, and maintains a robust pipeline through regular business development activities. This position also represents Symbiosis at conferences and industry events, gathering market insights and translating them into strategic initiatives that support the company’s mission of affordable, high-quality education.

Qualifications

• Strong Analytical Skills to interpret market trends, evaluate partnership performance, and inform data-driven strategies.
• Demonstrated experience in Account Management to nurture long-term relationships, oversee partner success, and address complex client needs.
• Proven expertise in Strategic Partnerships to identify opportunities, build alliances with higher education institutions, and drive mutual value.
• Experience with Contract Negotiation to structure agreements, manage terms, and align outcomes with organizational objectives.
• Strategic Planning capabilities to develop growth plans, prioritize opportunities, and support organizational decision-making.
• Relevant background in higher education, edtech, or instructional design services, with an understanding of online learning trends and institutional challenges.
• Able to travel to conferences regularly.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders at multiple levels.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Education, Marketing, or a related field; an advanced degree is preferred