Director, Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem

WGU; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 131,000 - 235,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonuses

Tuition discount

Health benefits

Paid time off

Job summary

WGU is seeking a strategic Partnership Development leader to oversee the university’s partnership portfolio and drive ecosystem engagement in higher education and workforce innovation. You will coordinate across academic, business, and operations units to align partnerships with WGU’s mission and growth strategies.

You will lead cross-functional teams, negotiate multi-party agreements, and report outcomes to senior leadership and the Board.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional experience in strategic partnerships, corporate development, product management, or innovation strategy.
• 3+ years of experience leading a team, either in a direct management role or as a lead on complex cross-functional projects.
• Proven experience managing cross-sector relationships and delivering measurable results through multi-stakeholder collaboration.
• Demonstrated success building and managing partnerships with Fortune 500 companies, venture-backed startups, or innovation labs.
• Experience negotiating and executing multi-party agreements, including MOUs, joint initiatives, or sponsored research partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Develop and oversee WGU’s strategic partnership portfolio, evaluating opportunities and advising executive leadership on investments, partnerships, and ecosystem engagement.
• Initiate outreach to potential partner organizations and identify key roles for evaluating partnership agreements.
• Identify co-development opportunities, including go-to-market coordination and market-shaping activities.
• Coordinate with executives and business units to ensure alignment, risk management, and delivery readiness.
• Negotiate partnership structures preserving WGU’s mission and financial stewardship.
• Lead governance and success metrics for portfolio-wide partnerships.

Skills

Strategic partnerships

Corporate development

Product management

Innovation strategy

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

WGU is seeking a strategic Partnership Development leader to oversee the university’s partnership portfolio and drive ecosystem engagement in higher education and workforce innovation. You will coordinate across academic, business, and operations units to align partnerships with WGU’s mission and growth strategies.

You will lead cross-functional teams, negotiate multi-party agreements, and report outcomes to senior leadership and the Board.