Executive Director, Strategic Partnerships

Purdue University; United States; Remote; USD 135,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Purdue Global, part of Purdue University, is seeking an Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships to lead the growth engine for direct industry partnerships. You will manage the Business Development Director team, drive partnership enrollment, and coordinate with cross-functional leaders to align Purdue Global’s value proposition for employers, community colleges, and education-benefits platforms.

The role focuses on expanding partnerships nationwide, with emphasis on Indiana, and ensuring

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's preferred.
• Progressive leadership in B2B partnership development, channel sales, or enterprise account management.
• Experience managing a large platform or marketplace relationship (Guild or similar) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop the BDD team; set territory strategy and enrollment targets.
• Own the full partnership lifecycle from prospecting to launch and growth.
• Build repeatable playbooks for partner segments and manage partner portfolio growth.
• Oversee community college partnerships and transfer enrollment strategies.
• Manage education marketplace relationships and optimize program positioning and performance.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree

Tools

MS Office

Google Workspace

Job description

Req Id: 44374

Job Title: Purdue Global Executive Director, Strategic Partnerships (Remote)

City: Remote/Virtual

Job Description

Our Opportunity:

Building on Purdue University's mission to provide greater access to affordable, high-quality education, Purdue University Global is a public, nonprofit institution offering a world-class education online. Purdue Global delivers personalized online education tailored to the unique needs of adults who have work or life experience beyond the classroom, enabling them to develop essential academic and professional skills with the support and flexibility they need to achieve their career goals.

The Executive Director, Strategic Partnerships will provide support to Purdue University Global.

Job Summary

The Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships owns the day-to-day strategy, execution and performance of Purdue Global’s partnership growth engine. This role manages the Business Development Director (BDD) team, owns the university’s relationship with education-benefits marketplaces, and drives the expansion of employer, community college, workforce development, and nonprofit partnerships across the country, with particular focus on Indiana. The Executive Director is accountable for partnership-sourced enrollment and for the health, growth and retention of the partner portfolio. This role works hand in hand with academic and senior leadership to advance the value proposition and alignment of Purdue Global to cultivate new relationships and deepen existing ones.

What to expect in this role

Sales Leadership and Execution for direct Industry Partnerships

• Lead, coach, and develop the BDD team. Set territory and vertical strategy, pipeline standards, activity expectations, and enrollment targets, and instill CRM and forecasting discipline.
• Own the full partnership lifecycle, from prospecting through solution design, negotiation, launch, and account growth.
• Build repeatable playbooks for each partner segment (employers, community colleges, workforce development entities, nonprofits, associations, and education-benefits platforms), using the tiered pathway-solutions menu as the standard offer.

Community College Partnerships

• Manage the university's community college team and the enrollment that flows from them. Build and manage a portfolio of transfer partnerships, with regional community colleges as a priority and a scalable model for national growth.
• Bring in the cross functional teams when a customized articulation agreement or pathway is needed to secure and/ or grow a partnership.

Education Marketplace Relationships

• Serve as the university's functional relationship owner for our Guild partnership. Manage program positioning, catalog strategy, process and performance optimization, and executive-level engagement to get the most success out of the channel and partnership.
• Evaluate and manage additional education-benefits marketplaces and channel platforms as the market evolves.

Workforce Development and Nonprofit Expansion

• Develop and execute the university's expansion strategy across state and regional workforce development ecosystems, including workforce boards, state agencies, and sector partnerships, within Indiana as a priority.
• Grow the nonprofit portfolio: community-based organizations, national nonprofits, and intermediaries that connect adult learners to education.
• Structure funding-aware solutions (WIOA, employer tuition benefits, philanthropic support) that lower cost barriers for partner-affiliated students.

Account Management and Partner Success

• Own retention and growth of the existing portfolio through quarterly business reviews, performance reporting, escalation resolution, and renewal strategy.
• Spot expansion opportunities within accounts and engage the cross functional teams when customized articulation or pathway design is needed to unlock growth.

Experience

• Bachelor's Degree required, Master's Degree preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of related experience.

What we’re looking for

• Progressive leadership in B2B partnership development, channel sales, or enterprise account management, ideally in higher education, edtech, workforce development, or education benefits.
• Demonstrated success leading quota-carrying teams and delivering enrollment or revenue growth through partnerships.
• Experience managing a large platform or marketplace relationship (Guild or similar) strongly preferred.
• Working knowledge of workforce development funding structures and the community-based organization landscape.
• A skilled cross-functional operator who can broker solutions between commercial goals and academic standards.
• Demonstrated proficiency with MS Office suite software, such as MS Word, Excel and Powerpoint, as well as Google applications such as Gmail, Chat and Meet.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
• Demonstrated leadership with a proven ability to train, supervise, motivate, and evaluate employees/staff/faculty.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, balance competing demands for time, and prioritize workload to meet deadlines.
• Effective analytical skills with the ability to assess situations, resolve issues or make recommendations as appropriate.
• Effective oral and written communication skills, with the ability to adapt communication style and method to suit different audiences.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to effectively communicate with a professional demeanor with people at all levels within the organization.

Additional Information

• The anticipated target salary for this position is $150,000. The final salary offer will be determined based on various factors, including internal equity, available budget, and relevant experience. Learn about our Benefits HERE!
• Please note that this is a remote position.
• Purdue will not sponsor employment authorization for this position.
• This is a U.S.-based position. This position is open to candidates who reside and are authorized to work in the United States.
• A background check is required for employment in this position.
• We ask that our remote employees have access to a reliable internet connection and a dedicated, properly equipped workspace that is free of distractions. You may wish to review the Purdue Virtual Meeting Professional Standards.
• FLSA: Exempt (Not Eligible for Overtime) This position is generally classified as exempt unless a non-exempt classification is required by applicable state law.
• Purdue Global is an EO/EA employer. Our goal is to recruit and retain talent from a broad pool of applicants. Purdue Global celebrates a variety of perspectives, experiences, and skills to support a success-focused environment for employees and students. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. All are encouraged to apply.