Managing Director, Gonzaga Global

Shorelight, LLC; Spokane (WA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Gonzaga Global, a partnership between Gonzaga University and Shorelight, seeks a Managing Director to lead operations for international programs in Spokane. You will drive enrollment goals, oversee day-to-day operations, and build strong partnerships across campus and Shorelight.

You will guide student experience, manage financial planning, and foster a culture aligned with both institutions' mission. The role demands strategic thinking, exceptional communication, and the ability to motivate a

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in management with strong team motivational skills.
• Demonstrated P&L responsibility.
• Proven ability to recruit, lead, motivate, coach, develop, and retain top staff.
• Record of leadership delivering strategic, financial, and operational objectives.
• Understanding of student support services for international students.
• Direct experience within higher education or related educational services.
• Eligibility to work in and travel freely to and from the United States without sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• Serve as strategic leader of the partnership, including understanding and driving enrollment and diversity goals, driving annual strategy, and partnering with university leadership
• Partner with student recruitment leadership to understand competitive landscape and key market opportunities
• Lead all training on academic partnership programs and support regional recruitment activity through campus webinars, campaigns, and events
• Ensure that the program retains students and guides, prepares, and motivates them to degree completion
• Develop the strategy and programs required to deliver exemplary and differentiated customer service
• Ensure academic integrity and compliance
• Ensure systems and procedures are established and followed to maintain accurate records and reporting on all aspects of the program
• Analyze data and reports on the progress of the program and achievement of objectives
• Contribute to financial planning and analysis to support strategic plan
• Lead new product development and optimization to support revenue growth and margin improvement
• Partner with key stakeholders across the university to ensure effective communication, collaboration, and support of key initiatives and goals
• Foster external relationships and partnerships to enhance the profile and success of the program
• Represent the program internationally and domestically, including participation in marketing events
• Manage relationships with all key Gonzaga Global and Shorelight stakeholders across acquisition, academics, student services, finance, and operations
• Recruit, develop, and retain team members to ensure productivity and engagement
• Engage in talent management activities such as goal setting, performance evaluations, stay interviews, development planning, and ongoing feedback to develop team members and achieve organizational goals
• Provide coaching, counseling, and corrective action (when necessary) to team members
• Foster a culture that reflects Shorelight's and the Gonzaga Global's values

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Enrollment management

Budget & P&L

Stakeholder management

Team development

Communication

Job description

Gonzaga Global, a partnership between Gonzaga University and Shorelight, offers academic and support programs for international students with a focus on helping them succeed and thrive in and out of the classroom. Offering programs for both undergraduate and graduate students, Gonzaga Global seeks to increase Gonzaga's international student population, and to educate students who are interculturally competent and engaged with the world.

Gonzaga University is a nationally ranked Jesuit, Catholic, humanistic university educating students for leadership and service for the common good. Located in Spokane, Washington, Gonzaga enrolls approximately 7,300 students including around 4,900 undergraduates as well as graduate and law students. Through artful teaching from expert professors, a proud liberal arts Jesuit tradition, and a supportive community, Gonzaga helps students become innovative, compassionate, and courageous leaders.

Job Overview

The Managing Director (MD) develops and serves as the operational leader across programs for international students at Gonzaga Global. The MD drives enrollment goals and ensures a high-quality experience for all students in this specialized academic program. As the most senior member of the staff, the MD builds the partnership, provides strategic and ongoing leadership, and oversees day-to-day operations.

The MD is a skilled relationship manager who successfully leads an innovative educational partnership venture. He/She/They are committed to quality and the specialized attention and guidance that international students require. The MD displays an entrepreneurial spirit to continuously innovate methods to advance the partnership whilst leading and inspiring others to do the same, so demonstrated experience in building positive and productive relationships is critical. The MD is an excellent communicator with exceptional presentation and negotiation skills. He/She/They are a strong strategic thinker with the dual capacity to see the big picture and attend to details. The MD is a solid team player who can enthuse and galvanize colleagues around the institution's mission, vision, and goals.

Essential Functions

• Serve as strategic leader of the partnership, including understanding and driving enrollment and diversity goals, driving annual strategy, and partnering with university leadership
• Partner with student recruitment leadership to understand competitive landscape and key market opportunities
• Lead all training on academic partnership programs and support regional recruitment activity through campus webinars, campaigns, and events

Student Experience

• Ensure that the program retains students and guides, prepares, and motivates them to degree completion
• Develop the strategy and programs required to deliver exemplary and differentiated customer service
• Ensure academic integrity and compliance
• Ensure systems and procedures are established and followed to maintain accurate records and reporting on all aspects of the program
• Analyze data and reports on the progress of the program and achievement of objectives

Campus Fiscal Operations

• Contribute to financial planning and analysis to support strategic plan
• Lead new product development and optimization to support revenue growth and margin improvement

Relationship Management

• Partner with key stakeholders across the university to ensure effective communication, collaboration, and support of key initiatives and goals
• Foster external relationships and partnerships to enhance the profile and success of the program
• Represent the program internationally and domestically, including participation in marketing events
• Manage relationships with all key Gonzaga Global and Shorelight stakeholders across acquisition, academics, student services, finance, and operations

People Management

• Recruit, develop, and retain team members to ensure productivity and engagement
• Engage in talent management activities such as goal setting, performance evaluations, stay interviews, development planning, and ongoing feedback to develop team members and achieve organizational goals
• Provide coaching, counseling, and corrective action (when necessary) to team members
• Foster a culture that reflects Shorelight's and the Gonzaga Global's values

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in management with strong team motivational skills
• Demonstrated P&L responsibility
• Proven ability to recruit, lead, motivate, coach, develop, and retain top academic and/or administrative staff
• Record of leadership delivering strategic, financial, and operational objectives
• Understanding of student support services for international students
• Direct experience within higher education or related educational services
• Eligibility to work in and travel freely to and from the United States without sponsorship

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working within a joint venture and/or a highly matrixed organizational structure

Gonzaga Global is an Equal Opportunity Employer.