Strategic Partner Specialist

Northeast Iowa Community College; Dubuque (IA); On-site; USD 48,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Northeast Iowa Community College in Dubuque is seeking a Strategic Partner Specialist to serve as the primary account manager, connecting regional business leaders with NICC’s trades, credit, and short-term training pipelines.

You will drive strategic regional workforce alignment by securing formal commitments from employer partners and ensuring they engage year-round, directly contributing to curriculum improvements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Communications, Workforce Development, Education, or related field.
• 3+ years professional experience in business development, consultative B2B sales, high-stakes stakeholder facilitation, or workforce development.
• Proven track record of influencing executive decision-makers and achieving target outcomes.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license.
• Willingness to travel to employer sites, NICC locations, and community events within the district.

Responsibilities

• Conduct consultative business calls with executive decision-makers to assess workforce needs and secure partnerships.
• Design, negotiate, implement, and manage apprenticeship programs and work-based learning in collaboration with employer leadership and faculty.
• Facilitate regional industry boards to align workforce needs and influence curriculum.
• Oversee grants, track KPIs, secure employer matching commitments, and ensure compliance with grants and benchmarks.
• Maintain relationships with regional employers, coordinate classroom and experiential activities, and refer connections to NICC departments.

Skills

Business development

Consultative sales

Stakeholder facilitation

Relationship building

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

Position Information

Position Title

Position Title Strategic Partner Specialist

Posting Number

Posting Number S00582

Full-Time/Part-Time

Full-Time/Part-Time Full Time

Work Schedule

Salary $52,882.00 Pay Grade 9

Campus/Center

Campus/Center Town Clock Center

Location

Location Dubuque, Iowa

Position Summary Information

Job Goal

To serve as the primary account manager and consultant connecting regional business leaders with NICC’s trades, credit, and short-term training pipelines. Drive strategic regional workforce alignment by identifying, consulting with, and securing formal commitments from employer partners across the district. This role ensures that employer partners are engaged year-round, actively participate in the student experience, and directly contribute to the curriculum, design, and continuous improvement of NICC’s short-term training programs. The Employer Liaison strengthens NICC’s talent pipeline by building strong, ongoing relationships that help students transition seamlessly from training to employment.

Duties and Responsibilities

Conduct consultative business calls with executive decision-makers to assess workforce needs, negotiate strategic partnership agreements, and meet annual goals for new employer account acquisition and pipeline expansion.

Design, negotiate, implement, and manage custom Registered Apprenticeship programs, work-based learning models, and referral processes in direct collaboration with employer leadership and trade faculty.

Serve as the convener and facilitator for regional industry sector boards to drive agenda development, capture skill and equipment needs, align regional competitors around common workforce needs, and influence policy and curriculum alignment.

Direct the strategic rollout and administration of high-value workforce grants, ensuring full compliance, tracking key performance indicators (KPIs), securing employer matching commitments, and meeting federal, state, and institutional benchmarks.

Maintain regular contact and schedule structured touchpoints with regional employers to build ongoing relationships, serve as the main point of contact across cohort cycles, and refer connections to other college departments such as Contract Training and credit advisory teams. Coordinate employer-led classroom and experiential activities, including guest speakers, site visits, industry panels, speed interviews, and networking events.

Lead targeted recruitment and outreach efforts by representing NICC at community events, workforce board meetings, and regional sector-specific engagements.

Maintain detailed records of employer interactions, recruitment data, and graduate hiring outcomes to support continuous improvement and institutional reporting.

Qualifications

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS :

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Communications, Workforce Development, Education, or related field required. Prefer 3 or more years of professional experience in business development, consultative B2B sales, high-stakes stakeholder facilitation, or workforce development. Proven track record of influencing executive decision-makers and achieving target outcomes.

CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES :

Must possess a valid driver’s license.

Essential Functions

Experience in collaborating, building relationships, and problem solving. Ability to translate employer needs into program improvements with professionalism and a focus on the customers. Commitment to NICC’s student-first approach. Must be able to travel to employer sites, NICC locations, and community events within the district, including evening or early morning meetings, according to employer availability.

Open Date

Open Date 10/22/2026

Close Date

Open Until Filled Yes

Special Instructions to Applicants

Position is grant funded.

Posting Specific Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• How did you hear about this employment opportunity?
  • NICC Website
  • Posting at NICC
  • IowaWorks
  • AccessDubuqueJobs
  • Indeed.com
  • HigherEdJobs.com
  • Local Newspaper
  • Other