Senior Strategic Partnerships Manager - Craft Education

If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that future-consider Craft Education as the next step in your career.

Craft Education is on a mission to solve skilled labor shortages by powering work-based learning pathways for all.

At Craft, we're revolutionizing the apprenticeship degree, combining on-the-job learning with accredited instruction to create innovative educational pathways that accommodate working professionals and meet employer needs. Our flagship product - Craft Connect - helps organizations administer apprentice degree programs and address mission-critical data and reporting needs. Through the same platform, Craft is also transforming how on-the-job learning converts into academic credits.

Our team of technology, education and workforce professionals also provides technical assistance to organizations looking to launch and manage apprenticeship degree programs. We are working tirelessly to accelerate the expansion of these programs along with the data infrastructure that underpins them.

If you're looking to join the work-based learning revolution, we'd love to talk with you. At Craft, you'll have the opportunity to solve hard problems in a high-growth startup environment and make a lasting impact on the future of education and workforce development. We couldn't be more excited to advance this work as a team of innovative, collaborative and mission-oriented professionals - we hope you'll consider joining us.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

Job Description

The Senior Strategic Partnerships Manager (SPM) expands the impact of the Craft network of academic and employer relationships to support the company's vision. Craft partnership efforts increase market reach and student access, improve affordability, and enhance the student experience. This position will develop, secure and grow partners in a specific region, promoting the value of Craft's educational programs, and executing a flywheel approach to effectively benefit both the university and its partners.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

* Authentically project and reflect the mission of Craft Education.

* Develop deep partnerships to increase Craft's reach and educational impact.

* Execute a relevant strategic partnership plan for every partnership owned, ensuring partnership launches, maintenance, project timelines, student impact, and business results are achieved.

* May deliver sales presentations to potential partner organizations with the sales acumen that incorporates Craft's "flywheel" approach.

* Research, recommend, and attend and participate in appropriate regional, professional organizations or events to represent Craft and extend reach.

* Incorporate consistent utilization of marketing and partnership communication that will enhance Craft being top of mind for educational opportunities.

* Develop and execute Regional and/or National Craft hosted events. Participation includes pre-event efforts to secure partner participation and marketing of the event to appropriate audiences, support the day-of activities and complete follow-up tasks.

* Strategy development for Regional and/or National marketing initiatives that support local and broader Craft strategic operations.

* Demonstrate thoughtful and appropriate time management in extending the vision, strategies and tactics required for profitable and sustained partner engagement and implementation across all assigned accounts.

* Maintain timely, accurate and thorough documentation of all activities, tasks, contacts and account management.

* Develop, orient and support engaged alumni to represent Craft in regional and/or national events, within their places of employment, or, with other opportunities.

* Actively participates in Craft wide strategic planning, organizing, developing work processes, identifying and implementing improvements, and leading organizational impacting projects.

* Effectively handle highly complex work initiatives that span regional and/or national footprints.

* Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skill and Abilities:

* Initiative - Self-directed with a strong bias for action and results; displays keen interest in students and organization.

* Reliability - Accountable to self and others; does what it takes to get the job done; actions are consistent with words; follows through on commitments; exhibits exceptional integrity.

* Problem Solving - is able to develop new ideas that will enhance partnership results, is future-oriented and assesses what will help/hinder achieving goals; focuses on what is important.

* Earns trust - is exceptional and persuasive using communication skills, oral and written, delivers on commitments.

* Negotiation - can negotiate and influence skillfully and professionally while maintaining relationships.

* Attitude - Displays commitment to the organization and to personal growth; self-motivated and able to motivate and inspire others; asserts self appropriately to champion ideas; tells the truth in a direct and constructive manner.

* Adaptability - Manages behaviors and communication style to meet the needs of a wide range of situations; tackles obstacles appropriately; is comfortable with ambiguity.

* Student focus - the ability to keep the student at the center of what we do, and why we do it. Exhibits passion about improving the educational experiences of our students by creating lasting partnerships with employers, community colleges, school districts, and the community.

Competencies:

Organizational Impact:

* Responsible for implementing initiatives and projects established by university or department leadership; establishes operational plans for department, function, or office with short-term impact on results.

* May deliver input into new processes, standards, or plans that impact overall university or department results.

Problem Solving & Decision Making:

* Leverages a systems-thinking approach for improving existing processes and systems within the department using significant conceptualizing, reasoning, and interpretation.

* Problems and issues faced are numerous, difficult, and require detailed information gathering and analysis. Typically affect multiple areas or specialties. Problems and issues span a wide range of challenging and unique situations.

Communication & Influence:

* Collaborates cross-functionally with parties within and outside of the department and may occasionally communicate with external parties.

* May influence others to accept the job area's views, practices, concepts, and approaches and conduct briefings with leaders within the University or department.

Leadership & Talent Management

* Responsible for providing guidance, coaching, and training to other employees in the department, Function, or Office.

* Provides direction to project team members, including feedback on performance.

* Demonstrates the Craft leadership principles in all aspects of service to students, employees, and partners of Craft.

Job Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

* 7+ years of related experience with a bachelor's degree, or 4+ years and a master's degree.

Department Specific Minimum Qualifications:

* Eight (8) or more years of experience in business development and strategic partnership management with a record of high performance in solution selling across multiple industry verticals.

Preferred Qualifications:

* May have broad knowledge of project management.

* Strong business networks

* Knowledge and use of Salesforce and Microsoft Office Suite

Physical Requirements:

* Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

* Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

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Position & Application Details

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.