Director of University Partnerships and Development
A Director of University Partnerships and Development drives strategic collaborations, expands institutional partnerships, and fosters growth, managing relationships with universities, corporate partners, and community organizations to enhance academic programs and increase enrollment. This is a sample job description from Excelon Associates that you can adapt as a template for your own hire.
What does a Director of University Partnerships and Development do?
A leading higher education institution in South Florida is seeking a Director of University Partnerships and Development to drive strategic collaborations, expand institutional partnerships, and foster growth opportunities. The role identifies, develops, and manages key relationships with universities, corporate partners, and community organizations to enhance academic programs, increase enrollment, and support the institution’s long-term vision.
The ideal candidate is a dynamic relationship-builder with extensive experience in higher education partnerships, corporate engagement, and program development. They work closely with executive leadership, admissions, and academic departments to strengthen institutional collaborations and position the university as a leader in education, workforce development, and student success. The Director is one of the institution’s most visible external representatives and carries real accountability for partnership growth outcomes.
An articulation agreement is a formal arrangement between institutions defining how credits transfer and how students move between programs, creating clear transfer and completion pathways. Dual enrollment lets students earn credit at two institutions at once. MOUs (memoranda of understanding) formalize the terms of a partnership before fuller agreements are signed.
Who does the Director of University Partnerships work with?
Key responsibilities of a Director of University Partnerships and Development
- Develop and execute a comprehensive strategic plan to establish, grow, and sustain university, corporate, and community partnerships that align with institutional enrollment and academic goals.
- Identify collaborative opportunities including articulation agreements, dual enrollment programs, pathway partnerships, and workforce development initiatives that expand student access and institutional reach.
- Negotiate and formalize MOUs, articulation agreements, and joint program initiatives to broaden academic offerings and create clear student transfer and completion pathways.
- Cultivate and maintain high-trust relationships with university leaders, corporate executives, government agency representatives, and community organization partners to drive enrollment growth and educational access.
- Serve as the institution’s primary point of contact for external partner organizations, ensuring responsive communication and consistent follow-through on partnership commitments.
- Monitor the health and performance of existing partnerships, identifying opportunities to deepen or expand collaborations and flagging agreements that require renewal or renegotiation.
- Work closely with admissions, marketing, academic affairs, and financial aid teams so partnership initiatives are well-coordinated internally and student referral and enrollment processes run smoothly.
- Collaborate with program leadership to develop co-branded or co-delivered academic offerings that meet partner workforce needs and align with institutional curriculum standards.
- Represent the institution at conferences, industry events, higher education forums, and networking functions to enhance visibility and build relationships with prospective partners.
- Contribute to the institution’s reputation as a thought leader in education, workforce development, and regional economic impact through public engagement and professional association participation.
- Monitor and analyze higher education market trends, competitor partnership initiatives, and emerging regional workforce needs to inform and refine partnership strategy.
- Prepare regular reports on partnership pipeline activity, enrollment impact, and strategic goal progress for senior institutional leadership.
- Ensure all partnership agreements comply with regional accreditation standards, institutional policies, and applicable regulatory requirements.
- Work with legal counsel and compliance staff to review, execute, and maintain formal partnership documentation in an organized and auditable manner.
What qualifications does the role require?
- Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree preferred in Education, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a closely related field. An advanced degree is strongly advantageous for senior-level partnership negotiations.
- Five or more years of experience in higher education, business development, or institutional partnerships, with a demonstrated track record of developing and managing university partnerships, articulation agreements, and enrollment growth strategies.
- Excellent negotiation, relationship management, and stakeholder engagement skills, with knowledge of higher education accreditation standards, transfer credit frameworks, and student success best practices. Ability to travel as needed for partnership meetings and industry events.
- Experience collaborating with corporate partners, government agencies, and workforce development programs. Familiarity with the South Florida higher education landscape and regional employer ecosystem is a significant advantage.
What the institution offers
Why is the Director of University Partnerships role important?
University partnerships are one of the most consequential growth levers available to a higher education institution. Well-structured articulation agreements, corporate education partnerships, and dual enrollment programs directly expand the pool of students the institution can serve, and they do it in a way that aligns the university’s offerings with real labor market demand.
In South Florida, with its distinctive mix of international student populations, diverse industries, and rapidly expanding workforce development needs, this role has a particularly rich environment to work in. The right person will not just manage existing partnerships, they will build new ones that shape the institution’s trajectory for years.
A hiring note from Excelon
Our Florida-based offices give us deep familiarity with the South Florida higher education market, employer ecosystem, and the partnership landscape that shapes enrollment strategy in the region. Since 2007, through our higher education practice, we have placed directors of partnerships and development, VP-level advancement leaders, and institutional development officers nationwide. On this search we weigh a verifiable record of signed agreements and measurable enrollment impact over a long title history.
The best partnerships are not transactional agreements. They are relationships built on shared outcomes, and that is exactly what this role is designed to create.
Related sample job descriptions
Director of University Partnerships and Development: frequently asked questions
What does a Director of University Partnerships and Development do?
A Director of University Partnerships and Development drives strategic collaborations, expands institutional partnerships, and fosters growth. The role identifies, develops, and manages relationships with universities, corporate partners, and community organizations to enhance academic programs and increase enrollment.
What qualifications does the role require?
This sample role requires a bachelor’s degree, with a master’s preferred in Education, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field, plus five or more years in higher education, business development, or institutional partnerships, with a track record of building university partnerships and enrollment growth.
What are articulation agreements?
An articulation agreement is a formal arrangement between institutions that defines how credits transfer and how students move from one program to another, creating clear transfer and completion pathways. They are a core tool for expanding student access and enrollment.
Where is this role based?
This sample role is based in South Florida with a leading higher education institution, and it requires travel for partnership meetings and industry events. Familiarity with the South Florida higher education and employer landscape is a significant advantage.
Why is this role important?
University partnerships are one of the most consequential growth levers available to an institution. Well-structured articulation agreements, corporate education partnerships, and dual enrollment programs expand the pool of students served while aligning offerings with real labor market demand.
Hiring a Director of University Partnerships?
Excelon Associates places partnership and development leaders at higher education institutions across the United States through our higher education recruitment practice. Retained executive search since 2007, headquartered in Asheville, NC, with offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, FL.
More Sample Job Descriptions
Templates you can adapt for your own roles.