Western Governors University hiring Senior Manager, Regional Strategic Partnerships - Midwest Region in Chicago, IL | LinkedIn (2024)

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 WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

About the Role:The Senior Regional Manager, Strategic Partnerships is charged with expanding the impact of the WGU network of academic, employer, and community relationships to support the University’s vision and lead a team of Strategic Partnership Managers who build relationships with corporate, academic and community partners across multi-state regions. The institution has identified regionalization as a key driver for growth and Senior Regional Managers are at the forefront, overseeing field operations to drive this.

The Senior Manager and their field team promote the value and differentiation of the full spectrum of educational program offerings, new initiatives, and business extensions. This position is a people-leader, overseeing the success, development, and growth of Strategic Partnership Managers in the Midwest multi-state region. Additionally, this role will develop relationships and support cross-regional collaboration to secure partnerships with mid-market and national employers as well as state and local entities, to increase support of student access.

In addition, the Senior Manager, Regional Strategic Partnerships helps build and nurture community relations, supports student access, improves affordability, enhances the student experience, and nurtures alumni outreach.

Location: This position requires you to be located within 30 miles of Chicago, IL, St. Louis, MO, Kansas City, MO, or Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN.

What You’ll Do:

• Develop strategies, initiatives, structure, and support to deliver partnership and other university and regional goals for self and team.
• Lead a team of Strategic Partnership Managers (SPMs), guiding them in building key relationships that culminate in partnerships for WGU. Identify attributes and alignment to guide employer and community groups in state and across region, as well as national organizations across multiple states.
• Ensure SPMs have a relevant strategic partnership activation plan for every partnership owned, ensuring partnership launches, strategic initiatives, timelines, student impact, and business development results are achieved over time and there is fluidity and consistency with each managed account.
• Work in collaboration with the VP Strategic Partnerships, Director of Partnership Operations and Enablement, and Research Analyst to advise and support data research and documentation to ensure accuracy of business intelligence related to new starts, new starts reporting, and processes and procedures for SPMs, as well as other key metrics deemed critical to SPM success, KPIs and success of the institution.
• Work across functions and departments including Communications and Marketing for go to market regional strategies, Recruiting, Career Services (Handshake) and Alumni team to identify WGU Ambassadors and leverage alums to open doors at employers.
• Advise, help develop and pilot the sales tool kits for all SPMs. Successfully implement available and new training tools and partnership resources in coordination and collaboration with Partnership Operations and Enablement team to elevate partnership engagement, process, policies, that positively influence SPM workflow and outcomes.
• Promote open SPM jobs via social media and network, vet candidates, and support talent recruiters. Identify top candidates, oversee interviews with key stakeholders, collate and review feedback to inform the best hiring decision.
• Manage direct reports through coaching, training, and motivation to achieve results. Contribute to the overarching strategy for the region regarding talent deployment and development by state/specialty and initiatives to reach goals. Revisit and evaluate team positions due to changes in the marketplace, university goals, new initiatives and as team member strengths continue to develop.
• Stay abreast of developments in the region that impact workforce development, governmental or agency updates, large employer initiatives and other issues which may impact and inform WGU existing and prospective partnership opportunities.
• Support, contribute to and help market WGU’s full expanse of program offerings for awareness, partnership collaboration, and scale.
• Connect with academic leaders on issues and opportunities that impact new programs, outreach, sales tools, and partner strategies. Be the eyes and ears in the field.
• Liaise with WGU internal departments on partnership, scholarship, external relations, and marketing.
• Effectively handle highly diverse and complex initiatives, partnership strategies, and solutions that drive toward successful relationships.
• Complete intra-region travels to support the SPM team and inter-region travel to collaborate with colleagues throughout the university. Perform other related duties as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities You’ll Need to be Successful:

• 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.
• Persuasive using communication skills, oral and written, and delivers on commitments.
• 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 and is capable of self-management.
• Negotiate and influence skilfully and professionally while maintaining relationships.
• Shares relevant and appropriate information and provides subordinates with the information required for them to function.
• Manages behaviors and communication style to meet the needs of a wide range of situations; tackles obstacles appropriately; is comfortable with ambiguity.
• Demonstrates 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.
• Collaborates in a considerate, respectful, and unbiased manner. Approaches conflict proactively. Solicits and shares feedback openly. Listens with empathy and maintains composure.
• Displays commitment to the organization and to personal growth. Is self-motivated and able to motivate and inspire others. Asserts self appropriately to champion ideas. Tells the truth in a direct and constructive manner.
• Self-directs with a strong tendency for action. Leads the way to improve performance or processes. Displays keen interest in students and organization.
• Strong business networks are highly desirable.
• Knowledge and use of Salesforce and Microsoft Office Suite is equally desirable.
• Requires significant management knowledge to lead the department. Generally, has advanced level knowledge and skills within a specific technical or professional discipline with understanding of the impact of work on other areas of the University.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in Business Administration, Management, Marketing, or related field.
• 7 years in business development and strategic partnership management with a record of high performance in solution selling across multiple verticals.
• 3 years of people leadership experience, preferably with a sales organization with disbursed employees.
• Regional travel will be required.

Preferred Requirements:

• Experience working in higher education, working with employers and community associations, or other related experience.

Why Join WGU?

• You will be part of a growing, diverse, inclusive workforce, committed to creating pathways to a better life for our students by expanding access to education for everyone.
• We provide comprehensive dental, vision, and medical benefits, with paid time off, parental leave, and inclusive family forming benefits.
• We offer generous retirement and HSA company contributions.
• You will also have opportunity for continuous learning! Employees and their families receive discounted undergraduate and graduate WGU tuition.

#D&I

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:

Pay Range: $97,300.00 - $175,200.00

WGU will accept applications for this position until 12:00 AM ET, 08/10/2024

How to apply: apply online

Full-time Regular Positions (FT classification, standard working hours = 40)This is a full-time, regular position that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

The University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.