How to Apply
A cover letter and resume are important submissions for the hiring team to get a sense of your experience. In the cover letter, in two pages or less, please let us know how you will align your career aspirations and skills. Submit both a cover letter and resume as one file (because of system limitations).
What You'll Do
The Center for Academic Innovation at the University of Michigan is looking for a qualified Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships to identify and explore new opportunities and partnerships to allow our online learning strategy and engage millions of learners around the world and on campus. You will provide expertise to our partners and engage with the learning and academic innovation communities both on and off campus. You are a creative, enterprising, person with business developments experience who will advocate for a holistic and inventive strategy for online learning experiences offered at Michigan Online, featuring curricular innovations ranging from short-form content to online degree programs. The Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships reports to the Director of Content and Platform Strategy.
Who We Are
The Center for Academic Innovation is where creativity and the University of Michigan's aspirations for societal impact combine to reimagine the future of higher education. Through curricular innovation, educational data and research, and educational technology, we position U-M as a global leader in academic innovation to create and inspire change in higher education and to promote an engaged and informed society.
About Online Learning at CAI
The Online Learning group within CAI consists of five teams that collaborate with others across the Center and University to develop online learning experiences that support the future of education for a global community. We work with faculty and academic unit leaders to envision how they can expand the reach and effect, grow innovative teaching, and support greater access and lifelong learning through the design of integrated online learning experiences. Our teams focus on the following areas:
- Strategic sourcing of new opportunities for online learning
- Develop internal and external partnerships that promote engagement with learning experiences
- Provide program management services throughout degree program development and operations
- Support end-to-end development of online learning experience, including design management, learning experience design, and iteration of learning experiences after they have launched
- Support learners' success and engagement in live courses and programs
For more information, please visit our website: Academic Innovation
Responsibilities*
Partnerships Strategy, Implementation and Management
- Collaborate with CAI leadership to develop and expand the scope of CAI's partnership strategy, focusing on engagement with prospective external industry, workforce development, and nonprofit organizations
- Source and nurture relationships with external organizations aiming to engage with existing Michigan Online educational content or develop tailored workforce development offerings
- Cultivate relationships with university-wide partners to identify opportunities for potential external partnerships that foster adoption and adaptation of Michigan Online content
- Establish partnerships operational models that support external partner needs while balancing priorities of U-M partners
- Evaluate opportunities for collaborative creation of new learning experiences that use your experience and resources from external partners
- Collaborate with center leadership to integrate needs of external partners into broader content sourcing strategy
- Identify success metrics for external partnerships and analyze partnership activity to determine whether partnerships are meeting mutually agreed upon goals
- Identify services and platform features necessary to support the needs of external partners engaging with U-M's online portfolio
Staff Leadership
- Manage a team of partnership managers by managing assignments, overseeing project deliverables, providing mentorship, and managing personnel and fiscal responsibilities
- Plan for team growth to support partnership development work, including identifying pathways for growth for current and prospective team members
- Contribute to goal-setting within the center's online learning domain, and collaborate with other online learning leaders to achieve shared goals
- Work with the Director of Content and Platform Strategy to support Partnership Managers' efforts related to sourcing new online learning programs and managing internal partnerships
- In collaboration with CAI leadership, source and nurture external advisory council members and prospective members, develop advisory council meeting agendas, and source meeting content and organize event logistics
Required Qualifications*
- Bachelor degree in related field or equivalent years of experience
- 5+ years of business development, partnerships or account management experience, or a combination of years and related education, including related experience building successful programs, products, or projects
- Knowledge of trends in technology, innovation, and higher education, including knowledge of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), Open Educational Resources (OER), and Learning Management Systems (LMS) like edX, Coursera, Canvas, and other educational platforms
- 5+ years progressively responsible experience leading a team of employees, including responsibility for strategy, related subject matter expertise, personnel, and fiscal management
- Work with individuals and groups at all levels within the University
- Demonstrated initiative and service-oriented attitude
- Promote a multicultural and collaborative environment
- Skill in supporting diversity and inclusion and bringing an equity focus to the work
Work Locations
This is not a remote position and any adjustments to a standard in-person schedule will be discussed during the hiring process.
Additional Information
Must have legal authorization to work in the United States. Excellent benefits are available, for details, see http://benefits.umich.edu/
Salary Information
The general salary range for this position is 120,000 - $125,000. You can expect to be paid a great compensation package. Factors used to determine salary include education level and experience for the position and internal equity with the unit. You are encouraged to discuss salary questions to honor agreement and transparency throughout the recruiting process.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The Center for Academic Innovation (CAI) is committed to inclusion in our organizational work, culture, climate, and the products we create. We aim to recruit a diverse team as a reflection of our commitment to our work designing equitable and inclusive learning and work environments that are necessary for the university community to make progress on solving societal challenges. CAI draws on each of our team member's unique backgrounds and experiences to guide our everyday work in the center, and our team collaborates with students, staff, and faculty on projects that center our commitment to DEIJ work. All interested applicants, including those from group historically marginalized by educational privilege, are encouraged to apply.
Organizational Statement on Harassment
We believe all individuals deserve to be treated with respect and have the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes mutual respect and is safe for collaboration. Any concerns shared with Individuals with Reporting Obligations in the Center for Academic Innovation will be reported to the Equity, Civil Rights, & Title IX Office to be reviewed and addressed, and the Center for Academic Innovation encourages reporting of any forms of harassment including sexual and gender-based harassment.
Background Screening
The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks will be performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Application Deadline
Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.
Decision Making Process
Applications will be reviewed as received throughout the posting and continue until the position is filled.
U-M EEO/AA Statement
The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.