Partnership Development Executive – DeVoe School of Business (B2B & B2G)

Job Title: Partnership Development Executive – DeVoe School of Business (B2B & B2G)

Reporting Relationship:Executive Director, Strategic Partnership Expansion

Unit: National & Global

Department: Strategic Partnerships - IWU National & Global

Campus Location: Online/Remote within the United States

Summary of Position:The Partnership Development Executive – DeVoe School of Business represents IWU–National & Global and the DeVoe School of Business in developing B2B and B2G organizational partnerships that create sustainable enrollment pipelines for working professionals and adult learners.

This role focuses on employer-driven talent development by connecting organizations with IWU’s business degree portfolio, including traditional business programs, leadership and management pathways, graduate business programs, MBA-related offerings, and emerging AI-focused business programs and certificates. The position helps employers address workforce needs by developing talent pipelines, career ladders, upskilling pathways, and retention solutions.

The Partnership Development Executive serves as a consultative relationship builder with Human Resources leaders, Chief People Officers, Talent Development Directors, Learning and Development leaders, workforce development organizations, chambers of commerce, municipal and government HR divisions, and other employer decision makers.

This position is designed for a high-potential, relationship-driven professional with non-negotiable excellence in written and verbal communication, professional polish, business acumen, strategic curiosity, and disciplined follow-through. A background in human resources, talent development, workforce development, organizational development, or employer relations is strongly preferred. The successful candidate will identify prospective partners, initiate outreach, conduct professional discovery meetings, present tailored business and AI education solutions, manage pipeline milestones in Salesforce, collaborate with DeVoe faculty and academic leaders, and advance opportunities toward signed partnership agreements.

Duties and Responsibilities

• B2B and B2G Partnership Development, Discovery, and Advancement
  • Identifies and initiates outreach to prospective employer partners across private-sector, nonprofit, workforce, municipal, and government/public-sector organizations
  • Prepares for and leads professional, agenda-driven discovery meetings with HR executives, Chief People Officers, Talent Development Directors, Learning and Development leaders, City/County HR Directors, state agency HR leaders, workforce leaders, and other organizational decision-makers
  • Positions IWU DeVoe School of Business programs, including traditional business degrees and AI-focused business programs and certificates, as strategic solutions for employer talent pipelines, career ladders, employee upskilling, succession planning, leadership development, and retention
  • Writes clear, polished prospecting emails, executive summaries, meeting recaps, and tailored proposals linking organizational workforce goals to IWU degree and certificate pathways
  • Presents IWU educational solutions, tuition discount benefits, cohort opportunities, and Prior Learning Assessment options clearly and persuasively
  • Works collaboratively with leadership to navigate decision-making pathways, address objections, establish clear next steps, and secure formal partnership agreements using institutional legal templates
  • Develops consultative relationships that move beyond general awareness or event attendance and toward measurable partnership, enrollment, and workforce outcomes
• Targeted Market Outreach, Strategic Events, & Lead Generation
  • Develops and executes targeted regional outreach plans for priority employers, workforce development boards, chambers of commerce, professional associations, HR networks, and business organizations
  • Builds strategic presence within key professional organizations and employer networks, including SHRM, workforce development organizations, chambers of commerce, talent development groups, industry associations, municipal HR networks, and business leadership forums
  • Partners with DeVoe School of Business faculty by coordinating and exhibiting at events where DeVoe faculty are speaking, presenting, facilitating workshops, or representing the university as thought leaders
  • Leverages faculty expertise and public speaking engagements to generate qualified employer conversations, strengthen DeVoe’s market visibility, and connect organizational needs to IWU programs
  • Uses selective event attendance strategically by conducting pre-event outreach, securing scheduled one-on-one meetings, engaging decision makers during the event, and completing disciplined post-event follow-up
  • Employs market research and AI-enabled prospecting tools to identify workforce trends, talent shortages, skill gaps, AI adoption needs, leadership development opportunities, and high-yield employer targets
  • Represents IWU and the DeVoe School of Business with professionalism at employer meetings, association events, conferences, workforce forums, and community-based business events
• CRM Pipeline Discipline, Follow-Through, & AI Workflow Utilization
  • Maintains uncompromising daily discipline in Salesforce as the system of record for all accounts, contacts, meeting notes, pipeline stages, and follow-up tasks
  • Demonstrates meticulous follow-through by executing committed action items promptly and maintaining momentum across all active partner relationships
  • Utilizes CRM performance metrics and pipeline management tools to prioritize outreach, track conversion rates, and meet weekly/monthly activity benchmarks
  • Leverages artificial intelligence (AI) tools and technologies to support market research, prospect identification, workflow optimization, strategic planning, communication drafting, and data analysis
  • Ensures that all partner activity is documented accurately, timely, and completely to support team visibility, leadership reporting, and effective handoff
• Internal Collaboration & Academic Pathway Alignment
  • Collaborates closely with the DeVoe School of Business Dean, faculty, program directors, and academic leaders to understand program offerings, emerging AI curriculum, business programs, custom cohort opportunities, and employer education capabilities
  • Coordinates with DeVoe faculty to support speaking engagements, professional organization involvement, employer-facing workshops, and thought leadership opportunities that can generate partnership conversations
  • Partners with Enrollment Counselors, Marketing, Legal, Operations, and Student Success teams to ensure responsive communication, smooth handoffs, and tailored recruitment campaigns for partner employees
  • Communicates employer feedback, workforce trends, market intelligence, and partnership barriers to academic and enrollment leaders to support continuous improvement and program alignment
  • Helps translate academic offerings into employer-relevant language focused on workforce outcomes, employee development, retention, promotion pathways, and organizational performance
  • Supports internal planning for co-branded employer materials, landing pages, employee communication plans, webinars, information sessions, and partnership launch activities
• Partner Onboarding, Activation, & Relationship Transition
  • Coordinates the initial onboarding process for newly signed partners, including launch communications, co-branded landing pages, employee announcements, webinars, lunch-and-learns, and discovery sessions
  • Ensures early partner engagement and qualified student interest before transitioning mature accounts to designated long-term account nurture managers or appropriate internal owners
  • Documents onboarding steps, communication commitments, stakeholder contacts, and future engagement opportunities in Salesforce
  • Supports a smooth transition from signed agreement to active enrollment pipeline by coordinating internal teams and ensuring timely follow-up with partner contacts
  • Monitors early partner activity to identify additional opportunities for employee engagement, cohort development, program alignment, and future growth

Qualifications:According to Indiana Wesleyan University employment policy all employees must possess a strong Christian commitment and adhere to the standards outlined in the IWU Community Lifestyle Statement.

Education

• Required: Minimum of a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
• Preferred: Master's degree in business, Human Resources, Management, Leadership, Communication, Higher Education, or equivalent experience

Experience

• Required:
  Minimum of two to four (2-4) years of successful professional experience in human resources, talent development, learning and development, workforce development, organizational development, B2B sales, B2G sales, business development, partnership development, account management, employer relations, higher education recruitment, corporate recruitment, or a related externally facing role
• Preferred:
  Experience working with employers, HR leaders, workforce organizations, business associations, chambers of commerce, professional associations, government agencies, or talent development networks
• Ideal Background:
  A candidate with a talent development, workforce development, organizational development, or employer relations background is strongly preferred because this role requires understanding of workforce planning, employee development, career ladders, retention, talent pipelines, and organizational learning needs
• IWU is willing to consider candidates with less direct partnership development experience if they demonstrate exceptional communication skills, strong business acumen, professional presence, coachability, initiative, and disciplined follow-through

Required Skills

• Exceptional Written Communication:
  Proven ability to write clear, polished, persuasive, and error-free business correspondence, prospecting emails, meeting recaps, executive summaries, and proposals. A writing assessment may be part of the interview process
• Professional Presentation and Executive Polish:
  Confidence, poise, and clarity when presenting to HR executives, C-suite leaders, workforce leaders, faculty, internal stakeholders, and professional business audiences
• Business Acumen:
  Understanding of employer needs related to workforce planning, talent pipelines, career ladders, employee retention, leadership development, upskilling, succession planning, and organizational performance
• Consultative Relationship Building:
  Ability to ask strong discovery questions, listen carefully, identify organizational needs, summarize opportunities accurately, and connect employer challenges to relevant IWU academic solutions
• Strategic Thinking:
  Ability to evaluate partner fit, prioritize high-potential opportunities, plan outreach intentionally, and use events and professional networks to generate qualified partnership conversations
• Disciplined Follow-Through and Organization:
  Strong time management, attention to detail, personal accountability, and proactive follow-through. Ability to set next steps, document commitments, and keep opportunities moving through the pipeline
• Technology, CRM, and AI Acumen:
  Experience using CRM systems, pipeline management tools, and performance analytics. Proficiency with artificial intelligence tools and technologies to support market research, prospect identification, workflow optimization, strategic planning, communication, and data analysis. Salesforce experience strongly preferred
• Collaboration:
  Ability to work effectively with academic leaders, faculty, enrollment teams, marketing, legal, operations, and external partners to advance shared goals
• Mission Fit:
  Personal ability to articulate and support the Christ-centered mission, values, and educational philosophy of Indiana Wesleyan University
• Mobility:
  Valid driver’s license with an excellent driving record. Willing and able to travel approximately 50% across Central Indiana and surrounding regions, with occasional evening, weekend, and overnight travel. Able to lift 50lbs

IWU Kingdom Diversity Statement

IWU, in covenant with God's reconciling work and in accordance with the Biblical principles of our historic Wesleyan tradition, commits to build a community that reflects Kingdom diversity. We will foster an intentional environment for living, teaching and learning, which exhibits honor, respect, and dignity. Acknowledging visible or invisible differences, our community authentically values each member's earthly and eternal worth. We refute ignorance and isolation and embrace deliberate and courageous engagement that exhibits Christ's commandment to love all humankind.

LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMER

As a religious educational institution operating under the auspices of The Wesleyan Church, Indiana Wesleyan University is permitted and reserves the right to prefer employees on the basis of religion (42 U.S.C., Sections 2000e-1 and 2000e-2).

The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position. Employees will be required to follow other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State Laws.

Salary: $85,870.00 Annually | Pay Scale: Enrollment-16-L1

Originally posted on Himalayas