Director of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships (Business Partnership Consultant)

The Kelley School of Business at Indiana University (IU) is a comprehensive provider of top-tier business education with a full portfolio of undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and executive programs on campuses in Bloomington and Indianapolis, and online worldwide. The Kelley School has been creating career momentum for 100 years, going from 70 students in 1920 to an enrollment of more than 15,000 students today. Our innovative curriculum is built on personal development, teamwork, and experiential learning with an emphasis on global and social responsibility. Our success is reflected in our reputation among academic peers, our career placement statistics, and the accomplishments of more than 137,000 living alumni around the globe.
The Director of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships leads growth across Kelley's executive, online, and graduate degree and certificate offerings. This senior individual-contributor role develops employer and organizational partnerships, strengthens direct relationships with prospective learners, and turns market opportunities into enrollment and revenue growth. The role leads through influence and focuses on growth, account development, and commercial performance; routine program delivery, student services, scheduling, compliance administration, and staff supervision remain with operational teams.
Department-Specific Responsibilities

Develops and executes annual and multi-year growth strategies for executive, online, and graduate degree and certificate offerings.
Uses market demand, program economics, and institutional priorities to identify target segments, channels, offerings, and enrollment and revenue goals.
Builds and converts a qualified pipeline of employers, associations, government entities, workforce development organizations, and other partners.
Cultivates senior relationships and leads opportunities from outreach and discovery through solution design, approval, negotiation, launch handoff, and expansion.
Designs scalable partnership models, including employer-sponsored pathways, corporate cohorts, preferred-provider arrangements, sponsorship models, and stackable credentials, in collaboration with academic, finance, legal, admissions, and operations partners.
Prepares business cases, proposals, presentations, and forecasts.
Leads negotiations within delegated authority and coordinates institutional review of pricing, commitments, and agreements.
Drives direct-to-learner demand and enrollment within partner organizations by defining priority learner segments, messages, events, alumni referrals, and nurture approaches in partnership with marketing and admissions.
Manages strategic accounts through executive sponsor relationships, account plans, partner reviews, health monitoring, risk resolution, renewal, and expansion.
Maintains accurate CRM data, opportunity stages, next steps, probabilities, and projected enrollment and revenue.
Produces executive reporting on pipeline health, conversion, partner performance, market coverage, and forecast accuracy.
Monitors competitor offerings, pricing, workforce needs, and trends in graduate, executive, and online education.
Translates findings into recommendations on portfolio, promotion, pricing, and go-to-market priorities.
Aligns cross-functional teams on decision rights, handoffs, launch requirements, and escalation paths.
Represents Kelley at employer events, conferences, webinars, information sessions, alumni programs, and partnership and workforce conversations.
Works with academic leaders, marketing, admissions, enrollment management, alumni relations, employer relations, and program teams, the director guides market strategy, manages the opportunity pipeline, designs partnership models, and maintains executive relationships.
General Responsibilities

Develops and implements targeted strategies for identification, cultivation, solicitation, and activation of significant-value, mutually beneficial partnerships with corporations that will assist the university in meeting its long-term financial goals.
Manages and supports activities related to external funding for special project campaigns by identifying prospective corporate partners; developing, refining, and implementing cultivation plans; and developing, refining, and executing solicitation plans.
Authors, develops, and manages a comprehensive resource development program in order to expand and continue support from corporations and corporate foundations. Follows through with contracts for assigned prospects and refines cultivation and solicitation plans as needed to assure effectiveness.
Acts as a resource for university Corporate Relations Consultants and works in coordination with Indiana University (IU) units to set goals, timelines, budgets, and solicitation strategies for specific departmental goals and within budget parameters.
Prepares and regularly presents reports to support cultivation, solicitation, and activation plans and related activities; modifies plans as appropriate and maintains related records as required.
Researches and identifies prospective sponsors and provides stewardship for partners by assuring regular contact as needed to maintain and build relationships between sponsors and IU. Recruits, enlists, and trains volunteers and volunteer leaders to assist in cultivation and solicitation activities as appropriate.
Researches and analyzes national and geographic data to identify prospective partners by gathering and effectively utilizing information from internal and external systems; rating area prospects to identify funding potential; requesting prospect assignments through the Prospect Management (PMP) System; and employing other methodologies, as appropriate.
Researches industry trends; makes and implements process and policy recommendations to supervisor for improved operational efficiency. Establishes and implements procedures necessary for acknowledging corporate revenue streams.
EDUCATION

Required

Bachelor's degree in related field.
Preferred

Master's degree, MBA, or other relevant graduate credential.
WORK EXPERIENCE

Required

5 years of experience in business development or related field.
Preferred

10 years of progressively responsible experience in consultative sales, business development, strategic partnerships, enrollment growth, account leadership, or a closely related field.
Experience in graduate or executive education, online education, workforce development, professional services, talent development, or another complex knowledge-based offering.
SKILLS

Required

Proficient communication skills.
Maintains a high degree of professionalism.
Demonstrated time management and priority setting skills.
Demonstrates a high commitment to quality.
Possesses flexibility to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Seeks to acquire knowledge in area of specialty.
Highly thorough and dependable.
Demonstrates a high level of accuracy, even under pressure.
Possesses a high degree of initiative.
Ability to influence internal and/or external constituents.
Preferred

Demonstrated success developing complex B2B relationships and converting opportunities involving senior organizational stakeholders.
Demonstrated understanding of B2C demand generation, customer journeys, pipeline/funnel management, and conversion analytics.
Experience building business cases, proposals, forecasts, and executive presentations using quantitative and qualitative evidence.
Ability to lead cross-functional work through influence, manage ambiguity, and move complex opportunities through institutional decision processes.
Exceptional executive communication, negotiation, relationship-management, judgment, and organizational skills.
Record of building employer-sponsored education pathways, strategic alliances, channel partnerships, or enterprise accounts.
Experience with portfolio strategy, pricing, market research, enrollment economics, and multi-year revenue planning.
Ability to maintain existing networks among employers, associations, workforce organizations, alumni, or education partners relevant to Kelley's growth priorities.
This role requires the ability to effectively communicate and to operate a computer and other standard office productivity equipment. The position involves sedentary work as well as periods of time moving around an office environment and the campus. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.
This role requires regular interaction with external organizations and prospective learners, including periodic evening events and travel within Indiana and to national or international partner and industry events.
$115,000 - 125,000 annually
For full-time staff employees, Indiana University offers a wide array of benefits including:
Comprehensive medical and dental insurance
Health savings account with generous IU contributions
Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
Basic group life insurance paid by IU
Voluntary supplemental life, long-term disability, critical illness, and supplemental accidental death & dismemberment insurance
Base retirement plan with generous IU contributions, subject to vesting
Voluntary supplemental retirement plan options
Tuition subsidy for employees and family members taking IU courses
10 paid holidays plus a paid winter break each year
Generous paid time off plans
Paid leave for new parents and IU-sponsored volunteer events
Employee assistance program (EAP)
Learn more about our benefits by reviewing the IU Benefit Programs Brochure.
Career Level: Advanced
FLSA: Exempt
Job Function: Development & Advancement
Job Family: Bus Partner & Corp Relations
This posting is scheduled to close at 11:59 pm EST on the advertised Close Date. This posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University, but will remain open for a minimum of 5 business days. To guarantee full consideration, please submit your application within 5 business days of the Posted Date.
If you wish to include a cover letter, you may include it with your resume when uploading attachments.
Indiana University is an equal opportunity employer and provider of ADA services and prohibits discrimination in hiring. See Indiana University Notice of Non-Discrimination here which includes contact information.
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, containing policy statements, crime and fire statistics for all Indiana University campuses, is available online. You may also request a physical copy by emailing IU Public Safety at View email address on businessworkforce.com or by visiting IUPD.
Request Support
Telephone: View phone number on businessworkforce.com

J-18808-Ljbffr