Strategic Partnership and Business Development Specialist

Job Title:

Strategic Partnership and Business Development Specialist

Location:

Albany State Rec. Location

Regular/Temporary:
Regular

Full/Part Time:
Full-Time

Job

Albany State University is a fully accredited senior unit of the University System of Georgia. Employees receive benefits provided by the University System of Georgia, including, but not limited to, medical and major medical insurance, group life insurance, participation in the Georgia Teachers' Retirement System, Optional Retirement Plan (Faculty and exempt employees only), Social Security and Tuition Assistance Program after six months of employment.

Our West Campus is located at 2400 Gillionville Road, Albany, GA 31707. Our East Campus is located at 504 College Drive, Albany, GA 31705. The Human Resources office for both campuses is located on the West Campus in Building K, Suite 209.

The Strategic Partnerships and Business Development Specialist is a new position within the University Growth Office that supports the VP and Chief University Growth Officer in executing Albany State University's corporate partnership strategy and new revenue development agenda. This role serves as the execution partner for stakeholder engagement, Fortune 500 outreach, MOU development, and partnership activation - ensuring that the VP is not the sole point of contact for every employer relationship.

The position is designed as an intentional growth track: the incumbent is expected to develop direct employer relationships and portfolio ownership that positions them to advance to a Director of Strategic Partnerships role within two to three years.

Sponsorship is not available for this position.

• Research and prepare briefing materials, partnership proposals, and stakeholder presentations for Fortune 500 employer outreach meetings.
• Maintain the employer partnership pipeline, tracking contact status, meeting history, commitments, and next steps for all active and prospective partners.
• Support the development, negotiation, and execution of Memoranda of Understanding with corporate and employer partners.
• Follow up on partnership commitments and deliverables on behalf of the VP, ensuring employer partners receive timely communication and relationship continuity.

• Research peer HBCU and regional university corporate partnership models, benchmarking ASU's portfolio against comparable institutions.
• Monitor Georgia employer talent gap data, workforce development trends, and Fortune 500 diversity hiring commitments relevant to ASU's academic strengths.
• Prepare competitive intelligence briefings on employer partners prior to outreach meetings.
• Track national HBCU partnership announcements and identify replicable models for ASU.

• Coordinate employer partner campus visits, including logistics, itineraries, briefing materials, and follow-up communications.
• Support the planning and execution of employer relationship events and partner cultivation activities.
• Represent the CUGO office at select employer and community events on behalf of the VP.
• Assist in preparing the VP for government and external affairs meetings including research, talking points, and stakeholder background.

• Support the development of the Executive Education Institute, corporate sub-licensing models for Kaplan All Access, and IBM Skills Build employer partner engagement.
• Coordinate with Marketing and Communications on employer-facing campaigns and partnership announcements.
• Maintain documentation of partnership outcomes, student placements, and employer engagement metrics for reporting to the President and Cabinet.

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, or a related field.
• Minimum two years of experience in business development, account management, corporate relations, or a related professional role.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with experience preparing professional presentations and briefing documents.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple stakeholder relationships and project timelines simultaneously.
• Proficiency with CRM platforms, project management tools, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Professional demeanor with the ability to represent the institution in external settings.

• Experience in higher education, workforce development, or nonprofit partnership development.
• Familiarity…