NRRI Strategic Engagement Manager

Job Details

Job

Location:

Duluth

Job Family:
Marketing & Communications

Contract type:
Full-Time

Regular/Temporary:
Regular

Job Code: 9703PR

Employee Class:
Acad Prof and Admin

The Strategic Engagement Manager serves as an operational leader within NRRI's Office of Strategic Partnerships & External Affairs, helping translate institutional priorities into coordinated engagement strategies, relationships, and action. Reporting to the Director of Strategic Partnerships & External Affairs, this role serves as a force multiplier across NRRI's growing portfolio of externally facing initiatives by stewarding relationships, coordinating strategic platforms, and maintaining continuity across complex multi-partner efforts.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, relationship-oriented, politically and publicly aware, and comfortable operating in fast-moving environments that span industry, Tribal Nations, government, philanthropy, academia, and communities.

Job Duties:

• Strategic Platforms, Convenings & Institutional Coordination (40%)
  • Coordinate and help operationalize major institutional initiatives, including the Midwest Industrial Transformation Initiative (MITI) and other strategic platforms that advance NRRI priorities.
  • Lead planning and execution for advisory panel meetings, forums, workshops, stakeholder working groups, and major external convenings.
  • Maintain continuity across initiatives by tracking priorities, timelines, decisions, action items, and follow-up responsibilities.
  • Translate complex discussions into concise summaries, briefing materials, strategic memos, and decision-support documents.
  • Identify coordination gaps, stakeholder needs, and emerging risks across initiatives and partnerships.
  • Support executive-level relationship management working with NRRI Executive Director and ensure strong follow-through across external commitments.
  • Coordinate and communicate across researchers, leadership, communications, and external partners to keep strategic initiatives moving forward.
• Relationship Management & Stakeholder Engagement (30%)
  • Serve as steward of NRRI's institutional CRM and maintain relationship intelligence across industry, Tribal, philanthropic, government, academic, and community partners.
  • Develop engagement plans and track institutional touchpoints, relationship history, next steps, and opportunities.
  • Prepare stakeholder profiles, briefing materials, presentations, and partner background documents.
  • Lead logistics, follow-up, and relationship management activities tied to strategic partnerships.
  • Support relationship development across partner organizations, collaborators, and institutional stakeholders.
  • Operate thoughtfully within culturally, politically, and publicly sensitive engagement environments.
  • Ensure alignment with University of Minnesota partners, government relations teams, and other institutional offices as appropriate.
• Communications Integration, Institutional Positioning & Intelligence (30%)
  • Engage closely with communications staff to ensure alignment between engagement activities, partnerships, and institutional priorities.
  • Support messaging development, presentations, and strategic communications tied to high-priority initiatives.
  • Develop written content including briefing documents, outreach materials, talking points, and executive presentations.
  • Contribute to horizon scanning for emerging opportunities, funding trends, policy developments, and strategic risks relevant to NRRI priorities.
  • Help strengthen proactive planning and institutional positioning across major initiatives.
  • Support development of partner communications and executive materials.
  • Coordinate with University communications, foundation, and external partners as directed by Executive Director and Director of Strategic Partnerships and External Affairs.
  • Identify opportunities to elevate NRRI's visibility and strengthen relationships through strategic communications.
  • Lead planning and execution of signature events and institutional convenings.

Please note, this position is not eligible for H-1B or Green Card sponsorship. This position does not offer a STEM OPT training program.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree plus at least 4 years of relevant experience
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work in person from NRRI's offices in Duluth, Minnesota, with occasional travel to Twin Cities, Iron Range and other domestic travel as needed.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in public affairs, stakeholder engagement, government relations, strategic communications, policy, or related fields
• Exceptional writing, synthesis, organizational, and project management and coordination skills
• Ability to manage complex stakeholder relationships and multiple concurrent projects
• Strong judgment, professionalism, discretion, and attention to detail
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and shifting priorities within fast-moving environments
• Experience working across government, nonprofit, academic, Tribal, industry,…