Lead Specialist, Partnership Strategy

Lead Specialist, Partnership Strategy

You'll lead and grow a global faculty and student advocacy network, turning research, insight, and relationships into clear actions that shape Pearson's products, strategy, and market engagement.

Location:

London, UK – Hybrid Preferred / Flexible for Remote

The Lead Specialist, Partnership Strategy will play a critical role in building and leading the Faculty Advisor Program within the Advocacy Team for International Higher Education s role is responsible for developing, managing, and scaling a global community of 75 higher education faculty who serve as trusted representatives in professional settings such as training webinars, sales product demonstrations, and market feedback forums.

In addition, this role will lead the Research & Insights function for Advocacy, ensuring that approximately 150 students and 75 faculty stakeholders are strategically engaged to deliver high-quality feedback, research, and market insights to internal teams including marketing, sales, product, and strategy. This role will design and execute surveys, focus groups, and qualitative research, translating complex findings into clear, actionable insights for senior leadership.

This is a highly collaborative, relationship-driven role requiring strong program leadership, proven experience managing and delivering complex projects, research expertise, and the ability to communicate clearly with a diverse global audience.

• Design and scale the Faculty Advisor Program to drive advocacy and market engagement
• Recruit and onboard faculty as professional representatives and advisors
• Build strong faculty relationships to ensure engagement and impact
• Coordinate faculty involvement in webinars, sales activities, and product demos
• Lead the Advocacy Team's research strategy across faculty and student communities
• Design and run surveys, focus groups, and feedback programs to capture market and product insights
• Analyze qualitative and quantitative data to identify trends, opportunities, and innovation inputs
• Package and present clear, compelling insights to senior leadership and cross-functional teams

• Partner closely with cross-functional teams to align research priorities and advocacy activities
• Ensure Advocacy stakeholders are engaged with structured communication plans and feedback loops
• Act as a professional ambassador, representing the organization with credibility and professionalism in academic environments

• Lead multiple complex programs and timelines simultaneously
• Develop simple, scalable processes for onboarding, engagement, and research execution
• Track impact, participation, and outcomes of advocacy and insights initiatives

• 6+ years of experience in project management, program management, or strategic initiatives
• 5+ years of experience working in the higher education sector, university experience preferred
• Strong research and analysis skills, including survey design, qualitative research, and insight synthesis
• Proven ability to build trusted relationships with senior faculty and academic stakeholders
• Excellent communication skills with ability to translate complex ideas into clear, actionable messages
• Experience designing programs for simplicity, scalability, and global engagement
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives in parallel

• PhD strongly preferred
• Experience working with higher education courseware or learning products is beneficial but not required

We know you'll do great work, so we give a lot back with some of the best benefits in the business. We know one size doesn't fit all, so our workplace programs meet the different needs of our diverse teams, and their families, too.

At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realize the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. We are the world's lifelong learning company. For us, learning isn't just what we do. It's who we are. To learn more:
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Pearson is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other group protected by law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

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