University Partnership Manager

University Partnership Manager

Location: Remote / Worldwide (Global)

Duration: Full-time

Start Date: July - September 2026

The Role

The University Partnership Manager is responsible for both managing and growing Absolute Internships university and institutional partnerships. The role combines account management (retention success and expansion of existing partners) with business development (identifying and securing new strategic partnerships).

The objective is to ensure long-term partner success while expanding the organisations global academic network and program footprint.

About Absolute Internship

We are a global education company creating transformative international learning experiences for students through internships academic programs and custom-designed global initiatives.

We partner with leading universities and institutions worldwide to deliver impactful credit-bearing programs across major global cities. Beyond program delivery we are committed to expanding access to education through long-term social impact initiatives.

Recognized by outlets such as The New York Times BBC and Bloomberg we are a mission-driven organisation combining education industry engagement and global mobility.

Role Objective

To manage grow and develop a portfolio of strategic university partnerships ensuring partner satisfaction program success and long-term revenue growth while actively expanding the network through new institutional relationships and program opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

What we Expect:

• Professionalism at all times.
• Exemplary conduct in all internal and external interactions.
• Promptness and Professional communication (12-hour email response policy).
• Positive and respectful attitude towards all stakeholders.
• Strong attention to detail accuracy and responsibility in handling financial data.
• Ability to work with numbers confidently and maintain data integrity.
• Team collaboration and readiness to support multiple finance functions as needed.
• Proactive behavior.
• Excellent communication skills written and verbal.
• Organizational skills to guarantee efficient time management.

Account Management

• Own a portfolio of university and institutional partners as the main point of contact
• Ensure high levels of partner satisfaction engagement and retention
• Manage the full partnership lifecycle: onboarding delivery renewal and expansion
• Act as the trusted advisor to partners on program design delivery and outcomes
• Coordinate closely with internal teams to ensure seamless program execution
• Monitor partner performance feedback and program success metrics
• Identify opportunities to expand existing partnerships (new programs regions formats)
• Represent Absolute Internship in meetings conferences and partner visits (virtual and in-person)

Business Development

• Identify engage and secure new university and institutional partnerships globally
• Develop tailored proposals for new academic programs and custom collaborations
• Lead partnership discussions from initial outreach through to signed agreements
• Collaborate with internal teams to design new program models based on institutional needs
• Attend conferences fairs and institutional events to generate new leads
• Support strategic outreach into new regions and academic segments
• Contribute to the development of scalable partnership models (custom programs faculty-led remote projects)

Program & Student Engagement

• Coordinate student-facing touchpoints where needed (e.g. interviews pre-departure sessions)
• Support partner alignment on academic and operational program elements
• Ensure student experience aligns with institutional expectations and learning outcomes

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Operations Marketing and Placement teams to deliver seamless programs
• Contribute insights from partners to improve program design and delivery
• Collaborate on marketing materials case studies and partnership storytelling
• Support continuous improvement of systems processes and partner experience

Key Expectations

• Professionalism in all internal and external interactions
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Ability to manage multiple partnerships and priorities simultaneously
• High attention to detail and ownership of outcomes
• Data awareness and ability to track partnership performance
• Proactive solution-oriented mindset
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced international environment

Experience & Profile

• 5 years experience in partnerships account management business development or higher education
• Experience working with universities or international education stakeholders is required
• Previous sales experience is highly desired
• Bachelors degree required
• Proven track record of managing the full lifecycle of complex academic proposals from initial market analysis and stakeholder alignment to final institutional approval and launch
• Positive Attitude You think nothing is impossible
• Goal oriented You possess an acute sales instinct and aim to exceed your goals
• Driven You are confident take initiative and venture into uncharted territory
• Highly organized and able to prioritize multiple competing requests
• Excellent communication skills in both written and oral.

Training & Development

• Partnership & negotiation training
• Higher education ecosystem and program design understanding
• Data literacy and performance tracking
• End-to-end understanding of the student journey
• Exposure to multi-market international operations

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

Absolute Internship is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where diversity is valued celebrated and respected. We look forward to welcoming a passionate and skilled individual to our team!