Head of Business Development — Industry Partner Programs

About the Opportunity

Job Summary:

Founded in 1898 Northeastern University is renowned for our experiential learning model high-impact research deep partnerships and worldwide reach. From day one weve pursued innovative ways of teaching and research that place a premium on experience and engagement with the world. Today our signature approach erases traditional boundaries empowering not only students but faculty alumni partners and innovators to solve problems and pursue impact. Weve created a one-of-a-kind global university system of 14 campuses 49 alumni communities and 3900 employer partners that forms a dynamic international community. We create new opportunities for richer educational experiences and deeper collaborations across industries and disciplines to bring the right expertise together to go from promise to reality.

Northeastern Universitys Roux Institute is a global engine of innovation talent-building and economic growth in Portland 2020 Northeastern University partnered with David and Barbara Roux and the Harold Alfond Foundation to create the Roux Institute. Leveraging Northeasterns global University system the Roux Institute positions Portland as a major innovation hub in AI data science and life sciences.

This role works with a team based at the Roux Institute but with a global remit to bring the right programs to partners regardless of where the programs sit within the University.

About the Opportunity:

This is a build role. You will design launch and scale the growth strategy for Industry Partner Programs run out of the Roux Institute and the Institute for Experiential AI and lead the teams that turn partner relationships into lasting impact. The Roux Institute was built on an ethos of listening to our partners and creating offerings that can meet them where they are today and help them envision where they might go in the future.

Our partners span companies of every size and industry vertical. Getting the structure and the people right so every partner gets a team that understands their world is the single biggest determinant of your success in this role.

Youll also carry a personal revenue target and a portfolio of your own partner relationships. Our strongest BD leader needs to be in the room for our most important partnerships modeling what a great partner experience looks like and staying close enough to the work to keep the teams playbook current.

The person who thrives here operates at two altitudes at once: strategic enough to set direction tactical enough to close the engagement and build durable flexible partnerships that can adapt over time. You understand the impact of data and AI across industries well enough to hold your own with a CEO CTO and a CFO and you know how to listen and elicit partner priorities to meet a real partner need. You build a culture thats curious humble fast data-driven accountable and partner-obsessed. Continuous improvement is one of your core values.

You will manage 3-6 direct reports and lead a broader team of 9-12 spanning business development partnership operations and demand generation.

Core Responsibilities

• Build and lead a high-performing partner-obsessed sales organization: set performance targets build the funnel define sales motions and own engagement attribution.

• Set strategic direction for how we go to market: product and service positioning target partner development messaging and ICP refinement.

• Personally own and grow a portfolio of strategic partner relationships serving as a trusted advisor as much as a dealmaker.

The successful candidate will bring the following qualifications experience skills and dispositions to the role.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelors degree required; advanced degree preferred.

Experience

• 10 years of B2B solution selling in advanced technology ideally data or AI products and services.

• A track record of building and scaling high-performing sales teams from the ground up.

• A track record of personally closing revenue-generating deals with sophisticated B2B buyers.

Skills and Dispositions

• Proven ability to recruit coach and scale top sales and BD talent.

• Skilled at building trust with partner stakeholders and internal alliances and navigating politics within large complex organizations.

• Comfortable operating with startup-level speed ambiguity and resourcefulness.

• Communicates with precision backed by data dashboards and forecasts.

• Fluent in budgeting forecasting and running operations inside a complex organization.

• Proficient with modern sales tools (e.g. Salesforce).

• Demonstrated history of hitting revenue targets in a B2B sales environment.

• Takes full ownership of outcomes both personal and team-wide.

• Curiosity is essential for this role.

• The successful candidate will be confident and capable but will approach the work with humility and a learning mindset.

Location

Portland Maine preferred. Other Northeastern campus locations will be considered. This is a mostly in-person role with some flexibility to work remotely.

Position Type

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience education and skills when extending an offer.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race religion color national origin age sex sexual orientation disability status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Compensation Grade/Pay Type:

Expected Hiring Range:

With the pay range(s) shown above the starting salary will depend on several factors which may include your education experience location knowledge and expertise and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.