Assistant Director of Strategic Partnerships

Careers at Columbia > Assistant Director of Strategic Partnerships (Online Application)

Position Summary

Reporting to the Executive Director of Strategic Programs for the Data Science Institute at Columbia University, the Assistant Director of Strategic Partnerships will be responsible for managing the current industry affiliates program, growing and scaling the program, and supporting the Executive Director in the  formation of new strategic partnerships. The Assistant Director will focus on  expanding both broadly defined partnerships and sponsored research opportunities with existing and new industry partners  to  support a number of important initiatives at the Institute, including but not limited to, funding for academic and research programs, faculty and industry collaborations, M.S. in Data Science capstone course projects, internships, student recruitment and hiring, and executive training programs.

Responsibilities

Management of the Industry Affiliate Program  

• Relationship Management
  • Onboarding new affiliates into the program from contract initiation, execution, program introduction.
  • Developing regular touchpoints with industry affiliates to hear their needs and implement strategies to meet them.
  • Monitoring relationships and tracking affiliate outcomes in the program; identifying program gaps and needs; proactively recommending solutions and implementing them in partnership with Executive Director.
  • Tracking and responding to industry affiliate inquiries in a timely manner.
  • Ensuring a high level of customer service for affiliates and continuous renewal of existing affiliates within the program.
• Manage the intersection of the industry affiliates program with the Master of Data Science (MSDS) program
  • Coordinating with the career and alumni team to bring industry affiliates into MSDS programming such as mock technical interviews, career fairs, and coordinating the delivery of collateral such as resume books for industry partners.
  • Managing all aspects of the capstone course to include faculty and industry affiliates requests related to the MSDS Capstone course (offered each academic term), and ensuring that affiliate projects are solicited, coordinated, and matched effectively with MSDS students. Responsible for troubleshooting Capstone issues on the affiliate side when they arise.
  • Working in close partnership with the events and marketing lead to ensure that industry affiliate events are planned and executed effectively and partnering with the student affairs team to ensure strong attendance. 
  • Developing opportunities for MSDS students to work with our affiliate partners.
  • Planning opportunities for industry site visits for the MSDS students through the DSI MSDS “on the road” program. 
• Event Organization
  • Coordinating logistics, preparing briefings and identifying research efforts for industry campus visits and for off-site events and facilitating effective follow-up activity. 
  • Supporting content for DSI events by identifying industry partners and/or faculty as potential speakers for high-level events, panels and practicum.
  • Working closely with the ED of Strategic Programs and the DSI development lead to plan, organize, and execute an annual industry dinner in advance of Data Science Day.
• Program Management
  • Organized tracking system for follow up and evaluation metrics for the affiliates program; fostering a culture of feedback from industry affiliates to enhance program effectiveness and growth.
  • Working closely with the finance team on financial management of the affiliates, including invoicing and tracking payments received and terms.
  • Developing industry related marketing materials in partnership with the executive director of communications and the events and marketing lead.
  • Coordinating, scheduling and managing Industry meetings, including preparation of briefing materials for the executive director.

Strategic Partnership Development and Management ( 20%)

• Prospect development 
  • Tracking, monitoring, creating a database of prospects; identifying leads and following through with outreach and next steps.
  • Developing, planning and executing strategy to convert prospective industry partnerships into industry affiliates.
  • Engaging faculty on industry requests and creating content that aligns faculty research with industry interests.
  • Identifying and fostering faculty-industry engagement opportunities that will lead to sponsored research opportunities for the Institute.
  • Providing strategic guidance on building content that represents research across the Institute with the purpose of engaging industry.
  • Creating a strategic plan for the industry affiliates program that focuses on growing and scaling the model.

Other Duties as Assigned  (5%)

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 4-6 years related experience required.
• Understanding and representing Institute expertise is required to effectively engage with the community, the incumbent must have a basic understanding of data science research and application for intelligent representation of the Institute’s capability. 
• High level of proficiency in both Microsoft Office and Google Suite products required.

**Applications received without a resume and cover letter will not be considered.**

Preferred Qualifications

• The right candidate will have a strong background in STEM research.
• Experience in higher education research administration and/or in the tech sector is highly preferred.
• 2-3 years experience in business development, industry philanthropy, or government grants preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding of all phases of personally cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding small and large investments (ranging from $25,000 to $1,000,000 and above) from corporations, foundations, or government funding.
• Knowledge of program design and budget creation for solicitations.
• A successful record of assisting in the securing of grants or gifts is essential. 
• We are looking for a motivated self-starter who enjoys connecting the dots and having an impact by building the bridge between research expertise and real-world application.
• You must be a top-notch communicator, with impeccable relationship management skills, who is supremely organized to succeed in this role.  

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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