Associate Director, Strategic Partnership Management

Toggle navigation  

Strategic Partnership Management

Bookmark this Posting Print Preview | Apply for this Job

Announcement

 Details 

Open Date  | 09/25/2026
Requisition Number  | PRN46323B
Job Title  | Strategic Partnership Management
Working Title  | Associate Director, Strategic Partnership Management
Career Progression Track  | M00
Track Level  | M5 - Associate Director
FLSA Code  | Professional
Patient Sensitive Job Code?  | No
Standard Hours per Week  | 40
Full Time or Part Time?  | Full Time
Shift  | Day
Work Schedule Summary  | Standard work week. May need to be available some evenings and weekends depending on event coverage.
VP Area  | President
Department  | 00339 - Marketing & Communications
Location  | Campus
City  | Salt Lake City, UT
Type of Recruitment  | External Posting
Pay Rate Range  | $90,000-$120,000
Close Date  | 12/18/2026
Priority Review Date (Note - Posting may close at any time)  | 10/01/2026
Job Summary  | The Associate Director of Strategic Partnership Management at University Marketing & Communications (UMC) directs the development and management of the University of Utah’s external and internal marketing partnerships, serving as the primary point of connection between the main academic campus and the institution’s largest brand stakeholders. Reporting to the Senior Director of Brand Strategy, this position builds the relationships, agreements, and shared processes that allows the university to present a coherent and connected brand and to plan marketing work together rather than in parallel.

This role serves as the key liaison between the institution and key partnerships like the winter sport governing bodies, Utah Athletics, Crimson Brand Partners, and key campus partners. The Associate Director builds relationships with colleges, auxiliary units, and administrative offices whose marketing efforts intersect with enterprise brand strategy. Working collaboratively with brand strategy, creative, digital, web, social media, and project management colleagues, this position ensures partner needs are understood, commitments are documented, and joint initiatives are delivered as promised.

This is a relationship and alignment role. Success is measured by the strength and durability of partner relationships, the consistency of the University’s brand across partner organizations, and the quality and reliability of joint marketing work. The ideal candidate is a strategic, diplomatic leader who builds trust quickly, brings structure to complex multi-party work, and has the political sophistication to align competing priorities across a large, decentralized institution while protecting a nationally recognized brand.

Learn more about the great benefits of working for University of Utah: benefits.utah.edu

Responsibilities  | Campus Partner Relationship Management Build and sustain working relationships with colleges, auxiliary units, and administrative offices whose marketing activity intersects with enterprise brand strategy. Establish clear intake processes, service expectations, and escalation paths so campus partners have a consistent and predictable point of entry to UMC. Convene recurring planning and review forums with partner organizations to surface conflicts early, resolve competing priorities, and keep joint work on track. Represent the interests of the academic campus in partner planning discussions and carry partner constraints and objectives back to UMC leadership. Anticipate friction between units and intervene before it affects partner relationships, the University’s brand, audiences, or shared timelines. 
Affiliated Entity CoordinationCoordinate brand and marketing activity with Crimson Brand Partners across branding, licensing and sponsorship, ticketing, venue events, and digital media, ensuring alignment with University brand standards and institutional priorities. Maintain a shared understanding of roles, decision rights, and approval paths between UMC, Athletics, and affiliated commercial entities. Review proposed partner and commercial initiatives for brand fit, audience impact, and reputational risk, and advise leadership on concerns before commitments are made. Coordinate with Trademark Licensing, the Office of General Counsel, and other University offices on questions of brand usage, policy, and compliance. Track commitments made by and to affiliated entities and follow through to ensure both sides meet them.
Joint Initiative Planning and ExecutionIdentify and validate opportunities for joint marketing initiatives that serve both partner objectives and enterprise brand priorities. Develop organizational plans that translate partner needs into scoped, resourced marketing work with defined owners, timelines, and deliverables. Drive execution of collaborative campaigns and co-branded programs across paid, owned, and earned channels. Direct cross-functional teams through delivery and hold partners and internal teams to agreed scope and schedules. Lead post-initiative reviews and apply findings to strengthen the next round of joint work.
Agreements and Shared Resource ArrangementsOversee the development and negotiation of memoranda of understanding, service agreements, and brand usage terms that govern partner relationships. Develop the resourcing and cost-share arrangements behind joint initiatives, including internal chargeback, shared investment, and in-kind contributions of staff time and creative capacity. Ensure agreements are mutually beneficial, clearly scoped, and sustainable given UMC’s capacity, and that they hold up under institutional review. Partner with the Office of General Counsel, Purchasing, and Risk Management as required by University policy. Maintain the agreement lifecycle for the partner portfolio, tracking obligations, review dates, and renewals.
Internal Stakeholder AlignmentWork collaboratively with brand strategy, creative, web development, social media, digital marketing, project management, and photo and video teams to secure the capacity and expertise each partnership requires. Brief University leadership on relationship status, risks, and decisions requiring executive attention. Develop and maintain the documentation, playbooks, and templates that make partnership practices repeatable across UMC and campus partners.
Team Leadership and ManagementManage the activities of first- and second-level managers and supervisors, and hold accountability for the performance of their teams. Hire, develop, evaluate, and retain staff, including performance appraisals, pay reviews, corrective action, and separation decisions. Set goals, priorities, and workload allocation across the partnership management function. Develop the unit’s annual plan and budget and manage resources against approved targets. Build a collaborative, service-oriented culture and invest in staff growth and succession planning.
Measurement and ReportingDefine what success looks like for the partner portfolio, including partner satisfaction, service reliability, brand consistency, and the reach and engagement of joint initiatives. Direct the tracking and analysis of partnership performance and prepare reports and recommendations for University leadership and partner organizations. Use performance and relationship data to inform which partnerships warrant deeper investment, restructuring, or a change in approach. Maintain accurate records of partner activity, agreements, and outcomes.
Brand StewardshipEnsure partner marketing activity adheres to University brand standards, visual identity, messaging, and trademark policy. Advise partners and campus units on appropriate use of University marks and brand assets. Identify and escalate reputational risk associated with partner activity and recommend mitigation. Protect and strengthen the University’s brand reputation as its affiliated and commercial relationships expand.

Minimum Qualifications  | EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor’s degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).
Associate Director, Strategic Partnership Management: Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 10 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 8 years of directly related work experience.

Preferences  | Experience in higher education, academic medicine, collegiate athletics, or another large, decentralized enterprise with multiple brand stakeholders. Experience serving as a liaison between a central marketing function and semi-autonomous units, affiliated entities, or external rights holders. Working knowledge of trademark licensing, brand governance, and current collegiate athletics considerations, including name, image, and likeness. Experience establishing shared-service models, intake processes, or service-level agreements between internal units. Experience leading creative execution teams. Experience leading managers and supervisors across more than one marketing discipline. Experience developing integrated marketing plans with partners across paid, owned, and earned channels. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience presenting to executive leadership and governing boards.

Type  | Benefited Staff
Special Instructions Summary  |
Additional Information  | The University is a participating employer with Utah Retirement Systems (“URS”). Eligible new hires with prior URS service, may elect to enroll in URS if they make the election before they become eligible for retirement (usually the first day of work). Contact Human Resources at (801) 581-7447 for information. Individuals who previously retired and are receiving monthly retirement benefits from URS are subject to URS’ post-retirement rules and restrictions. Please contact Utah Retirement Systems at (801) 366-7770 or (800) 695-4877 or University Human Resource Management at (801) 581-7447 if you have questions regarding the post-retirement rules.


This position may require the successful completion of a criminal background check and/or drug screen.


The University of Utah values candidates who have experience working in settings with students and possess a strong commitment to improving access to higher education.


Veterans’ preference is extended to qualified applicants, upon request and consistent with University policy and Utah state law. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities.


Consistent with state and federal law, the University of Utah does not discriminate based upon race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, or protected veteran’s status. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and 34 CFR part 106. The requirement not to discriminate in education programs or activities extends to admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and its regulations may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, or both.


To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability or if you or someone you know has experienced discrimination or sexual misconduct including sexual harassment, you may contact the Director/Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX (OEO). More information, including the Director/Title IX Coordinator’s office address, electronic mail address, and telephone number can be located at the: University of Utah Non‑Discrimination page.




Online reports may be submitted at https://oeo.utah.edu


https://publicsafety.utah.edu/safetyreport/ This report includes statistics about criminal offenses, hate crimes, arrests and referrals for disciplinary action, and Violence Against Women Act offenses. They also provide information about safety and security-related services offered by the University of Utah. A paper copy can be obtained by request at the Department of Public Safety located at 1658 East 500 South.


As per University of Utah policy 5-108: Transfer of Benefits Eligible Staff Members, a new hire to the University of Utah who is still serving a 12 month probationary period will not be hired into another University of Utah job (a transfer) until the successful completion of the probationary period.

Posting Specific Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Applicant Documents

 University Human Resource Management 
 250 East 200 South, Suite 125 Salt Lake City, UT 84111
 Contact us: (801) 581-2169 By Email: [email protected] 

 

 To ensure the security of your data, you will be logged out due to inactivity in 3 minutes at
 .

 Any data not saved will be lost.

 Click 'OK' to keep your session active.