Director - Strategic Partnerships (Finance—banking, insurance, investment, ventu

Director - Strategic Partnerships (Finance—banking, insurance, investment, venture)

Position Summary

Bottom line: You will make Carolina the best university partner for the financial industry banking, insurance, investment, and venture, and help build the next chapter of Carolina’s excellence. Reporting directly to the Vice Chancellor for Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Economic Development, the Director owns this vertical end-to-end.

You own your vertical and will work shoulder-to-shoulder with other Directors of Strategic Partnerships, individual academic units (schools, institutes, and faculty), and the Partnership Success Managers who steward each relationship through the life of the partnership. This role demands deep industry knowledge and contacts.

The ability to engage the leaders of major firms in your domain, understand what they truly need, and map those needs to Carolina’s research capabilities, faculty expertise, talent pipeline, and innovation infrastructure is essential.

You will run the full partnership cycle: identify the right organizations, open the door (often through Carolina’s alumni network), discover the partner’s real needs, match them to Carolina’s capabilities, and close institutional‑scale agreements. Once signed, you remain the executive relationship anchor for renewal and expansion while Partnership Success Managers drive activation and delivery.

Minimum Education and Experience

Requirements

• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree and 0-2 years’ experience; or a combination of related education and experience in substitution.
• Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience
• Bachelor’s degree and 10 years of specific industry experience; or a Master’s degree and 5 years of specific industry experience.
• Deep, current industry experience and contacts in the vertical you bring, with an active, personal network of senior leaders you can reach directly.
• Proficiency in AI tools to research, draft, analyze, and move faster, with demonstrated application in operational leadership.
• Strong desire for self‑directed, autonomous work and the ability to deliver high‑quality outcomes without close supervision.
• Proven track record of building trusted relationships with senior leaders across business, government, and academia, translating complex needs into creative, executable solutions.
• Excellent written, verbal, and executive‑level communication, with smart brevity and credibility to represent Carolina before a C‑suite.
• Ability to collaborate across a matrixed institution, building relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Creative, strategic, results‑oriented work style and genuine commitment to public service and Carolina’s mission.
• Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience
• Personal track record of sourcing and closing $25M+ in cumulative partnerships, sponsored‑research agreements, MOUs, or strategic commercial deals, including at least one institutional‑scale agreement with a Fortune 1000 or comparable organization.
• Day‑one access to the leaders of at least five marquee firms in your domain, with the ability to reach senior decision‑makers (VP‑level and above).10+ years of direct experience inside or selling into the financial‑services sector.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex organizational capabilities into customized value propositions, with a written proposal delivered in 30 days or less.
• Experience negotiating contracts and partnership agreements in coordination with legal counsel, executive leadership, faculty, and operating partners.CRM proficiency (Salesforce or comparable) and fluency in pipeline management, opportunity forecasting, and deal‑stage discipline.
• Familiarity with university research enterprise, technology transfer, sponsored research administration, or higher‑education industry engagement is a strong plus.
• Willingness and ability to travel within North Carolina and nationally as needed.

Equal Opportunity Employer

StatementThe University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.#J-18808-Ljbffr