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, we've 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. We've created a one-of-a-kind global university system of 14 campuses, 49 alumni communities, and 3,900+ 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 University's Roux Institute is a global engine of innovation, talent-building, and economic growth in Portland, Maine. In 2020, Northeastern University partnered with David and Barbara Roux and the Harold Alfond Foundation to create the Roux Institute. Leveraging Northeastern's 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.

You'll 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 team's 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 that's 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

• Bachelor's 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

General Administration

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:

114S

Expected Hiring Range:

$130,945.00 - $189,868.75

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.