"CGU-Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships & Initiatives, SES"

Posted: 20-Dec-25

Location: Claremont, California

Type: Full-time

Categories: Staff/Administrative

Internal Number: REQ-7799

The anticipated hiring range for this role is $90,000 - $100,000

Applicants, please note that actual compensation is determined by several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to job-related skills, depth of experience, certifications, relevant education or training, and specific work location, among others. The offered wage or salary is only one aspect of an employee's total compensation.

Claremont Graduate University's School of Educational Studies (SES) is seeking a highly professional self-starter/self-organizer with excellent communication and people skills to serve as its Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships & Initiatives (herein called the Executive Director). The primary role of the Executive Director is to identify, establish, and sustain partnerships and initiatives that advance the SES's mission, strengthens its impact, and reinforce its wellbeing/financial viability.

The Executive Director provides direction and support across four interconnected areas:

1. Stakeholder Connection & Synergy
2. Publicity & Visibility
3. External Funding & Philanthropic Pursuits
4. Recruitment.

The Executive Director's time will be split across these areas but at times the Dean will focus efforts on one or two of the areas based upon the SES's fluctuating needs.

The ideal candidate is able to create and implement strategic plans connected to articulated larger goals/aspirations. They must be able to work individually and as part of a team and be able to garner enthusiasm/support for the SES's mission and ideals.

This position reports directly to the Dean of the School of Educational Studies.

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible, exempt position.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

SES Stakeholder Connection & Synergy.

Primary function: Establish, cultivate, and leverage relationships with and synergy among SES stakeholders for the benefit of the SES and its mission fulfillment. Involves fostering stakeholder connection and fortifying affinity/support/pride for the SES and its work.

Sought-after outcomes include the generation of new opportunities for mission fulfillment; amplified visibility/awareness of and support for the SES and its impact; and the development of initiatives and/or partnerships that lead to increased financial wellbeing via robust recruitment streams, philanthropic activity, external funding, etc.

SES stakeholders defined as faculty (core, adjunct, emerit, affiliated); alumni, students (current, perspective); staff; patrons/donors; partners (both established and potential); and friends of the SES.

To do this, the Executive Director will

• Develop and spearhead an engagement plan.
• Develop and spearhead a communication plan related to SES stakeholder outreach. Might involve seasonal emails from the Dean, an annual Year-at-a-Glance report, newsletters, and social media posts. Likely involves working with the Office of Alumni Engagement and the Office of Marketing & Communications.
• Work with the Office of Alumni Engagement to establish and maintain databases for each stakeholder group to aid communication and engagement.
• Create, run, and/or support events for and/or involving SES stakeholders. Sample events include SES celebrations & receptions; SES meetings, symposiums, and workshops; SES lecture series; and SES/CGU recruitment events. Involves working with other CGU units.

Publicity & Visibility.

Primary function: Seek and create opportunities for sharing/highlighting the work done in the SES and by its stakeholders to elevate general public and stakeholder awareness of the SES, its assets, and its impact.

To do this, the Executive Director will

• Create and implement a plan aimed to increase the general public's awareness of the SES, its work, stakeholders and assets.
• Develop and spearhead a communication plan related to SES stakeholder outreach to promote connection, synergy, awareness and pride. Might involve seasonal emails from the Dean, an annual Year-at-a-Glance report, newsletters, and social media posts. Likely involves working with the Office of Alumni Engagement and the Office of Marketing & Communications.
• Spearhead SES's social media efforts. Involves working with CGU's Office of Marketing & Communications as well as student workers.

External Funding & Philanthropic Pursuits.

Primary function: Bolster the SES's financial viability/brawn through spearheading efforts related to external funding opportunities, philanthropic pursuits, and other revenue-streams.

To do this, the Executive Director will

• Help to identify grants and other forms of external funding that relate to the core mission and activities of the SES and its stakeholders. Involves but isn't limited to creating a system to identify grant opportunities of interest and reviewing promising opportunities with the Dean. Additionally, as assigned by the Dean, aid grant-getting activities once potential grants are identified.
• Work with the Dean to establish and cultivate relationships with donors and philanthropic entities. Involves working with CGU's Office of Advancement and the Office of Alumni Engagement.
• Work with the Dean to plan and host revenue-generating workshops, symposiums, or conferences.

Recruitment & New Applicant Streams.

Primary function: Pursue relationships/opportunities that generates a robust pipeline and/or stream of high-quality applicants into the SES's admissions funnel. Position is not responsible for managing applications; rather position is focused on cultivating applicants that are then ushed through the admissions funnel by SES's/CGU's admissions team.

To do this, the Executive Director will need to

• Articulate and promote the work of the SES, its faculty, students, and alumni in a way that garners interest among potential students and/or partners.
• Create applicant pipelines and design & oversee nuts and bolts processes that lead to greater numbers in the admissions funnel and ultimately to greater matriculation into SES programs. Involves working with and complementing the efforts of SES's recruiters, the Office of Admissions, and the Office of Marketing & Communications.
• Create and implement a strategic recruitment plan for SES programs. Involves working with the Dean, the Associate Dean, Program Directors, and SES recruiters as well as CGU's Office of Admissions & Recruitment and the Director of Enrollment Management.
• Work closely with SES's recruiters to track recruitment performance, report outcomes, and make recommendations that enhance the SES's matriculation goals. Involves attending CGU Admissions & Recruitment meetings as assigned by the Dean.
• Fortify and leverage relations with SES stakeholders.
• Identify and pursue formal relations with programs designed to help connect qualified people with graduate programs in education.
• Identify and establish relations with feeder programs.
• Manage the SES's web/digital presence and recruiting materials, making sure they are of high quality, relevant, accurate and effective. Involves working with the Office of Admissions and the Office of Marketing & Communications as well as CGU recruiters and stakeholders and SES program directors.
• Serve as a point-of-contact between the SES and CGU's Offices of Admissions, Marketing & Communications, Alumni Engagement, and Advancement to ensure alignment in outreach, messaging and partnership development.
• Meet routinely with CGU's Director of Admissions & Recruitment, SES's Director of Administration, SES's admissions team, and SES leadership (Dean and/or Associate Dean) to align/streamline efforts, analyze admissions funnel health (and discuss how it relates to programing and budget), identify opportunities/issues related to achieving enrollment and budgeting goals.

Performs additional duties/tasks as assigned by one's supervisor.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES:

• Ability to articulate the goals and mission of the SES with authenticity and energy.
• Ability to garner enthusiasm/support for the SES's mission, ideals, and work.
• Excellent networking and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written. Able to independently draft high-level correspondence.
• When given a goal, able to self-structure a path to get there, leveraging relationships and building networks as needed. Able to thrive in an ambiguous environment.
• Able to work in a fast-paced environment with multiple deadlines.
• Adept working autonomously and as a member of a team.
• Has experience creating social-media content and managing social media postings and presence.
• Excellent word-processing skills and strong computer skills, including high proficiency with or ability to quickly learn Microsoft Word, Excel, Google G-Suite, Canvas, Canva, AI, and social media platforms.
• High proficiency with database management systems.
• Demonstrated organizational skills, especially in a multi-task environment.
• Ability to work with budgets and basic knowledge of budget processes.
• Able to interact well in a culturally diverse work environment.
• Professional in regard to attitude, dress, punctuality, work ethic, time usage.

EDUCATION: At a minimum has a Master's degree, or any combination of education, training, or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and ability. Preferred: Doctoral degree or coursework in the field of education.

EXPERIENCE: At a minimum five years of experience in positions of increasing responsibility or related experience in an academic program or institution.

LICENSES / CERTIFICATES: Valid California driver's license.

HOURS & MODALITY:

The typical hours for this position are 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. Hours may vary due to program, School, or stakeholder needs. This position will include visits to off-campus locations and, hence, involves driving one's own car (eligible for mileage reimbursement). Involves some weekend and evening duties. Employees can request the flexibility to work from home one day a week.

CLASSIFICATION AND STATUS: This is a full-time, 12-month, exempt position. Benefits-eligible.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: Potential to supervise part-time student works.

REPORTS TO: Dean of the SES

Benefits

We are committed to supporting the well-being and professional development of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

• Medical, Dental and Vision insurance
• Group life insurance
• Retirement plan with a 7% employer contribution — no employee match required (after 1 year of service)
• Generous paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Winter closure in December, subject to institutional approval
• Tuition reimbursement program available to eligible employees and their dependents for approved coursework, subject to plan guidelines and institutional policies