Experiential Partnerships Specialist

About the Opportunity

About the Opportunity

Under the Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives on the Toronto Campus and in collaboration with the Career Development team, the Experiential Partnerships Specialist will create and implement opportunities for Toronto learners to gain practical, career-relevant experiences to supplement their academic journey. These experiences include co-ops, internships, industry projects, partner-supported events, hackathons, company visits (treks), and more. This position is responsible for creating a comprehensive portfolio of experiential learning opportunities through partner development to ensure students are job-ready upon graduation. The role will also promote Northeastern’s upskilling and corporate learning programs to foster professional development partnerships.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a high-impact, outcome-oriented team with a culture of innovation to help us continue to grow experiential learning at Northeastern University in Toronto.

Qualifications

Preferred candidates for the Experiential Partnerships Specialist position will have:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
• 3-5 years of experience supporting partnership development in the life sciences field.
• Must have business development experience within the life sciences or adjacent industries, including established contacts with key industry stakeholders.
• Demonstrated success in securing partnerships from the life sciences and health sector that can provide career-relevant learning experiences for students.
• Experience working with both students and industry partners, along with a background in experiential/work-integrated learning, is a strong asset.
• An understanding of industry hiring and employment trends relevant to the Toronto degree programs (e.g., biotechnology and bioinformatics) and the ability to conduct independent research on these areas.
• Experience designing and running large-scale, complex programs, both independently and in close collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated ability to build trust and foster long-term partnerships.
• Strong communication skills and an interest in working in a highly collaborative role with external partners, staff, faculty, alumni, and students.
• Must be flexible and adaptable to changing priorities in a growing campus environment.
• Excellent relationship-building, event planning, public relations, and database management skills.
• Experience with CRM platforms (e.g. Salesforce).

Additional attributes:

• Forward-thinking and innovative, helping us realize the future of education in line with Northeastern’s mandate and academic plan.
• Connect with students from different cultures, backgrounds and lived experiences in-person and virtually to help them become career-ready and progress on their journey.
• Passion for networking and making new connections with regional employers.
• Must be able to communicate effectively with multiple audiences and maintain confidentiality around complex and sensitive issues for compliance with federal and provincial laws and Northeastern policies.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

Program Development and Implementation 

• Build and nurture relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including employers, faculty, staff, alumni, and industry partners.
• Engage with regional employers to create and expand career-relevant opportunities for students.
• Facilitate events, networking opportunities, and collaborative projects to strengthen industry connections.
• Discover, design, implement, and manage experiential learning programs, such as co-ops, internships, hackathons, company visits (treks), industry projects, and partner-supported events, in collaboration with the Career Development team.
• Collaborate with faculty, students, staff, and external stakeholders to ensure projects, events and programs align with academic goals and industry needs.
• Conduct independent research on employment trends.

• Continuously assess and improve experiential learning programs to meet evolving priorities on the growing Toronto campus.

Administrative and Data Management

• Maintain program data and utilize CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce) for tracking engagement, outcomes, and program success.

• Assist with event planning, communications, and reporting related to experiential learning initiatives.

Student Career Support 

• Collaborate with the Career Development team in programming to prepare students for and engaging with experiential learning opportunities, ensuring they develop critical soft and hard skills.

• Provide guidance and support in navigating experiential learning processes.

Other Duties as Assigned

Position Type

Student Services

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.