Program & Relationship Manager

The Program and Relationship Manager will direct and support implementation of large, complex projects that often require multiple resources and functional integration to coordinate activities of the team and ensure customer satisfaction. This role manages digital programs within the Experiential Digital Global Education (EDGE) team’s portfolio to deliver on Northeastern’s values around experiential learning.

Responsibilities:

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Maintain ownership of a portfolio of multi-million dollar corporate learning projects, in collaboration with EDGE program team and EDGE leadership.

• Manage Northeastern relationships relative to project initiation (project scope, goals, and deliverables), delivery, follow up and new project development.

• Serve as a main point of contact between Northeastern and its corporate partners in regard to student success and overall program experience.

• Lead all areas of student support, in collaboration with Student Success Manager and EDGE business partners, including but not limited to:  student recruitment, onboarding, orientation, retention, program and course policies, events, community engagement, student performance and progress, and maintaining shared inbox.

• Lead and support the planning implementation of all student events with the Client Manager, with support from the Success Manager including but not limited to: onboarding, graduation, visits on campus, place-based immersions, and live virtual engagements.

• Lead the development and implementation of a strategy for community and alumni engagement, in collaboration with the Student Success Manager and EDGE Program Team leads, as it pertains to programmatic needs and partner and EDGE priorities.

• Responsible for collaborating with business partner and EDGE Team on technology and resource needs for program, ensuring all needs are met, including access to learning materials, software, hardware, and. credit hours.

• Manage programmatic level concerns, questions, or feedback on current courses, including: scheduling of courses (dates/timelines for completion), contracts, Program evaluation surveys.

• During program implementation, work with Success Manager, Faculty, EDGE Program and Learning Design teams, and Teaching Assistants to ensure high quality delivery of courses and programs.

• Anticipate opportunities and risks proactively and work across the university team and  EDGE team to ensure all needed stakeholders are informed/involved for program success. This includes overseeing program development, application management, program delivery, and learner support.

• Ensure appropriate level of quality assurance in all project-related deliverables and conduct ongoing project evaluations, postmortems, and assessment of results. Maintain accountability for various aspects of program success

• Work closely with EDGE leadership to operationalize Northeastern’s strategic plan for lifelong learning for B2B clients

• Implement and manage needs assessment process, observable outcomes definition and follow-up for all projects in portfolio, including the course and program evaluation process to identify improvements in design or delivery.

•  Assist in managing project budgets and resource allocation.

• Utilize data-driven strategies and best practices to inform student success strategies and address matters related to student retention and timely completion

• Utilize student information system and student success platforms to maintain case management of students served including data entry, tracking, and reporting.

• Engage in effective collaboration with EDGE Program team leads on college partnership issues as requested, including course support, course catalog updates, new course creation, collaborate with instructional design on re-developments, and troubleshooting course issues.

Student Support        

• Lead all areas of student support

• Lead and support the planning implementation of student events

• Manage programmatic level concerns, questions, or feedback on current courses

• During program implementation, ensure high quality delivery of courses and programs.

• Utilizes student information system and student success platforms to maintain case management of students served including data entry, tracking, and reporting

• Oversee student coaching and academic interventions that target high-risk student populations by identifying and addressing barriers to student success

• Utilize data-driven strategies and best practices to inform student success strategies and address matters related to student retention and timely completion

Project & Relationship Management

• Manage interactions with client to meet deadlines and facilitate the completion of timely, quality learning products that meet institutional goals. Ensures the timely delivery and execution of projects.

• Lead the development and implementation of a strategy for community and alumni engagement.

• Collaborate with business partner and EDGE Team on technology and resource needs for program, ensuring all needs are met.

• Manage and escalate risk as needed.

Program Evaluation and Strategic Planning

• Collaborate with Success Managers, Data Scientists, Learner Experience Team, and other stakeholders at conclusion of each semester to evaluate courses and during touchpoints during the program to evaluate its efficacy. Evaluate success of community engagements and events, and create plans for improvements.

• Support data analysis and contribute to reports and discussions around areas for improvement and enhancements.

Other projects and responsibilities as needed

• Contribute to positive team culture and collaborate effectively with program team, learning design team, and business partners.

• Take feedback from team members and clients and find the best ways to address concerns and provide new solutions.

• Act as a team player and pitch-in wherever help is needed, including supporting management of program projects, communication across teams, and mentoring others as needed.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree, plus 5 to 7 years of related project and/or operations management experience.

• Master’s Degree preferred

• Demonstrated understanding of Project Management processes, strategies and methods.

• Must have strong people skills and be able to influence project contributors across departments and organizations without having a direct oversight role.

• Experience working in a highly collaborative environment and promoting a teamwork mentality.

• High level of initiative and drive with a strong sense of urgency and accountability.

• Ability to work independently, but also as a team member when the situation warrants.

• Strong organizational, leadership, operations, and time management skills

• Ability to solve problems, analyze learner survey and performance data and synthesize and summarize information.

• Demonstrated strong business writing, internet research and project management/report writing skills.

• Builds positive relationships across departments, and shows a commitment to collegiality, mutual respect, supportiveness and inclusiveness.

• Is comfortable working in cross-functional teams and understands how to manage various stakeholders. Acts in a fair, flexible, honest and ethical manner at all times.

• Values and demonstrates consistently excellent communication skills. Is able to communicate and present to multiple levels of audiences including leadership, external partners, and students.

• Consistently looks for a better way to do things in order to create organizational efficiency and effectiveness. Acts as a good steward of the university’s resources.

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.