Business Development Consultant - Hopkins Edge (Office of the Provost)

About the job

The Office of the Provost is seeking a Business Development Consultant who will cultivate opportunities for complex new business opportunities and public dissemination of the portfolio of projects developed at the department/division level. Independently perform a variety of activities intended to promote the capabilities and intellectual property of the team of faculty and staff within the division/department. Responsible for sourcing, shaping, closing and managing large deals with a variety of partners that advance the aims of Johns Hopkins University, the division/department and the specific projects that are promoted.

Johns Hopkins University is establishing a distinct third educational access point within its ecosystem for Non-Degree & Non-Credit (NDNC) education and microcredentials alongside its traditional undergraduate and graduate offerings. This initiative unifies a broad landscape of executive education, professional development, continuing education, and personal enrichment under one cohesive identity.

This expanding portfolio addresses a growing demand for flexible, skills-focused learning designed for working professionals and lifelong learners. These offerings will provide a microcredentials signaling verified knowledge, skills, or competencies. By lowering the access barrier and cost, while maintaining the quality associated with Hopkins, the institution can serve a broader population seeking targeted, practical learning experiences and professional advancement.

Hopkins Edge provides a new, third entry point into the Hopkins educational ecosystem that delivers an accessible interdisciplinary experience to working professionals, organizations, and individuals looking to upskill, reskill, or advance their knowledge via non-degree/non-credit learning and microcredentials. As we expand our strategic partnerships with corporations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations, we are seeking a dynamic B2B Partnership Development Manager to drive relationship building and revenue growth across the DMV area (DC, Maryland, Virginia), nationally and globally.

This role serves as a critical 'front door' to Hopkins Edge for external partners, positioning JHU as a comprehensive workforce development solution provider by building strategic partnerships and aligning Hopkins Edge resources and offerings with industry demands.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

Drive New Partnership Pipeline Development

• Identify partners and cultivate relationships with high-potential organizations and key decision-makers within target areas of growth for Johns Hopkins, particularly in priority sectors including healthcare education, human services, government agencies, workforce development boards, industry associations, and corporate learning & development departments.

• Act as the primary entry point for governmental, non-profit, and industry partners seeking to engage with Hopkins Edge.

• Build deep understanding of priority sectors and research emerging workforce trends, credentialing needs, and training opportunities to inform partnership strategy.

• Analyze labor market data and research competitor offerings and pricing strategies in the executive education and workforce development landscape to articulate Hopkins Edge differentiation.

• Conduct needs assessments with employers to identify skills gaps and training requirements that align with Hopkins Edge program offerings.

• Facilitate partnership outreach efforts by preparing customized partner-facing materials (e.g., presentation decks, case studies, storytelling content) that highlight interdivisional capabilities and JHU's unique value proposition.

• Track prospect communications to ensure consistent volume and cadence using CRM systems.

Relationship Management & Cross-Divisional Coordination

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with corporate clients, industry associations, workforce development boards, and government agencies throughout the full relationship lifecycle.

• Coordinate closely with Executive Education teams, lifelong learning teams, and corporate outreach departments across JHU's divisions to create comprehensive 'One University' solutions.

• Collaborate with divisional schools' corporate engagement teams to align offerings with client needs and present a unified Hopkins Edge partnership approach.

• Provide outstanding project management support during discovery, scoping, and solution presentations, ensuring smooth scheduling, detailed documentation, and timely follow-up.

• Coach and prepare faculty and subject matter experts to present and pitch effectively to corporate clients, government agencies, and other external stakeholders—bringing academic partners along in the sales process.

• Organize and manage all technology and logistics for partnership engagement events, including introductory webinars, workshops, and high-level meetings.

• Represent Johns Hopkins University at industry conferences, networking events, and professional gatherings nationally and internationally.

• Maintain accountability for post-sale relationship management and renewals, ensuring ongoing client satisfaction, retention, and expansion of existing partnerships.

CRM & Data Management

• Establish and maintain a robust CRM function with strategic contacts in industry, government, and non-profit sectors.

• Maintain prospect and client databases with high attention to data quality and accessibility.

• Support collection and analysis of data from pilot programs and partnerships, tracking key metrics for program effectiveness and partner engagement.

• Contribute to internal reports and presentations demonstrating measurable impact and ROI of Hopkins Edge solutions.

• Develop business plans with revenue projections and track/report measurable outcomes against revenue targets.

Strategic Program Support

• Develop deep understanding of the Hopkins Edge offerings, including understanding of microcredentials, digital badges, stackable credentials, and how these align with employer and industry credentialing needs.

• Support strategic revenue growth of JHU ND&NC programs through active pipeline development and partnership expansion.

• Navigate JHU's decentralized academic environment by coordinating across autonomous divisional schools with varying priorities, cultures, and decision-making structures.

• Bring forward solutions and recommendations for challenges identified during the partnership development cycle.

• Contribute to process improvement initiatives that create repeatable, scalable partnership engagement models.

Additional Duties & Responsibilities

• Identify potential governmental, non-profit, and industry partners and act as a front door for those partners to Johns Hopkins University.

• Coach and train subject experts to present their inventions and ideas to potential investors.

• Take a leadership role in coordinating all aspects of deal negotiation and oversee deals from identification through closure stage.

• Oversee management of a team of marketing and business development professionals.

• Manage ongoing relationships with partners at a high level, and work with project managers to communicate and report on milestones and other progress.

• Establish and maintain strategic contacts in industry, government, and non-profit sectors including health care education/childcare, and human services.

• Develop creative new methods for engaging funding partners.

• Develop a marketing and engagement strategy to communicate value with various funding partners.

• Work closely with program teams and participate in developing events at conferences to attract and retain funding partners.

• Create and maintain engagement and opportunity reporting including, but not limited to, measurable accomplishments and budget projections.

• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• Five years of related experience.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or Master’s Degree in a related field.

• 7 years of experience with progressive responsibility in business development, management consulting, sales operations, account management, or client success roles.

• Experience working in higher education or corporate settings; experience at a complex, decentralized academic institution is highly valuable.

• Partnership & Relationship Acumen: Proven ability to support and contribute to client or partner relationship development, including initial outreach, managing and advancing conversations, and fostering positive engagements.

• CRM and Technology Proficiency: Demonstrated experience maintaining prospect/client databases and strong data management capabilities.

• Project Management & Organizational Skills: Capability to independently manage projects from start to finish, handle multiple tasks, and oversee logistical details (e.g., event coordination).

• Analytical & Problem-Solving Aptitude: Strong analytical skills with ability to collect and derive actionable insights from data; proactive in identifying issues and suggesting solutions.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to work across multiple internal teams, academic departments, and schools; skilled at building consensus and aligning diverse stakeholders.

• Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication with ability to build rapport with both internal academic partners and external corporate stakeholders.

• Industry Knowledge: Familiarity with workforce learning, talent development, executive education, and the non-credit credentialing landscape.

• Must have own transportation and be willing to travel up to 25% of time including air travel for domestically and internationally.

• Ability to make multi-night trips and availability to staff occasional evening events.

• Existing network with companies and organizations in the Baltimore/DC area.

• Experience in manager/employer development departments of large corporations.

• Familiarity with Johns Hopkins University's academic structure and programs.

• Understanding of microcredentials, digital badges, and alternative credentialing pathways.

• Experience with competitive intelligence and market positioning in the workforce development sector.

Special Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Business Development: Intermediate.

• Data Management and Analysis: Intermediate.

• Event Coordination: Intermediate.

• Marketing Strategy: Intermediate.

• Negotiation: Intermediate.

• Partner Relationship Management: Intermediate.

• Training and Development: Intermediate.

Classified Title: Business Development Consultant Job Posting Title (Working Title): Business Development Consultant - Hopkins Edge (Office of the Provost) Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PF Starting Salary Range: $85,500 - $149,800 Annually ($120,000 targeted; Commensurate w/exp.). Employee group: Full Time Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm FLSA Status: Exempt Location: Hybrid/Homewood Campus Department name: Office of the Provost Personnel area: University Administration