Director of Partnerships

Position Announcement – June 2025

Director of Partnerships

Black Wealth Data Center

The Black Wealth Data Center (BWDC) at John’s Hopkins University is seeking a talented and collaborative inaugural Director of Partnerships, BWDC to build out and lead BWDC’s partnership’s pillar. The Director will serve as the primary liaison between BWDC and key external stakeholders and partners to strategically develop, activate and manage partnerships. The ideal candidate will be a dynamic relationship builder with deep experience in multi-sector partnerships, contract negotiation and collaboration across academia, philanthropy and public-sector initiatives.

The Director will build on an existing portfolio of partnerships, ensuring they contribute to meaningful impact and product improvement.

Reporting to the Executive Director, this role will work in close collaboration with the funder, senior leadership, staff, vendors, and partners. Stakeholder communication, engagement, and management will be a critical skill.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

Strategic Partnership Development & Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for potential and existing partners, ensuring strong, lasting relationships.
• Own, refine, and utilize the partnership assessment criteria to evaluate new opportunities and ensure alignment with BWDC’s strategic vision.
• Maintain and develop a structured pipeline of partners, ensuring continuous engagement and growth.
• Coordinate, with a high degree of independent judgement, between the Greenwood Initiative at Bloomberg Philanthropies, John Hopkin’s University, and the Black Wealth Data Center to ensure seamless partnership integration and alignment.
• Manage ongoing feedback loops between partners, BWDC’s data team, and product teams to inform and refine BWDC’s work.
• Ensure insights from partners inform product development and programmatic improvements.

Contract & Agreement Management

• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to develop and negotiate contracts.
• Ensure that partnership agreements support BWDC’s strategic objectives and operational sustainability.
• Support the resolution of contracts challenges as they arise.

Partnership Activation & Execution

• Lead partnership implementation, ensuring smooth onboarding and integration into BWDC’s ecosystem.
• Drive content development and data-sharing strategies to strengthen collaborative efforts.
• Work cross-functionally to ensure partnerships contribute to both short- and long-term goals.

Internal Collaboration & Learning

• Maintain strong internal relationships across BWDC to ensure partner insights are leveraged effectively.
• Facilitate internal learning from field insights, ensuring BWDC’s work remains responsive and innovative.
• Support organizational leadership in aligning partnerships with BWDC’s broader strategic priorities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social science, Public Administration or another related field.
• Ten years of work experience in multi-sector partnership development and management, with a strong track record of building strategic, high-impact collaborations.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond HS Diploma/Graduation Equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social science, Public Administration or related field.
• Ideal candidate will have a proven ability to develop and manage partnerships in academic settings.
• Experience working with workforce initiatives, data-driven programs, or research-focused organizations.
• Familiarity with the partnership dynamics between academic institutions, nonprofits, and funders.
• Experience with data-sharing agreements and their implications for programmatic work.
• Experience in navigating complex partnerships, including contract negotiation and grant agreements.
• Strong ability to translate field insights into actionable organizational strategies.
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to work cross-functionally and balance multiple priorities in a fast-moving environment.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary range of $220,000 - $238,000 annually and commensurate with experience. This is a full time and exempt position, with a hybrid schedule of three to four days in the Washington D.C. office. Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/.

To Apply

Submit a resume and a cover letter at https://grossmansolutions.applytojob.com/apply. The cover letter should be concise and compelling and outline the specific ways in which you would be a good match for this position. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion.

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. EEO is the Law: https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf

Accommodation Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the Talent Acquisition Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit https://accessibility.jhu.edu/.