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The Director of Strategic Initiatives is a senior, growth-focused leader responsible for maintaining and expanding the presence of the University of New Hampshire’s (UNH) Prevention Innovations Research Center’s (PIRC) campus safety and wellness platform in the higher education market by securing new college and university clients and nurturing strong, long-term partnerships with existing institutions. This role is highly entrepreneurial and hands-on, ideal for someone who thrives in a small team, can wear multiple hats, and is energized by building relationships that advance student health and wellness.

Key Responsibilities:

Client Relationship Management & Retention

• Serve as the primary relationship manager for a portfolio of college and university clients.

• Build trusted, collaborative relationships that position the organization as a long-term wellness partner, not just a vendor.

• Ensure high levels of client satisfaction by staying closely connected to client needs, challenges, and evolving priorities.

• Identify opportunities to renew, expand, or customize wellness offerings for existing clients.

New Client Acquisition (Higher Education Focus)

• Identify, prospect, and secure new college and university partners for health and wellness programs.

• Develop and execute outreach strategies targeting key decision-makers across higher education (e.g., student affairs, counseling centers, wellness offices, athletics, administration).

• Lead the full sales cycle—from initial outreach and discovery through proposal development, presentations, and contract negotiations.

• Represent the organization at conferences, campus events, and industry forums related to higher education, mental health, and wellness.

Strategic Growth & Market Development

• Collaborate closely with leadership to shape and execute growth strategies for the higher education health and wellness market.

• Gather insights from clients and prospects to inform program development, pricing, and go-to-market strategy.

• Monitor trends in student health, mental health, and wellness to proactively identify new opportunities.

Entrepreneurial & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Work closely with a small, agile team to ensure seamless onboarding, delivery, and ongoing success of client programs.

• Contribute beyond a defined job description—supporting marketing efforts, refining sales processes, and improving internal systems as needed.

• Help build scalable, repeatable approaches to selling and delivering wellness programs while maintaining a personalized client experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree a plus.

• 7+ years of experience in business development, partnerships, or client relations—preferably in higher education, health, wellness, or related services.

• Demonstrated success selling to colleges or universities and navigating complex institutional decision-making processes.

• Strong relationship-building and consultative sales skills.

• Comfortable working independently in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment with limited resources.

• Passion for health, wellness, and improving student outcomes.

Key Competencies

• Deeply client-centered and mission-driven

• Strategic and consultative sales approach

• Strong communication and presentation skills

• Self-starter with an entrepreneurial mindset

• Collaborative, adaptable, and resourceful

Applicant Instructions

Applicants should be prepared to upload the following documents when applying online within the Resume/Cover Letter section of your application:

• Resume/CV

• Cover Letter

• Contact Information for 3 Professional References

Compensation Pay Range:

$25 per hour

Please be advised that this position is supported by external sponsor funding. As such, continued employment in this role is contingent upon the availability of those external funds. If, for any reason, the sponsor funding is reduced or discontinued, employment may be subject to modification or termination in accordance with applicable policies and procedures. 

The University of New Hampshire is an R1 Carnegie classification research institution providing comprehensive, high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs of distinction. UNH is located in Durham on a 188-acre campus, 60 miles north of Boston and 8 miles from the Atlantic coast and is convenient to New Hampshire’s lakes and mountains. There is a student enrollment of 13,000 students, with a full-time faculty of over 600, offering 90 undergraduate and more than 70 graduate programs. The University actively promotes a dynamic learning environment in which qualified individuals of differing perspectives, life experiences, and cultural backgrounds pursue academic goals with mutual respect and shared inquiry.

EEO Statement

The University System of New Hampshire is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access employer. The University System is committed to creating an environment that values and supports diversity and inclusiveness across our campus communities and encourages applications from qualified individuals who will help us achieve this mission. The University System prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or marital status.

The pay range for this position is listed above. Actual offer will be based on skills, qualifications, experience, and internal equity, in addition to relevant business considerations. More information on benefits can be found here: USNH Employee Benefits | Human Resources

Location:

Durham

Salary Grade:

Adjunct Hourly Staff 00