Job Description

The Senior Regional Manager is a critical role that focuses on the university's mission by enhancing visibility, enrollment, and reputation as a leader in accessible and workforce-aligned higher education. This role is a relationship manager and liaison for the region, ensuring that operational workflows and priorities are in sync with the university's strategic goals. In tandem with leadership, this role drives internal operations improvements, prepares Quarterly Business Review (QBR) reports, and maintains accurate data to support informed decision-making processes. The successful candidate for the role is a highly experienced professional with senior-level industry knowledge and is familiar with managing large and complex projects

This role is responsible for building relationships with community organizations, businesses, and local leaders while independently managing daily operations, supporting regional growth initiatives, and executing strategies to meet performance goals.

Location: This position requires you to work in office at 1333 Burr Ridge Parkway, Burr Ridge, IL 60527

What You'll Do:

• Operational Support
  • Track, record, and maintain accurate regional data to inform decision-making.
  • Liaise with the schools and regional supporting teams to ensure regional impact alignment
  • Develop initiatives to improve efficiencies and levels of service within the operational area function.
  • Be responsible and accountable for the totality of assigned projects.
  • Leverage senior level knowledge of the region and partnership strategies in developing a hyper-local, regional strategy aligned with the schools' goals, Academy, and Craft Education.

• Team and Stakeholder Collaboration
  • Work with the Regional VP and other leaders to support the development of a strong team culture.
  • Develop, support, and lead cross-functional project teams to foster alumni engagement and community impact.
  • May work directly with internal and external leaders and departments to resolve regional issues.

• Brand Growth & Awareness
  • Increase the university's visibility in the region through community engagement, and networking efforts.
  • Contribute to initiatives to strengthen brand reputation and awareness.
  • Explore new partnerships to increase WGU's reach and educational impact.
  • Deliver sales presentations to potential partner organizations with the sales acumen that incorporates WGU's "flywheel" approach,
  • Contribute to advocacy efforts in collaboration with the Director of Government Relations
  • Represent the university at conferences, panels, and speaking engagements as assigned.

• Relationship Building
  • Develop and maintain partnerships with local organizations, community-based organizations, chambers, and associations.
  • Support state-based grant opportunities and workforce partnerships in collaboration with leadership.
  • Influence the achievement of the university's key results by developing relationships that drive value for employers, students, and alumni
  • Engage in community initiatives, support partnerships, and represent the university in local and regional events.
  • Collaborate with colleagues and external stakeholders to advance workforce and educational objectives.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities You'll Need to be Successful:

• Initiative - Self-directed with a strong bias for action and results; displays a keen interest in students and organization.
• Reliability - Accountable to self and others; does what it takes to get the job done; actions are consistent with words; follows through on commitments; exhibits exceptional integrity.
• Problem Solving - can develop new ideas that will enhance partnership results, is future-oriented and assesses what will help/hinder achieving goals; focuses on what is important.
• Earns trust - is exceptional and persuasive using communication skills, oral and written, and delivers on commitments.
• Attitude - Displays commitment to the organization and to personal growth; self-motivated and able to motivate and inspire others; asserts self appropriately to champion ideas; tells the truth in a direct and constructive manner.
• Adaptability - Manages behaviors and communication style to meet the needs of a wide range of situations; tackles obstacles appropriately; is comfortable with ambiguity.
  Success working across marketing and communications disciplines, including brand development, creative, paid media, social media, interactive products, email, field marketing, PR, and analytics.
• Experience operating in a disaggregated marketing model; able to make decisions and drive business forward in a highly complex, multi-faceted organization.
• Ability to organize information and effectively present issues, recommendations, and conclusions.
• Innovative and inclined to explore new approaches via constant learning and optimization.
• Strong critical thinker capable of making smart judgments under pressure.
• Ability to manage time and resources for multiple projects at one time.
• Communication skills, oral and written, in addressing internal and external audiences; delivers on commitment.
• Authentically reflect and portray the mission of WGU.

Minimum Requirements:

• 5+ years of experience in business development
• Bachelor's degree
• Proven track record of operational success in a business or education entity and increased year over year growth.
• Strong enterprise, community, and government networks and partnerships are required.

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Position & Application Details

Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive.