Director of Corporate Relations

Director of Corporate Relations

San Francisco Bay University

Category: Staff Type: Full Time Min.

Experience:

Director Salary: $125,000 - $165,000

About SFBU:

San Francisco Bay University (SFBU), a nonprofit, WASC-accredited university situated in the heart of Silicon Valley in Fremont, California, seeks an innovative and experienced Director of Corporate Relations. SFBU s mission is to offer inclusive, innovative, and inspirational education for lifelong careers and our vision is to set the standard as a national model of higher education in service of the common good.

At SFBU, students come first. We prioritize students  needs by fostering personal engagement among students, faculty, and staff. We are committed to providing affordable quality education with a deep commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice.

We encourage you to learn more about SFBU by reviewing our strategic plan at https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).-plan

The Director of Corporate Relations is responsible for building and managing strategic partnerships with corporations, foundations, and industry partners to support SFBU s mission of expanding access to affordable, workforce-aligned higher education. The role focuses on cultivating philanthropic investment, sponsor ships, business-to-business partnerships, and workforce development opportunities.

Reporting to the Vice President of External Relations, the Director will serve as a key external ambassador, fostering mutually beneficial relationships that advance student success, faculty engagement, and community impact. This is a full-time, exempt position operating on a hybrid schedule.

Corporate Engagement & Fundraising

• Develop and execute a corporate relations strategy that secures philanthropic support, sponsor ships, and in-kind gifts.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward corporate partners, aligning their interests with university priorities.
• Collaborate with the external relations team to design corporate giving opportunities, naming rights, and sponsorship packages (e.g., scholarships, program support, Incubator and innovation centers).
• Maintain a robust portfolio of corporate prospects, with measurable goals for visits, proposals, and revenue.

Workforce Development & Experiential Learning

• Partner with Career Services and faculty to create pipelines for student internships, co-ops, capstone projects, and employment opportunities.
• Leverage SFBU s MBA+ program, AI-powered certificates, and Neighborhood Campus initiative to align with industry needs.
• In coordination with the VP of External Relations, develop corporate advisory boards and working groups to guide curriculum relevance and workforce alignment.

University Collaboration

• Work closely with Marketing & Communications to promote corporate partnerships through events, collateral, and media.
• Coordinate with the Incubator/Innovation Center to attract entrepreneurial partnerships.
• Work with Faculty to build industry partnerships, applied research opportunities, and collaborations.
• Establish strong cross-departmental relationships to ensure corporate engagement benefits multiple stakeholders (students, faculty, programs).

Data & Reporting

• Track and report progress using Salesforce CRM or other relevant platforms.
• Monitor corporate giving trends and CASE benchmarks to inform strategy.
• Provide regular updates to university leadership on partnership impact.
• Identify and cultivate strategic partnerships with technology companies and startups to drive innovation, workforce development, and student career opportunities.
• Develop data-driven strategies for corporate engagement, using metrics to demonstrate ROI and impact on student outcomes.
• Lead initiatives to integrate corporate insights into curriculum design and experiential learning opportunities.
• Represent SFBU at industry conferences, innovation hubs, and professional networks to expand visibility and partnerships.

Who You Are

• Tenacious Leader: You understand the power of growing through what you go through. Your ability to embrace challenges with a growth mindset and creative solutions inspires others to do the same.
• Interpersonally Gifted: You build bridges and meaningful relationships. You are a master of communication, collaboration and teamwork.
• Global Navigator: You understand the value of being a world citizen in an interconnected global community. You appreciate and work seamlessly with people from diverse cultures (e.g. race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, ability, religion and national origin).
• Tech Trendsetter: You recognize that technology is a valuable tool when harnessed responsibly. You lean in to understand, work with and shape digital innovations.
• Enlightened Thinker: You understand the power of informed decision-making. You harness research, logic, intuition, creativity and critical thinking to make wise decisions.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor s degree required in Business, Communications, Marketing, Public…