Columbia University · 3 weeks ago
Senior Director, Custom Programs in Executive Education
Manhattanville, NY
Full-time
Onsite
Lead/Staff, Director/Executive
$135K/yr - $150K/yr
5+ years expColumbia University is a prestigious institution known for its commitment to developing leaders through innovative education. The Senior Director, Custom Programs will focus on securing new clients and managing existing relationships for custom executive education programs, engaging in business development and sales strategy to grow the portfolio.
EducationHigher EducationMedicalTrainingUniversities
Responsibilities
Develops and manages a portfolio of corporate and/or institutional custom clients and programs, aligning with departmental and senior leadership strategic objectives
Builds and executes a business development strategy with both domestic and international focus, in collaboration with the Executive Director, Custom Programs
Conducts a high volume of outreach to new leads weekly, engaging through virtual meetings, phone calls, and in-person meetings as needed
Focuses on securing new business with a high win ratio, leveraging an existing network of L&D, senior leadership, and HR contacts to drive growth
Manages all commercial aspects of relationships with corporate and institutional clients, ensuring strong business partnerships
Negotiates commercial terms and contracts, oversees program budgets, and coordinates with the Executive Education operations team for effective resource allocation
Establishes and maintains effective relationships with key divisions at CBS, including Finance & Administration, External Relations, Alumni Relations, and General Counsel, to support business development activities
Assesses opportunities, analyze client needs, and develop high-quality, creative, and rigorous proposals (typically using PowerPoint) that align with CBS brand and capabilities
Collaborates with faculty directors to develop proposals and custom program designs, ensuring alignment between faculty teams, the business school, and client stakeholders
Clearly communicates faculty compensation related to custom program development and faculty-assisted business development
Creates and leads sales pitches and processes to optimize win rates, ensuring alignment with sales targets and business objectives
Develops well-considered forecasts, conducts sales and profitability analysis, and tracks business development and client management activity in Salesforce to generate data-driven insights
Maintains a strong understanding of market trends and future directions in executive education to ensure Columbia Business School remains competitive and innovative
Performs other related duties as assigned to support the growth and success of custom executive education initiatives
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree required; MBA or other advanced degree in a related field preferred
Minimum of 5-7 years' experience in consulting, consultative sales or business development
Experience selling complex services to senior corporate decision-makers
Proven ability to bring in new business with a high win ratio and an existing network of L&D, senior leadership, or HR contacts
Demonstrated success in high-volume outreach and client engagement, with the ability to conduct virtual, phone, and in-person meetings as needed
Excellent written and oral communication skills with strong interpersonal abilities
Proven sales and negotiation skills
Ability to multitask, prioritize, and manage change effectively
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including PowerPoint, and customer relationship management (CRM) software, especially Salesforce
Preferred
International experience is desirable
Entrepreneurial experience is a plus
Multiple languages are a plus
Company
Columbia University
Columbia University is a research institution and Ivy League school for undergraduate and graduate students across various fields
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
Columbia University has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (433)
2024 (353)
2023 (333)
2022 (370)
2021 (283)
2020 (221)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$21.84MKey Investors
ValeNational Institutes of HealthNational Science Foundation
2024-09-24Grant· $0.02M
2023-08-17Grant
2023-05-04Grant· $20M
Leadership Team
Jeannette Wing
Executive Vice President for Research and Professor of Computer Science
Asaf Cidon
Assistant Professor, EE and CS
Recent News
Crain's New York Business
2025-12-11
Medical Xpress - latest medical and health news stories
2025-11-19
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