Manager, Partnership Alliances

Nelnet Business Services (NBS), a division of Nelnet, Inc., provides payment technology, education services, and learning management solutions to education and faith-based organizations, serving more than 1,300 higher education institutions, 11,500 K-12 schools, 3,500 churches, and millions of individual students, families, and supporters across the globe. Our culture of service enables us to form long-lasting and trusted partnerships, while our focus on creativity and innovative solutions empowers our customer communities to thrive.

As a Nelnet company, the perks at NBS go beyond our benefits package. You’re part of a community, invested in you as an individual and united by our mission to create opportunities for people where they live, learn and work.

The Manager, Partnerships & Alliances owns NCC’s partner channel strategy and commercial performance. This role leads Tier 1 strategic alliances, Tier 2 commercial partnerships, ERP platform participation, and a key standalone partner relationship. The position is responsible for growing partner revenue, identifying new infrastructure-native partnership opportunities, and ensuring partner decisions align with institutional needs, business priorities, and NCC’s partner-neutral approach. This role works closely with Sales, Implementation, Marketing, Product, Legal, and Partnership Operations & Marketing to execute partnership strategy and deliver results.

Please note that we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position. To be considered, candidates must already be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future sponsorship as security clearance is required.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

Own Tier 1 strategic alliance relationships, including executive sponsorship, joint planning, commitment tracking, and growth strategy.

Identify and develop new infrastructure-native partner opportunities that revenue and strengthen NCC payment workflows.

Manage Tier 2 commercial partner relationships, including onboarding, co-sell activity, co-marketing priorities, and business reviews.

Lead NCC’s participation in ERP partner ecosystems, including partner program advancement, certification alignment, and competitive response.

Oversee NCC’s highest-revenue standalone partner relationship and support diversification efforts to reduce revenue concentration risk.

Evaluate and qualify new partner opportunities based on strategic fit, institutional demand, integration approach, and operational value.

Own partner channel revenue performance, forecasting, pipeline reporting, and business case development for partnership investments.

Guide partner program positioning, sponsorship strategy, and partner-facing communications in coordination with internal stakeholders.

EDUCATION:

Required:

Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, communications, education technology, or a related field

Preferred:

Master’s degree in business administration, higher education, or a related field preferred

EXPERIENCE:

Required:

7+ years of experience in alliance, channel, or partnership management within B2B SaaS or higher education technology, including revenue accountability and commercial relationship ownership

Preferred:

Experience in higher education payments, financial technology, or campus ERP ecosystems preferred; familiarity with partner program design, business case development, and REST API integrations is a plus

Skills:

Strategic partnership and alliance management

Revenue forecasting and pipeline analysis

Cross-functional collaboration and influence

Partner evaluation and market positioning

ERP and technology partner ecosystem knowledge

Compensation range for this role is $100,000- $120,000 annually, depending on experience.

#LI-CW1

#LI-Remote

Our benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, HSA and FSA, generous earned time off, 401K/student loan repayment, life insurance & AD&D insurance, employee assistance program, employee stock purchase program, tuition reimbursement, performance-based incentive pay, short- and long-term disability, and a robust wellness program. Click here to learn more about our benefits: LINK.

Qualified individuals with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations in order to apply or compete for positions at Nelnet may request such accommodations by contacting Corporate Recruiting at 402-486-5725 or corporaterecruiting@nelnet.net.

Nelnet is a Drug Free and Tobacco Free Workplace.

Use of Artificial Intelligence in Hiring

We may use automated or artificial intelligence enabled tools to assist with the initial review of applications, such as identifying relevant skills or experience. These tools are used to support human review and do not make hiring decisions. A recruiter reviews applications and determines which candidates move forward in the hiring process. For more information, see our Privacy Policy and Pre-Use Notice: Automated Tools in Hiring