Director, Custom and Partner Programs

The Director of Custom and Partner Programs leads the strategy, development, and growth of OEE's custom client and partner program portfolio, aligning HMS expertise with evolving client, learner, and market needs. As a key decisionmaker for the unit, the Director leads a team and balances mission, academic quality, market opportunity, and financial goals to deliver innovative, high-impact programs.
Job-Specific Responsibilities:
Program Strategy and Development
Develop and execute long-term business and growth strategies, in collaboration with OEE Seniors. Identifies opportunities for program expansion, portfolio diversification, client retention, and new revenue, aligned with evolving market, client, learner and health care industry needs while advancing revenue and contribution margin goals.
Direct portfolio design, pedagogy, delivery strategy, evaluation, and lifecycle management for custom and third-party partner programs.
Partner with Business Development, faculty, and Program Delivery to translate client needs into high-quality learning experiences with defined outcomes.
Lead ongoing program refinement and post-program follow-up, using learner feedback, outcomes, and market insights to drive continuous improvement.
Provide strategic consultation on integrating digital products, including HMX and HealthXcelerate, into programming to advance client and learner success.
Lead, mentor, and develop the team, setting performance expectations, coaching staff, and fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, and collaboration.
Anticipate emerging trends and risks, exercise independent judgment in resolving complex, high-impact issues, and represent the unit in university-wide external leadership forums.
Stakeholder Engagement
Build and sustain executive-level relationships with key clients, external partners, and senior faculty, serving as strategic lead and primary liaison throughout the custom program lifecycle to support client retention, expansion, and OEE revenue goals.
Represent HMS in client consultations, proposal development, and negotiations in partnership with Business Development.
Oversee faculty contracts, compensation and identify opportunities to streamline contracting processes.
Academic and General Administration
Ensure academic integrity, excellence, and consistency across all learning formats, and adherence to internal policies, processes, contractual obligations, and Harvard standards.
Oversee program planning, faculty engagement, curriculum, pedagogy, scheduling, and delivery in collaboration with faculty, academic leadership, and internal teams.
Partner with Program Delivery to ensure clear communication, high-quality execution, and alignment of resources, staff coverage and workflows.
Monitor program outcomes and learner feedback to assess impact and success; lead After Action Reviews and apply insights to future offerings.
Financial Management
Accountable for multi-million-dollar budgetary, revenue, and contribution margin targets.
Lead financial planning, including large-scale budget development, pipeline management, margin optimization, and resource planning, and monitor program financial performance against targets.
Contribute to pricing strategy and financial modeling for programs.
Marketing and Growth
Maintain a growth-focused program pipeline in collaboration with Business Development and identify opportunities to retain, expand, and diversify the porfolio.
Collaborate with Marketing and AES on marketing, outreach, and positioning, with attention to third-party partnerships, ensuring messaging and branding are consistent with HMS standards.
Proactively identify opportunities to adapt programs in response to market and geopolitical shifts while protecting revenues, program quality, and learner journeys.
As part of your application, we recommend including a cover letter that will help us better understand your qualifications and background. This can provide valuable insight into your experience and interest in the role.
Physical Requirements:
Sitting using near vision use for reading and computer use for extended periods of time.
Lifting (approximately 20 to 30 pounds), bending, and other physical exertion.
Basic Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience required.
Minimum of 8 years’ relevant work experience.
Supervisory experience.
Additional Qualifications and Skills:
Experience in executive/professional education or related fields.
Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal abilities Innovative and solution-oriented, with a proactive approach to problem-solving.
Exceptional professionalism and diplomacy, with a client-centric mindset and strong verbal and written communication skills.
Demonstrated success managing complex educational programs/projects involving multiple stakeholders, client relationships, financial operations, timelines, and deliverables.
Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building abilities; thrives in collaborative, cross-functional team environments.
Highly organized with advanced time management skills and outstanding attention to detail.
Comfortable in client-facing roles and experienced in engaging with senior executives and high-level stakeholders.
Strong financial acumen, including experience in budgeting, pricing, and/or financial reporting.
Familiarity with instructional design principles and online learning platforms is strongly preferred.
Adaptable and open to change, with the ability to lead others through change and collaborate effectively with both internal teams and external partners.
Anticipates the needs of clients, programs, and team members, proactively identifying opportunities and challenges.
Brings a consultative approach to client interactions, ensuring tailored solutions and long-term partnership value.
Skilled at orchestrating resources and aligning cross-functional efforts to meet program goals.
Excellent relationship builder with a track record of cultivating trust and collaboration across diverse audiences.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; experience with Salesforce, learning management systems, or project management tools is a plus.
Ability to travel internationally and work evenings/weekends as required.

Employment type
Full-time

Work arrangement
Hybrid