Job Summary:
Under the general direction of the Associate Dean, the Senior Partnership Program Lead (Administrative Analyst/Specialist – Exempt III) provides high-level analytical, strategic, and administrative leadership in support of international academic partnerships, with a specialized focus on international educational collaborations. This position plays a critical role in establishing and nurturing sustainable international partnerships, both to enhance CSUSB’s reputation and to internationalize its campus community and academic activities. The incumbent will contribute to the program development, partner relationship management, and policy interpretation, exploring diverse opportunities for CSUSB around the world. In particular, building on previous foundations for CSUSB’s partnerships in China, the incumbent develops China-specific strategies to identify new partnership opportunities, expand current partnerships, and increase international student enrollment. The incumbent operates with a significant degree of independence and professional discretion and is expected to provide sound recommendations and oversight in complex, high-stakes environments.
Duties and responsibilities
Partnership Program Strategy, Analysis, and Development:
- Establish and maintain relationships with partner universities, government agencies, and other organizations worldwide.
- Develop international recruitment strategies and implement effective plans, with a focus on enrollment growth and market expansion.
- Identify, engage, and negotiate with new international university partners, expanding CSUSB’s global presence through innovative programming and collaborations.
- Develop and implement strategic initiatives to advance CSUSB’s internationalization goals, particularly as they relate to the international academic and institutional landscape.
- Conduct independent evaluations of current partnership programs and market conditions to identify new opportunities and risks for the university, and to assess their impact.
- Prepare and present analytical reports and data-driven recommendations to College of Extended and Global Education (CEGE) and university leadership.
- Analyze and oversee all phases of CSUSB’s international academic partnership programs, including correspondence, documentation, reporting, application review, independent evaluation, negotiation, development, and implementation.
- Analyze various Chinese program models (e.g., CHEPD 1+2+1, 2+2, 3+1, 3+2, 3+1+1, 0+4, 0+2, 9-Unit Transfer) to assess institutional fit, operational feasibility, and alignment with CSUSB’s goals and policies.
- Engage with a broad range of external overseas stakeholders and serve as the principal liaison to Chinese partner institutions, providing culturally appropriate engagement and professionally translated communications, including off-hours work (evenings/weekends) as needed to accommodate time zone differences.
- Monitor updates and regulatory frameworks from foreign governments’ Ministries of Education and assess their implications for partnership initiatives; ensure all partnerships comply with CSU and CSUSB policies and standards.
- Independently communicate with partnership entities, representatives, and organizations such as recruitment firm services, partnership universities, and CCIEE (China Center for International Educational Exchange).
- Build and sustain relationships with recruitment firm (agent) services; design and deliver ongoing agent training to ensure alignment with university branding, messaging, and compliance.
- Monitor and track agent performance metrics using them to provide actionable feedback and support to enhance recruitment efforts and enrollment targets.
Program Administration and Leadership:
- Independently coordinate and execute all phases of CSUSB’s international partnerships, including planning, budgeting, recruitment, partner engagement, student services, and compliance.
- Organize and monitor the governance of international and partnership activities; review the performance and value of each international partnerships.
- Administer the university’s self-support degree programs, the YES (Youth Exchange Students) Program, and the fee-based Study in the USA (SUSA) Program by developing and executing strategic recruitment plans and overseeing all aspects of program administration and operations.
- Develop and implement policies, business processes, operational and programmatic procedures to improve student success, program efficiency, and international collaboration.
- Organize documentation, student advising mechanisms, and cross-department coordination to ensure compliance with academic agreements and policies.
- Lead and/or support the coordination and delivery of international activities, including international travel and high-level university delegations for program development.
Staff Lead and Student Support:
- Provide lead work direction to staff within the International Partnerships and Extension Programs; provide internal information and guidance on partnerships and international activities internally for staff.
- Coordinate closely with International Admissions (IA), the Center for International Studies and Programs (CISP), and other departments to support student success and retention.
- Independently provide comprehensive information to international partnership students, helping them adjust to the new environment and successfully achieve their educational goals at CSUSB.
- Provide students with comprehensive information and advising tools such as PAWS and EAB, during their academic transitions.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree and/or the equivalent training and administrative work experience involving study, analysis, and/or evaluation leading to the development or improvement of administrative policies, procedures, practices, or programs
- Five to six years of related experience.
Required Qualifications:
- Extensive and in-depth knowledge of and ability to apply expertise in the advanced theories, principles, methods and practices associated with the functional specialty, program, and/or organizational unit, including applicable internal policies and procedures and pertinent laws and regulations. Laws and regulations are highly complex and require substantial judgment and discretion in interpreting and applying them to the specialty or program area. Incumbents at this level often may have certification in a specialty area.
- Substantial and broad knowledge of public and private entities including their organizational and operating structures, internal systems, and functional areas, as well as the impact of critical external entities on an organization. Ability to integrate and apply this knowledge to anticipate problems and assess the impact of proposed solutions on various organizational areas.
- Extensive and in-depth knowledge in project management including research and analytical methodologies. Ability to interpret and integrate complex data and information to formulate appropriate courses of action which have broad and far reaching impact.
- Ability to understand and analyze complex problems from a future-oriented and broad interactive perspective and readily develop proactive solutions that integrate strategic goals into tactical operations.
- Ability to effectively use applicable information systems and applications in analysis, research, and reporting activities and projects.
- Ability to effectively communicate with and influence high-level and diverse contacts inside and outside of the CSU system.
- Ability to effectively use all communication methods and formats and to use expertise, as well as persuasion and negotiation skills, to build consensus to achieve short- and long-term goals and objectives.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Doctoral degree in a related field and five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in international education, program management, or administrative analysis.
- High-level fluency in written and spoken Mandarin Chinese and English, including professional translation capabilities.
- Proficiency in Chinese social platforms (e.g., WeChat) and cross-cultural communication.
- Prior experience with CSU or similar higher education systems.
- Demonstrated ability to manage complex international academic programs independently.
- Demonstrated expertise in program development, policy analysis, budget planning, and stakeholder engagement.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and project management skills.
- Excellent interpersonal and intercultural communication skills with experience working in an international context, particularly with Chinese institutions.
- Experience managing cross-border partnerships and interpreting international education policy.
Compensation and Benefits:
Anticipated Hiring Range: $6,970, minimum - $7,811, maximum, per month
Classification Salary Range: $6,970 - $13,544 per month
The salary offered will take into account internal equity and experience among other factors.
The CSU system provides a comprehensive benefit package that includes medical, dental and vision plans, membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), sick and vacation time, and 15 paid holidays a year. Eligible employees are also able to participate in the fee waiver education program. A summary of benefit information can be found here.
Position Information:
Full-time Exempt Probationary
Academic year schedule: Monday through Friday (8:00 am – 5:00 pm), some evenings/weekends.
Summer schedule: Monday through Thursday (7:00 am - 5:30 pm), some evenings/weekends.
The application deadline is: September 12, 2025
As of January 1, 2022, the CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy prohibits the hiring of employees to perform CSU-related work outside the state of California.
California State University, San Bernardino is not a sponsoring agency for staff or management positions (i.e. H1-B Visas).
Conditions of Employment
Background Check
Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. CSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.
I-9
CSUSB hires only individuals lawfully authorized to work in the United States. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. See Form I-9 Acceptable Documents at https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents.
Statement of Commitment to Diversity
In our commitment to the furthering of knowledge and fulfilling our educational mission, California State University, San Bernardino seeks a campus climate that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes respect for the entire variety of human experience. We welcome people from all backgrounds, and we seek to include knowledge and values from many cultures in the curriculum and extra-curricular life of the campus community. We will create, promote, and maintain activities and programs that further our understanding of individual and group diversity. We will also develop and communicate policies and promote values that discourage intolerance and discrimination.
California State University, San Bernardino is proud to be an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We recruit, hire, train, and administer all personnel actions without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, color, caste, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, genetic information, medical condition, disability, marital status, protected military or veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law. This position adheres to CSU policies against Sex Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Violence, including Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking. This requires completion of Sexual Violence Prevention Training within 6 months of assuming employment and on a two-year basis thereafter. (Executive Order 1096) For more information about Diversity & Inclusion at CSUSB, please visit https://www.csusb.edu/human-resources/diversity-inclusion
Closing Statement:
Reasonable Accommodation
We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact CSUSB Benefits at benefits@csusb.edu.
Smoking
CSUSB is a smoke and tobacco-free campus. See policy at https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/6591951/latest/.
Clery Act
In compliance with state and federal crime awareness and campus security legislation, including The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, California Education Code section 67380, and the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), the Cal State San Bernardino Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available at: https://www.csusb.edu/clery-act