Chief Experience and Partnership Officer

About Us

The University of Silicon Valley (USV) is the world’s first polymathic university — a bold reimagining of higher education that unites liberal and technical arts to cultivate “builders of the impossible.” Rooted in Silicon Valley’s culture of innovation, USV prepares creators, engineers, designers, and entrepreneurs to learn like the future depends on it — by shipping real products, building real companies, and shaping technology and culture for the common good.

Position Overview

The Chief Experience and Partnership Officer (CEPO) will serve as a key member of the President’s executive leadership team — driving USV’s transformation into a national leader in applied, industry-connected education.

This role fuses three strategic imperatives:

1. Entrepreneurship – Empowering students to launch ventures, ship products, and secure funding.
2. Partnerships – Building robust pipelines between USV and employers, investors, and civic leaders.
3. Student Success – Ensuring every learner is supported from admission to employment, with measurable career outcomes.

The (CEPO) will architect USV’s “Outcomes Flywheel” — a high-velocity engine connecting recruiting, retention, early internships, job placement, and alumni advocacy into a single ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

1. Entrepreneurship & Innovation

• Lead the creation of USV Ventures — an on-campus innovation hub and accelerator supporting student startups, products, and applied research.
• Oversee venture incubation programs, demo days, seed funding, and IP frameworks that empower students to commercialize their ideas.
• Integrate entrepreneurship and applied practice across academic programs and studios (e.g., Gaming, Agentic AI, Design, Cybersecurity).
• Build a network of mentors, investors, and industry advisors to support student founders.

2. Partnerships & Employer Engagement

• Develop and manage a national employer network offering paid micro-internships   and co-ops beginning in Year 1.
• Establish the USV Employer Advisory Council with 25+ anchor companies in technology, gaming, creative, and defense sectors.
• Forge strategic alliances with corporate, civic, and military partners to create talent pipelines and employer-funded pathways.
• Lead “USV Hiring Games,” an annual recruitment showcase linking student portfolios directly to open roles.

3. Student Success & Outcomes

• Launch and oversee the Student Delight Division — a concierge-style support system covering admissions, onboarding, financial aid, and career readiness.
• Lead marketing and enrollment teams to design and execute recruitment strategies that resonate with next-generation learners.
• Oversee marketing campaigns, partnerships, and outreach initiatives that position USV as the destination for builders and innovators.
• Embed career milestones into every program (e.g., first project shipped by week 6, first paid internship by semester 2).
• Build a robust Outcomes Dashboard tracking retention, placement, and satisfaction metrics.
• Partner with Marketing to communicate student and alumni success stories across media and platforms.

4. Leadership & Administration

• Serve as a visible ambassador for USV to corporate partners, investors, and the press.
• Collaborate closely with the Provost, CTO, and COO to align programs, industry needs, and storytelling.
• Manage budgets, grants, sponsorships, and philanthropic relationships supporting student innovation and career programs.
• Build and mentor high-performing teams spanning entrepreneurship, employer engagement, and student experience.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• 85% first-year retention
• 90% student participation in paid internships or co-ops
• 90% in-field job placement within 6 months of graduation
• 70 Student NPS / 70 Employer NPS
• 3 applicants per available seat by Year 3

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Proven experience designing and scaling university or corporate innovation programs.
• Demonstrated record of building partnerships that produce measurable student or workforce outcomes.
• Deep understanding of startup ecosystems, talent pipelines, and employer relations.
• Entrepreneurial, collaborative, and data-driven leader comfortable operating in an agile, high-velocity university environment.
• Exceptional communicator and relationship builder who inspires trust across students, faculty, industry, and donors.

Preferred Qualifications

• 10+ years in higher education innovation, venture creation, or corporate partnerships.
• Master’s degree or higher (MBA, DBA preferred).
• Background in entrepreneurship, technology, or education leadership.

At USV, you’ll help define a new category of higher education — where universities operate like startups, students are measured by what they build, and learning never stops at the edge of what’s known.

If you’re a builder at heart who thrives in high-growth, mission-driven environments, we’d love to hear from you.

EEO Statement

USV is an Equal Employment Opportunity & Americans with Disabilities Act institution.  We value diversity, strive for a more unified campus where all people are valued, treated fairly, and possess a sense of belonging.  USV encourages minorities, women, veterans, and persons with disabilities to apply.

Working conditions

If the job requires a person to work in special working conditions this should be stated in the job description. Special working conditions cover a range of circumstances from regular evening and weekend work, shift work, required travel, working with challenging clients, and so forth.

Physical requirements

This job operates in an office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is sitting; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds

Benefits

• Paid Time Off (includes individual PTO plus 10 holidays and winter break)
• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Basic Life & AD&D
• 401k (employee contribution only)
• Short- & Long-Term Disability
• Tuition Remission Benefit
• Other Voluntary Benefits Offered