Partnership and Ecosystem Manager

Vector Institute; Toronto; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading research organization in Toronto is seeking a Partnerships and Ecosystem Manager. The ideal candidate will manage relationships with enterprise sponsors, ensuring high satisfaction and engagement. This role requires 3-5 years of relevant experience and strong communication skills in a fast-paced environment. The candidate should thrive in collaborative settings and possess a good understanding of AI and innovation. Competitive salary and full-time position offered.

Benefits

Opportunity to shape strategy

Engagement with industry leaders

Commitment to continuous learning

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of experience in partnerships, account management or business development.
• Business knowledge of AI and machine learning is required.
• Experience in preparing business cases and proposals.

Responsibilities

• Manage relationships with a portfolio of enterprise sponsors.
• Monitor customer satisfaction and address concerns.
• Prepare updates and summaries for industry sponsors.

Skills

Communication skills

Relationship management

Analytical skills

Project management

Education

Undergraduate degree in business or STEM

Tools

Salesforce

Google Suite

ClickUp

Job description

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Position Summary

Reporting to the Director, Partnerships & Ecosystem, the Partnerships and Ecosystem Manager (PEM) will be responsible for driving the overall success and satisfaction of Vector’s enterprise sponsor relationships. The PEM will serve as a key point of contact and advocate for industry sponsors, ensuring they achieve their desired outcomes through their sponsorship with Vector. This is a high-impact position focused on deepening engagement, delivering strategic value, and driving retention and renewal across a portfolio of high-profile partners.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director, Partnerships & Ecosystem, the Partnerships and Ecosystem Manager (PEM) will be responsible for driving the overall success and satisfaction of Vector’s enterprise sponsor relationships. The PEM will serve as a key point of contact and advocate for industry sponsors, ensuring they achieve their desired outcomes through their sponsorship with Vector. This is a high-impact position focused on deepening engagement, delivering strategic value, and driving retention and renewal across a portfolio of high-profile partners.

The PEM will work closely with senior leaders at Vector and within industry sponsor organizations—including executives, researchers, and practitioners—to ensure industry sponsor goals are met through meaningful collaboration through Vector’s Industry Innovation program and shared contributions to Canada’s AI innovation ecosystem.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, high-trust environment, brings structure and insight to ambiguity, and is genuinely curious about AI’s role in economic growth and responsible innovation. As part of a small and dynamic team, you’ll have the opportunity to shape strategy, influence cross-functional work, and represent the voice of industry sponsors in internal decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the primary relationship manager for a portfolio of enterprise sponsors, building trusted relationships with key decision-makers, practitioners, and innovation leaders.
• Maintain regular touchpoints with industry sponsors through strategic check-ins, briefings, quarterly meetings, and issue resolution.
• Prepare monthly update emails and programming summaries to keep industry sponsors informed and connected.
• Lead structured onboarding and offboarding of industry sponsors, ensuring seamless transitions and clarity of engagement.
• Develop a deep understanding of each individual sponsor’s goals, challenges, and desired outcomes.
• Address industry sponsor needs and issues, ensuring swift resolution and continuous service excellence.
• Monitor customer health and identify opportunities for both growth opportunities and potential risks
• Maintain detailed records of customer interactions and activities in a CRM system.
• Map and navigate the organizational structures of individual sponsors to identify key stakeholders and decision-makers.
• Communicate customer feedback and insights to internal teams to drive program direction and improvements.
• Manage and cultivate relationships with secondary contacts within industry sponsor organizations.
• Support the preparation and research of executive-level meetings, including those involving Vector’s leadership team.
• Engage in regular communication and updates to keep industry sponsors informed and involved.
• Contribute to the planning and execution of strategic initiatives that enhance both partnership value and growth with the Vector Institute.
• Share customer success stories and generate references to support Vector’s strategic goals.

Key Success Measures

Contribution to successful industry sponsorship renewals and new growth opportunities with sponsors.

Consistent high sponsor satisfaction and positive feedback from timely issue resolution, stakeholder engagement, and active support to maintain strong sponsor relationships.

Develop a deep understanding of each individual sponsor’s goals and challenges, providing valuable insights to internal teams that allows Vector to identify and act on growth opportunities and potential risks.

Accurate and detailed records of customer interactions are maintained for each industry sponsor, which contributes to strategic initiatives that enhance both partnership value and growth with the Vector Institute.

Profile Of The Ideal Candidate

An undergraduate degree in business, a STEM discipline, or a related field.

3–5 years of experience in enterprise partnerships, account management, client success, fundraising, stewardship and business development roles.

Business knowledge of AI, machine learning, and data science – you understand how these technologies create value in an enterprise setting and can speak confidently about common AI use cases.

Strong written and verbal communication skills, with confidence preparing and delivering presentations, briefings, and reports.

Experience in preparing business cases, sponsor proposals, and stakeholder decks with accuracy and strategic positioning.

Strong organizational and project management skills, with a keen eye for detail and an ability to manage multiple priorities.

High proficiency in Google Suite, Excel, PowerPoint, CRM systems (Salesforce preferred), and project tools such as ClickUp.

Possesses excellent analytical and reporting skills.

A collaborative and constructive approach to working across interdisciplinary teams, bringing professionalism, curiosity, and positive energy.

Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with customers at all levels across multiple sectors.

Proven track record of driving customer satisfaction, loyalty, and growth.

Possesses a deep understanding of customer goals and challenges and excels in monitoring customer health to identify growth opportunities or risks.

Passionate about delivering exceptional customer service and driving business impact with a commitment to continuous learning and process improvement.

At the Vector Institute, we are committed to driving excellence and leadership in Canada’s knowledge, creation, and use of AI to foster economic growth and improve the lives of Canadians. We strive for greater inclusion in the programs and culture that we build by welcoming and encouraging applications from all qualified candidates. This includes, but is not limited to, applicants who are indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, racialized persons / visible minorities, women, and people with disabilities.

If you require an accommodation at any point throughout the recruitment and selection process, please contact [e-mail] and we will happily work with you to meet your needs.

Seniority level

Seniority level

Mid-Senior level

Employment type

Employment type

Full-time

Job function

Job function

Business Development and Sales

Industries

Research Services

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