Business Partner Manager

The Kalamazoo Promise; Kalamazoo (MI); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Kalamazoo Promise is seeking a Business Partner Manager to develop and sustain partnerships with the business community and coordinate engagement opportunities for Promise Students, Scholars, and Alumni.

As part of the Workforce Innovation Team, you will connect local employers with Promise talent, act as a liaison to community stakeholders, and help advance our mission of reducing educational and economic disparities in Kalamazoo.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in workforce development, partnership development, partnership management, account management, business development, or similar role.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain professional relationships.
• Familiarity with partnership activation and engagement strategies.
• Prior success executing projects in a timely manner and achieving results on schedule.
• Strong organizational and oral/written communication skills.
• Ability to speak with tact and persuasiveness in person, when making phone calls and when giving presentations.
• Careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
• Persistent in the face of obstacles and able to adapt to a variety of workplace situations and personnel.
• Effective time management skills.
• Commitment to The Kalamazoo Promise mission and values.

Responsibilities

• Identifies, cultivates, and secures relationships with new business partners interested in hiring Higher Promise interns, job training graduates, apprentices, and early career talent.
• Creates and implements strategies that ensure partnerships are mutually beneficial and aligned with The Promise’s mission.
• Travels throughout Kalamazoo to meet with employers, deepen relationships, and expand engagement opportunities.
• Maintains strong, ongoing relationships with existing business partners through consistent communication, updates, and relationship building activities.
• Develops and delivers presentations to employers, industry groups, and community stakeholders to promote Promise talent and partnership opportunities.
• Serves as a responsive liaison to business partners, ensuring high-quality engagement and support.

Skills

Relationship building

Communication skills

Time management

Strategic thinking

Public speaking

Education

BA/BS in Business or related field

Job description

The Kalamazoo Promise

Business Partner
Manager

Position Description

As a member of the Workforce Innovation Team, the Business Partner Manager develops and sustains partnerships with the business community and coordinates engagement opportunities for Kalamazoo Promise Students, Scholars, and Alumni. This role connects local employers with Promise talent and serves as a key liaison between Promise initiatives and community stakeholders. Through this work, the Manager advances The Promise’s Guiding Value of reducing disparities in educational and economic outcomes and contributes to building a more equitable and thriving Kalamazoo community.

Reports to: Chief Strategy Officer

Responsibilities and Duties:

Business Partnership Development

• Identifies, cultivates, and secures relationships with new business partners interested in hiring Higher Promise interns, job training graduates, apprentices, and early career talent.
• Creates and implements strategies that ensure partnerships are mutually beneficial and aligned with The Promise’s mission.
• Travels throughout Kalamazoo to meet with employers, deepen relationships, and expand engagement opportunities.
• Maintains strong, ongoing relationships with existing business partners through consistent communication, updates, and relationship building activities.
• Develops and delivers presentations to employers, industry groups, and community stakeholders to promote Promise talent and partnership opportunities.
• Serves as a responsive liaison to business partners, ensuring high-quality engagement and support.

Cross Team Collaboration

• Partners internally to connect students, scholars, and alumni with career related activities.
• Supports the integration of employer engagement into relevant Promise programs and initiatives.
• Prepares reports on partnership activities and outcomes for the leadership team.
• Uses data to inform strategy, identify opportunities, and strengthen employer engagement.Maintains accurate partnership records and documentation in The Promise’s database.

Strategy and Continuous Improvement

• Contributes to the development of team strategies, goals, and performance metrics; responsible for meeting assigned quantifiable goals.
• Investigates best practices and emerging models of business-education collaboration for potential adoption.
• Plays an active role in team initiatives, contributing to the success of special projects and cross functional efforts.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience in workforce development, partnership development, partnership management, account management, business development, or similar role.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain professional relationships.
• Familiarity with partnership activation and engagement strategies.
• Prior success executing projects in a timely manner and achieving results on schedule.
• Strong organizational and oral/written communication skills.
• Ability to speak with tact and persuasiveness in person, when making phone calls and when giving presentations.
• Careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
• Persistent in the face of obstacles and able to adapt to a variety of workplace situations and personnel.
• Effective time management skills.
• Commitment to The Kalamazoo Promise mission and values.

Education:

BA or BS degree in Business, Non-profit Management, or Communications, or a bachelor’s degree in any field with partnership development experience.

Physical Requirements:

This position works in a typical office environment. Essential functions include communicating with colleagues and community members, reviewing written and electronic information, and using a computer for extended periods. The role also involves local travel. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function, with or without reasonable accommodation. The requirements described are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

The Kalamazoo Promise is committed to cultivating a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We grow and learn better together with a diverse team. The individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, innovation, self-expression, and talent that our team invests in their work represent not only part of our culture, but our greater commitment to the Promise community. In hiring for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring, including but not limited to: education, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, marital/family status, national origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs.

Job posting end date: EOD October 12, 2026