Corporate Relations Manager

Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida; Tallahassee (FL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida seeks a Corporate Relations Manager to develop, secure, and manage strategic corporate partnerships that advance conservation goals and private-sector investment in Florida's wildlife programs.

Working with the Director of Philanthropy, Board members, and partner organizations, you will cultivate high-impact sponsorships, employee engagement initiatives, and cause marketing opportunities that deliver measurable conservation outcomes for Florida's fish

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Nonprofit Management, or related field; 5–8 years in corporate partnerships or fundraising preferred.
• Experience developing corporate partnerships, sponsorships, or philanthropic relationships in nonprofit or related settings.
• Established relationships within outdoor recreation, conservation, hunting, fishing, boating, tourism, or related industries preferred.
• Experience identifying, cultivating, and engaging prospective partners and pitching ideas to corporate decision-makers.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the Foundation's corporate relations strategy, including systems, materials, and processes for philanthropy, sponsorships, partnerships, and cause marketing.
• Maintain a pipeline of prospective corporate partners aligned with the Foundation's mission.
• Cultivate new connections with corporate leaders and industry associations within outdoor sectors, and manage strategic partnerships to support conservation programs.
• Ensure partnership benefits, brand usage, sponsorship recognition, and contractual obligations are fulfilled.

Skills

Corporate partnerships

Fundraising

Business development

Relationship management

Negotiation

Marketing activation

Project management

Communication skills

MS Office 365

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Nonprofit Management, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Outlook

PowerPoint

Job description

Essential Functions

The Corporate Relations Manager is responsible for developing, securing, and managing strategic corporate relationships that generate meaningful philanthropic support and private-sector investment for the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida's conservation mission.

Working closely with the Director of Philanthropy, Executive Leadership, Board members, Foundation staff, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) partners, this position will identify, cultivate, solicit, negotiate, and manage relationships with corporations whose values align with Florida's fish and wildlife conservation priorities.

This position will build and grow the Foundation's corporate partnerships program by developing corporate philanthropy, sponsorships, strategic partnerships, employee engagement opportunities, and cause marketing initiatives that advance Florida's fish and wildlife conservation priorities. The successful candidate will develop customized partnerships that create meaningful value for corporate partners while advancing measurable conservation outcomes.

The ideal candidate will bring an established network of relationships within the outdoor recreation, conservation, hunting, fishing, boating, tourism, or related industries and will leverage those relationships to accelerate the growth of the Foundation's corporate relations program. Success in this role will depend on the ability to translate trusted industry relationships into long-term strategic partnerships that advance the Foundation's mission.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the Foundation's corporate relations strategy, including the internal systems, materials, and processes necessary to establish and grow the Foundation's corporate philanthropy, sponsorship, strategic partnership, and cause marketing programs.
• Develop and maintain a qualified pipeline of prospective corporate partners whose philanthropic priorities and business objectives align with the Foundation's mission.
• Leverage existing relationships while actively cultivating new connections with corporate leaders, manufacturers, retailers, industry associations, and organizations within the outdoor recreation, conservation, fishing, boating, hunting, tourism, and related sectors. (Consultant emphasis retained.)
• Work with Foundation leadership to identify, cultivate, solicit, negotiate, and manage strategic corporate partnerships that generate meaningful support for conservation programs and initiatives.
• Develop creative partnership concepts, sponsorship opportunities, and campaign ideas tailored to prospective corporate partners.
• With support from the Foundation team and Board of Directors, build, manage, and steward a portfolio of corporate partners.
• Establish and achieve annual revenue goals related to corporate partnership development, sponsorships, and long-term relationship growth.
• Develop and implement systems to track, evaluate, and report on the effectiveness of corporate partnerships and provide regular performance insights.
• Monitor industry trends, corporate philanthropy best practices, competitor activities, and emerging partnership opportunities to inform strategy and identify opportunities for growth.
• Collaborate with the Communications and Marketing team to develop partnership marketing materials, sponsorship fulfillment plans, promotional campaigns, and recognition opportunities that maximize value for corporate partners.
• Ensure partnership benefits, brand usage, sponsorship recognition, and contractual obligations are fulfilled in accordance with partnership agreements.
• Actively identify and pursue new corporate partnership opportunities through networking, business development, and strategic outreach.
• Represent the Foundation at industry conferences, trade shows, events, and networking opportunities to increase organizational visibility, cultivate relationships, and identify prospective corporate partners.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Nonprofit Management, or a related field and five to eight years of progressively responsible experience in corporate partnerships, fundraising, business development, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience developing corporate partnerships, sponsorships, or philanthropic relationships in a nonprofit or closely related setting. Experience working for, or with, corporations in the conservation, outdoor recreation, hunting, fishing, boating, tourism, or related industries is highly preferred.
• Established relationships and professional networks within the outdoor recreation, conservation, hunting, fishing, boating, tourism, or related corporate sectors are strongly preferred.
• Experience identifying, cultivating, and engaging prospective partners, including developing compelling partnership opportunities and successfully pitching ideas to corporate decision‑makers.
• Experience leading client, sponsor, or account relationships and successfully managing long‑term external partnerships.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with corporate decision‑makers and translate organizational priorities into compelling partnership opportunities that result in meaningful philanthropic investment and long‑term strategic partnerships.
• Experience implementing and managing multiple complex projects in a fast-paced, time-sensitive environment.
• Highly self‑motivated, resourceful, dependable, organized, and detail‑oriented with the ability to manage multiple priorities independently.
• Experience negotiating partnership agreements and managing contractual relationships.
• Experience developing and implementing marketing or partnership activation plans.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 applications, including Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Excellent written, editing, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact professionally and diplomatically with corporate partners, Board members, Foundation staff, volunteers, and community stakeholders.
• Knowledge of and commitment to fish and wildlife conservation, outdoor recreation, and environmental stewardship is preferred.

No phone calls please.

The Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer.