Partnerships Manager (Remote)

AdoptAClassroom.org; Minneapolis (MN); Remote; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

AdoptAClassroom.org is seeking a full-time Partnerships Manager to manage corporate and foundation partners nationwide. The role focuses on growing revenue, renewing partners, and cultivating new opportunities while coordinating with internal teams across planning, activation, and reporting.

The ideal candidate brings 3+ years in nonprofit fundraising/relationships, strong communication, and project management skills, plus experience with CRM systems.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years fundraising and managing corporate and/or foundation partnerships for a nonprofit organization.
• Strong communication and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Experience using CRM systems and cross-functional collaboration with internal and external partners.

Responsibilities

• Serve as key contact and steward for a portfolio of corporate and/or foundation partnerships.
• Collaborate with Partnerships Team members to manage larger, more complex partnerships.
• Act as strategic advisor from program planning through activation, impact reporting, and renewal.
• Project-manage partnership programs and coordinate with cross-functional teams on design, outreach, execution, and reporting.
• Shape partners’ giving or philanthropic initiatives and optimize programs and campaigns.
• Negotiate budgets with partners and optimize use of partner funds.
• Draft and update partnership agreements and support the negotiation process through final execution.
• Oversee invoicing and track financials with finance team.

Skills

Relationship management

Fundraising

Project management

CRM experience

Google Suite

Microsoft Office

Communication skills

Tools

Salesforce CRM

Google Workspace

Microsoft Office

Job description

About AdoptAClassroom.org

AdoptAClassroom.org (AAC) is a national nonprofit seeking a full-time Partnerships Manager to help us partner with companies and foundations to support PreK-12 teachers, educators, and schools to equip students where they need it most. Teachers spend an average of $895 of their own money annually to purchase essential school supplies; with the help of corporate, foundation, and individual donors, our organization is offsetting this financial burden by providing funding directly to classrooms. Since 1998, AdoptAClassroom.org has raised more than $83 million and supported more than 7 million students across the U.S.

Position Overview

The Partnerships Manager is responsible for managing and maximizing a portfolio of current and prospective AdoptAClassroom.org corporate and foundation partners. The individual will help drive revenue by optimizing and growing current partner programs, renewing partners, identifying viable prospects, and contributing creative and strategic ideas for cultivating prospects and executing new partnerships.

The ideal candidate will have a background in nonprofit partnerships involving companies, foundations, and/or K-12 school districts in the United States. We’re looking for someone with a minimum of 3 years of experience with fundraising or relationship management at a national nonprofit. The individual will be highly organized, solutions-oriented, a clear and strategic communicator, and a strong project manager with a history of collaborating with internal cross-functional teams and external partners.

This position is 100% remote anywhere in the U.S. as long as the candidate has reliable access to the internet. It may require occasional travel within the U.S. Authorization to work for any employer in the United States is required. AAC is unable to sponsor a work visa for this role.

This role reports to the Partnerships Director.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Relationship and Program Management

• Serve as key contact and steward for a portfolio of corporate and/or foundation partnerships.
  • Collaborate with Partnerships Team members to help manage larger, more complex partnerships.
• Serve as issue expert and strategic advisor to partners, from program planning through activation completion, impact reporting, and renewal.
• Project-manage partnership programs and collaborate with cross-functional teams through the design, outreach, execution, and reporting phases.
• Help shape partners’ giving or philanthropic initiatives and optimize their programs or cause-marketing campaigns with fresh and innovative ideas, while taking into consideration industry best practices as well as AAC’s strategic priorities, organizational capabilities, and staff capacity.
• Work closely with partners’ and cross-functional teams within AAC throughout the planning and activation process to determine operational, programs, marketing, outreach, and reporting needs. Collaborate with the Partnerships Director to negotiate budgets and optimize use of partner funds.
• Collaborate with the VP of Partnerships to draft and/or update agreements and support the negotiation process through final execution.
• Manage partner invoicing and track financials with assistance from AAC Finance Team.
• Oversee internal use of partner donation to support educators and meet program or campaign objectives.
• Utilize Salesforce as our CRM to document current and prospective partner contacts, research, communication, and forecasted/actual donation information.
• Build workback calendars for internal and external use.
• Manage internal and external kickoff calls and ongoing status and planning calls to finalize program strategy, tactics, timing, and workback calendar.
• Draft creative briefs for AAC’s internal Marketing Team and support the internal review and approval process.
• Manage the external marketing review and approval process.
• Direct final impact reports and content.
• Identify areas of improvement and conduct internal and external debriefs

New Partner Acquisition

• Feed pipeline and prioritize viable prospects.
• Conduct research to identify growth industries and organizations that align with AAC’s mission and have partnership potential.
• Depending on experience and bandwidth, create and execute pitches to partnership prospects.

Strategic Thinking & Planning

• Research prospects to identify synergies and opportunities for partnership that provide mutual value.
• Participate in internal ideation sessions and help shape pitches, thought-starters, and proposals for current partners and prospects.
• Participate in team strategic planning.
• Other duties as assigned.

Demonstrated strengths in the following competencies:

• Experience managing new and/or existing relationships with corporate and/or foundation partners.
• History of project managing complex programs and tasks across a portfolio of partners.
• Ability to problem solve independently, and discern when collaboration with internal and external stakeholders is required.

Qualification requirements:

• A minimum of 3 years of experience fundraising and managing corporate and/or foundation partnerships for a nonprofit organization.
• Proficiency with Google Suite or Microsoft Office (spreadsheets, word processing, etc.).
  • Salesforce proficiency is a plus.