Senior Partnerships Manager

Standtogether; Wichita (KS); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with 6% match

Flexible time off

Health and dental plans

Wellness support (Peloton)

Mental health support (Talkspace)

Job summary

Stand Together is seeking a Senior Partnerships Manager in Wichita, KS to lead a high-performing partnerships team and drive the strategy that expands impact for educators and partners. You will steward a portfolio of strategic relationships, translate priorities into actionable strategies, and contribute to Education Operations leadership with a data-driven, value-focused approach.

You will coach and develop team members, steer partnership opportunities, and collaborate across the organization

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience developing talent with direct reports.
• 2+ years in partnerships, business development, or external relations.
• Strong strategic judgment and translating priorities into strategy.
• Experience managing complex relationships and negotiating outcomes.
• Ability to operate in ambiguity and move work forward.
• Excellent written and verbal communication across levels.

Responsibilities

• Develop talent through coaching, feedback, apprenticeship and stretch opportunities.
• Build a high-performing Partnerships team with clear expectations.
• Drive execution of the Partnerships vision, strategy and priorities.
• Translate priorities into focused partnership strategies using data and learning.
• Personally manage a portfolio of strategic partnerships and pursue additional opportunities.
• Develop partnerships grounded in mutual value and organizational priorities.
• Evaluate opportunities and decide on advancement or deprioritization.
• Incorporate market knowledge to inform strategy, products, and opportunities.
• Serve on Education Operations leadership and contribute beyond Partnerships.
• Turn ambiguity into clear priorities and action, challenging assumptions.
• Identify cross-team opportunities to create greater value for educators.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Communication

Leadership

Job description

Empowered is seeking a Senior Partnerships Manager to develop talent, advance strategy, and lead high-value relationships that strengthen our Partnerships capability and create value for educators, partners, and the organization.

In this role, you will lead and develop a high-performing Partnerships team, drive execution of an established vision and strategy, and build the knowledge needed to evolve the capability over time. You will manage your own portfolio of partnerships and contribute to other partnership opportunities where your experience and perspective can add value. As a member of Education Operations leadership, you will contribute beyond Partnerships by bringing external knowledge, challenging assumptions, and helping translate organizational priorities into action.

This role is based in Wichita, Kansas.

Develop Talent & Drive Strategy

• Develop individual team members through coaching, feedback, apprenticeship, and stretch opportunities that strengthen judgment, strategic thinking, and ownership.
• Build a high-performing Partnerships team by aligning talent to where individuals can create the most value, setting clear expectations and decision rights, and holding a high bar for contribution.
• Drive execution of the Partnerships vision, strategy, and priorities while building the business and market knowledge needed to evolve the capability and improve results.
• Translate organizational priorities into focused partnership strategies, using data, experimentation, and learning to prioritize where Partnerships can create the greatest value.

Develop & Advance Strategic Partnerships

• Personally manage a portfolio of strategic partnerships and contribute to other partnership opportunities where your experience and perspective can add value.
• Develop partnerships grounded in clear mutual value and organizational priorities.
• Evaluate opportunities and make sound decisions about when to advance, deprioritize, or decline them.
• Bring knowledge from partners and the market back into Empowered to inform strategy, products, and new opportunities.

Contribute to Education Operations Leadership

• Serve as an active member of Education Operations leadership, contributing to the success of the broader business unit - not only Partnerships.
• Bring a clear point of view, challenge assumptions, and help turn ambiguity into priorities and action.
• Identify opportunities for Education Operations capabilities to work together to create greater value for educators.

• 3+ years of experience developing talent, with a track record of strengthening the judgment, capabilities, and independence of direct reports.
• 2+ years of experience in partnerships, business development, external relations, or a similar relationship-driven function.
• Strong strategic judgment, with experience translating organizational priorities into strategy, decisions, and results.
• Experience building and managing complex relationships, influencing senior stakeholders, and negotiating toward mutually beneficial outcomes.
• Ability to operate effectively in ambiguity, exercise sound judgment, collaborate across teams, and move work forward.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders across teams and levels of an organization.
• Enthusiasm to contribute to Stand Together's vision and principled approach to solving problems, and a commitment to stewarding our culture, which champions values including transformation and innovation, entrepreneurialism, humility, and respect.
• Experience with Principle Based Management (PBM), including applying concepts such as decision rights, comparative advantage, opportunity cost, and knowledge seeking.
• Experience building or evolving a partnerships capability, portfolio, or strategy.
• Experience working in education or a mission-driven organization.

• Competitive benefits: Enjoy a 6% 401(k) match with immediate vesting, flexible time off, comprehensive health and dental plans, plus wellness and mental health support through Peloton and Talkspace.
• A meaningful career: Join a passionate community of over 1,400 employees dedicated to improving lives and driving innovative solutions to complex social challenges.
• Commitment to growth: Thrive in a non-hierarchical environment that empowers employees to discover, develop, and apply their unique talents.
• Competitive compensation: Our approach rewards the value you create through competitive salaries and bonus opportunities, allowing you to share in the success you help drive.

Our Values

Working for an organization within the Stand Together philanthropic community is different from many other places. The culture is deeply rooted in Principle Based Management® (PBM®), a framework guided by the principles that drive human progress, such as dignity, openness, and bottom-up empowerment. PBM® empowers employees to be entrepreneurial, to innovate, and to continually drive transformation.

We believe diversity fuels creativity, broadens knowledge, and helps drive success. That is why we’re proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and strive to treat all employees and applicants with honesty, dignity, and respect.