Senior Manager, Strategic Alliances (Corporate Partnerships)

First Book•Washington, DC

2d•$78,000 - $88,000•Hybrid

About The Position

First Book is a leader in both philanthropic and public-private sector partnerships, focused on removing barriers to education for kids in need. The Senior Manager, Strategic Alliances, will help design and manage philanthropic corporate partnerships for First Book. This role oversees some of the team’s top corporate partners at high revenue levels, such as KPMG, General Motors, LEGO, etc. The Senior Manager will play a principal role in cultivating and strengthening corporate relationships in a dynamic, fast-paced organization. Responsibilities include partner research, strategy development, relationship building, project management, budgeting, and partnership marketing. The Senior Manager should possess experience in cause-based marketing, corporate partnership development, and/or consulting with the private sector. Successful candidates will demonstrate a strong interest in fundraising, a track record of account management, solid business writing and presentation skills, excellent verbal communication, experience in pitch development and delivery, creative and bold thinking, exceptional critical thinking, and a passion for corporate social responsibility. The Senior Manager will work with colleagues on the Strategic Alliances Team and collaborate extensively with team members across the organization to ensure organizational needs are met through corporate partnerships.

Requirements

Demonstrated interest and/or experience in corporate social responsibility (CSR).
People management experience, including coaching and performance oversight.
Strong presentation skills, including the ability to develop persuasive presentations from concept to delivery.
Excellent client management and partnership development skills.
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work collaboratively in a team-focused environment.
Ability to work effectively within a matrixed reporting structure.
Excellent writing, communication, and presentation skills.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
Ability to maintain the highest level of confidentiality.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously with strong organizational and time‑management skills.
Ability to meet deadlines in a fast‑paced, multi‑tasking environment.
Ability to travel up to 40% during peak periods, unless restricted by safety or public health considerations.
Bachelor’s degree (BA/BS) required, preferably in Business Administration, Marketing/Communications, or Public Relations/Public Policy/Social Impact, or a closely related field that develops strong analytical, communication, and corporate partnership competencies.
Minimum of five (5) to seven (7) years of experience in corporate fundraising, client development, or client management, with a strong interest in corporate social responsibility.
Demonstrated experience managing and growing high‑revenue six‑ and seven‑figure corporate partnerships.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
Experience with Salesforce or a comparable CRM system (preferred).
Fast learner with a collaborative, team‑oriented approach.

Nice To Haves

Proven leadership, innovation, and creativity within the private sector (highly desirable).

Responsibilities

Demonstrate the following Core Competencies within the role: Collaborates, Cultivates Innovation, Drive Results, Organizational Savvy, and Strategic Mindset
People management and servant leadership: this role manages SA, Coordinators, and/or junior-level staff on the team (potentially 1-2 direct reports)
Meet annual financial goals as determined by the First Book Executive Team and SA Leadership
Oversee a portfolio of high-revenue corporate partnerships with leading multi-national corporations and philanthropic foundations, aligned with First Book’s strategy.
Maintain partner satisfaction, sustain long-term partnerships, and engender partnership growth
Manage partnership activities, campaigns, and initiatives, developing budgets, planning, and executing close collaboration with cross-functional First Book team members
Bring creativity and a customer-service mentality to all corporate relationships
Report and tracking all relevant partner and opportunity updates within Salesforce
Create reports demonstrating the impact of partner activities, campaigns, and initiatives
Develop strong relationships with internal stakeholders, to support existing partnerships and to forward the work of Strategic Alliances
Keep abreast of philanthropic trends that may affect the assigned portfolio of partners
Remain up to date on partner business news to ensure the continued relevance of the partnership and to identify new opportunities
Participate and ability to lead cross-departmental collaborations of internal teams of representatives from Marketing Communications, Network Engagement, E-Commerce, Operations, IT, and Finance to create and implement value-added, integrated programs that advance institutional goals.
Respond to and undertake special projects as requested by the SVP of Strategic Alliances and senior leadership of First Book.
Other duties as assigned.