Manager, Strategic Alliances

NOTE:
To apply, you click this link:

First Book has a mandatory Covid-19 vaccination policy (medical and religious exemptions permitted).

(This is not a 100% remote position/ MANDATORY IN OFFICE: Tuesday & Wednesday)

First Book is a leading organization in philanthropic and public‑private partnerships, dedicated to removing barriers to education for children in need. The Manager of Strategic Alliances will design, manage, and grow philanthropic corporate partnerships across a wide range of industries, including Disney, KPMG, Pizza Hut, Netflix, Intel, and Kendra Scott.

The Manager will play a key role in cultivating, stewarding, and expanding corporate relationships within a dynamic, fast‑paced environment. Core responsibilities include partner research, strategy development, relationship management, project management, budgeting, and partnership marketing. Candidates should bring experience in cause marketing, corporate partnership development, or private‑sector consulting.

Successful candidates will demonstrate strong fundraising interest, proven account management experience, excellent written and verbal communication skills, proficiency in pitch development and delivery, creative and strategic thinking, and a commitment to corporate social responsibility.

The Manager will collaborate closely with colleagues on the Strategic Alliances Team and work cross‑functionally with departments across the organization to ensure corporate partnerships meet organizational needs. This position reports directly to the Vice President of Strategic Alliances.

• Maintain partner retention in alignment with organizational benchmarks and identify qualified expansion opportunities each quarter, documented in CRM and internal reporting systems.
• Lead assigned partnership campaigns and initiatives, ensuring delivery on schedule, within approved budgets, and in accordance with documented scopes of work and cross‑functional timelines.
• Demonstrate increasing ownership of larger and more complex partnerships over time, reflected in expanded portfolio scope and documented leadership development progress.
• Independently manage campaign work streams, ensuring deliverables remain on track while proactively escalating risks, blockers, and strategic opportunities to senior leadership.
• Maintain accurate and complete Salesforce records by logging into all partner interactions within 48 business hours and submitting weekly pipeline updates in accordance with established reporting cadence.
• Develop and submit data‑driven partner impact reports by required deadlines, using standardized templates and validated data sources.
• Coordinate cross‑functional deliverables in alignment with agreed timelines and service‑level agreements (SLAs), ensuring stakeholders receive required materials and updates within established turnaround standards.
• Produce quarterly analyses of philanthropic, CSR, and cause‑marketing trends, identifying relevant implications and opportunities for the partner portfolio.
• Conduct monthly reviews of partner business developments and document recommendations related to renewals, expansions, or adjustments to engagement strategies.
• Perform other duties as assigned, consistent with business needs and role scope.

• Bachelor’s degree (BA/BS) in business administration, nonprofit management, communications, marketing, public relations, social impact, or a related field required.

• Demonstrated professional experience in partnership management, account management, fundraising, business development, or a related client‑facing role.
• Proven ability to manage external partner relationships, including retention and expansion activities.
• Experience leading or supporting cross‑functional campaigns or initiatives with accountability for timelines, deliverables, and coordination.
• Proficiency using Salesforce or a comparable CRM system to track partner activity, manage pipelines, and maintain accurate records.
• Demonstrated experience developing data‑driven reports and executive‑level summaries.
• Strong organizational and time‑management skills with the ability to manage…