Partnership Specialist

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DECA Inc. , is a non-profit educational organization headquartered in Reston, Virginia, that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges across the globe.

The Partnership Specialist is a member of the Partnerships department and will be responsible for cultivating partnerships to secure financial support for DECA’s educational conferences and its mission. The Partnerships department develops mutually beneficial relationships with corporate, association, foundation, and college and university partners.

The ideal candidate must be energetic, motivated, and excited to join a collaborative team. A successful applicant will be self-starter ready to prioritize multiple responsibilities and meet deadlines with minimal oversight.

Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, sales, or a related field is required.

• In collaboration with the Chief Partnership Officer, deliver a comprehensive partnership strategy that aligns with DECA mission and objectives.
• Prospect and engage new companies through outbound calls, emails, virtual meetings, and research-driven outreach.
• Create customized proposals that demonstrate the value of partnering with DECA, ensuring all partnership agreements and activities comply with legal and ethical guidelines and organizational policies.
• Cultivate relationships with current and prospective partners by delivering excellent customer service and high-quality communications.
• Collaborate with internal teams to fulfill contracted deliverables and ensure a smooth partner experience.
• Generate reports on partnership performance, including metrics such as ROI and exposure metrics, and use data to make improvements.
• Manage partnership renewals and upselling to existing partners, demonstrating the value of the partnership.
• Maintain the highest level of confidentiality of partners and prospect information.
• Communicate with key stakeholders, including advisors, members, partners and DECA staff providing information and support with exceptional customer service and accuracy.
• Maintain a favorable working relationship with DECA staff to foster a cooperative and harmonious working environment that is conducive to maximum employee morale, productivity, and efficiency/effectiveness.
• Perform other related work as assigned.

• Strong sales and negotiating skills to attract and secure partnership agreements.
• Excellent relationship-building to establish and maintain strong connections and foster long-term partnerships.
• Excellent communications skills, both written and verbal, to articulate the value of partnership opportunities.
• Knowledge of financial principles and accounting, particularly related to budgeting and revenue generation.
• Excellent organizational skills to lead simultaneous projects with a high attention to detail.
• Ability to collaborate with the programs, and communications and marketing departments to integrate sponsor ships into broader organizational strategies.

SUPERVISORY REQUIREMENTS:

This position has no supervisory requirements.

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, and copiers. Periodic lifting, pushing, and pulling of boxes and merchandise up to 50 lbs.

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are typically Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Periodic travel to conferences and meetings is required.

Exempt, not eligible for overtime for time worked over 40 hours in a week.

DECA, Inc. does not discriminate in employment based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.