Location: Remote + Travel

Employment Type: Full-time, exempt

Salary Range: $118,200 - $130,020 per year

Benefits: High-quality health and dental insurance, paid vacation, employer-matched retirement plan

The Organization

At Thrive Scholars, we provide high-achieving students from under-resourced communities the opportunities they need to thrive at top colleges and in meaningful careers.

Our comprehensive and data-driven program model focuses on the key inflection points that can be the difference between graduating from any college and graduating from a top college with the grades, degree, career skills, and network needed to thrive in any career. Thrive Scholars originated in Los Angeles as South Central Scholars (“SCS”) twenty years ago. Over this time, the organization has refined its program model and, in the last five years, has focused on expanding nationally; reaching more high-achieving students from under-resourced communities, growing the number of Scholars we serve; and deepening our program impact. Thrive Scholars has begun to grow its footprint with new summer program offerings in three additional cities. The organization has approximately 65 year-round employees and close to 200 summer employees.

Corporate Partnerships  

As a member of our Corporate Partnerships team, you will play a critical role in helping us sustain and expand our partnerships with the business community nationwide. This team secures investments for Thrive and helps to connect the dots across our programs, providing opportunities for Scholars at each stage of their Thrive journey. Through consultative sales and account management, we craft mutually beneficial partnerships to secure sustainable investments and support our Scholars' access to career exploration, mentorship, networking, scholarships, internships, and entry-level roles with industry leaders. By bridging Thrive’s program and partnerships, our team aims to ensure that Thrive's Scholars are on paths toward economic mobility and are the most competitive applicants when they reach the workforce.

The Position

As our Director of Corporate Partnerships, you will play a critical role in helping us grow our partnerships with corporations in Los Angeles, New York, and across the country, effectively meeting the needs of our Scholars and those of our partners through mutually beneficial relationships. At Thrive Scholars, we see these partners as key to our ability to deliver on our mission and ensure that our Scholars can successfully enter and grow within competitive careers. Simultaneously, partners value their relationship with Thrive Scholars, as they recognize our organization's role in preparing highly talented, under-resourced students to succeed within their companies and industries. In this role, you will be able to build and leverage corporate partnerships, unlocking key career opportunities for our Scholars and supporting partners in investing in a diverse pipeline of future industry leaders. 

Thrive Scholars currently benefits from various corporate partnerships across industries. In this role, you will leverage your dynamic fundraising and partnership-development skills to steward and build on existing relationships, market Thrive Scholars, engage new partners and develop the most comprehensive philanthropic and corporate partnerships possible with leading companies across the country.  

In addition to setting and implementing our corporate partnership strategy in collaboration with members of our senior staff, fundraising, career development, and mentorship teams, you will work to ensure that we track and exceed our current partner satisfaction goals and our revenue and new corporate partnerships growth goals.  As a team player who contributes to our broader development goals, your collaborative nature,  attention to detail, and experience managing complex relationships will help us retain and secure sustainable revenue and corporate partnership opportunities.

Reporting to the Managing Director of Corporate Partnerships, this role is ideal for someone who enjoys exceeding partner expectations, is entrepreneurial, seeks to build a model corporate partnership program, and is passionate about unlocking opportunities for highly talented, under-resourced young people. The position also provides a significant opportunity to collaborate with senior leaders, with whom you will partner to manage and upsell existing partners and close new deals. 

This position is location-flexible, with a preference for Los Angeles, New York, or another major market. 

Key Responsibilities:

Business Development 

GOAL:  Successfully establish new corporate partnerships with top-tier corporations in Los Angeles, New York and across the country.

Drive a consultative sales process by: 

• Identifying mission-aligned prospect corporations and developing and leveraging tailored cultivation strategies
• Building a solid business case for partnering with us and leveraging interest in a stronger, more diverse talent pool to forge new corporate partnerships and attract philanthropic support
• Identifying key decision-makers and supporters within prospective partner organizations
• Manage sales pipeline & accelerate sales process
• Managing relationships through strong communication and project management
• Develop and leverage tailored cultivation strategies and solutions for each prospect 

Partner Engagement 

GOAL:  Manage the onboarding of new partners and the seamless transition to account management team

Serve as the main point of contact with partners through partnership launch.

• Ensure the partners are set up for a successful transition by capturing all required information and completing the onboarding checklist.
• Build a program at a glance to ensure efficient execution for our account managers and partners.
• Work cross-functionally with our Career Development Team and Career Coaches to support recruitment for partner job opportunities.

Administration 

GOAL:  Ensure vital data capture that supports the sales cycle and stewardship of the corporate partnership program.

• Manage all data records for corporate partners in Salesforce, including revenue pipeline and forecast.
• Manage/track sales process /activity for high-priority prospects
• Create customized marketing materials and pitch presentations, as well as proposals for partner prospects
• Contribute to the development team and overall organizational team efforts
• Assist in development operations initiatives, including Salesforce data review and analysis 
• Collaborate on Fundraising annual planning
• Support local fundraising events and cultivation/stewardship of key decision-makers

Qualifications and Experience:
There are innumerable ways to learn, grow, and excel professionally. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. The qualifications and experiences listed below are intended as a guide; we do not expect candidates to check every box. If you believe you can meet the expectations and responsibilities of this position, we want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. 

• Minimum 7 years in business development, strategic partnership management, or transferrable revenue generation skills
• Proven ability to sell complex partnerships and maintain established relationships
• Industry experience in life sciences, engineering or technology, finance and/or experience working with companies in these sectors is preferred.
• Proficiency in navigating complex organizations, identifying prospects, and influencing stakeholders
• Deep understanding of STEM disciplines and industry landscape
• Track record of exceeding fundraising/sales goals and closing deals
• Independent yet collaborative team player with strong professionalism and judgment
• Effective written and oral communication skills, including pitch document development and presentation skills
• Highly organized with initiative and ability to prioritize in a fast-paced environment
• Strong research skills and entrepreneurial mindset
• Salesforce experience
• Willingness to travel and attend conferences and pitch meetings as required

Compensation and Benefits:

Thrive Scholars offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including high-quality health, dental, and disability insurance, three weeks of paid vacation (four weeks after two years of employment), and access to an employer-matched retirement plan. This is a full-time, exempt position.

Travel Expectations: It may require up to 20-25% national travel.

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Equal Employment Opportunities:

Thrive Scholars provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status. We strongly encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

For more information, please visit thrivescholars.org