Director of National Partnerships

Urban Strategies LLC• US,

5d•$80,000 - $95,000•Remote

About The Position

The Director of National Partnerships leads Urban Strategies’ national partnership strategy, building relationships and collaborative opportunities to advance the mission of Urban Strategies – to equip, resource, and connect faith- and community-based organizations so that children and families can reach their fullest potential. The Director identifies, activates, structures, and stewards relationships with national and regional mission-aligned partners, to collaboration on well-defined initiatives that strengthen place-based work, support replication of effective models, attract resources and expertise, and lead to transformative impact for communities. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker and excellent builder and steward of relationships. You discern opportunities for collaboration; build strategy and processes related to partnership development; and work with colleagues to build partnerships related to their contents. You take initiative, are adaptive, and have excellent communication skills, and are able to represent Urban Strategies in alignment with its mission and values.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in community development, public administration, urban planning, nonprofit management, business, social sciences, or a related field; equivalent significant experience may be considered.
8 years of progressively responsible experience in community development, strategic partnerships, business/resource development, philanthropy, affordable housing, economic mobility, or related mission-driven work.
Demonstrated success building senior-level cross-sector partnerships that produced measurable strategic, financial, programmatic, or community value.
Experience moving complex partnerships from initial relationship through agreement, implementation, measurement, and renewal.
Strong executive communication, facilitation, negotiation, presentation, writing, and relationship-management skills.
Ability to lead across functions and geographies in a matrixed organization and manage multiple high-priority initiatives simultaneously.
Ability and willingness to travel nationally.

Nice To Haves

Graduate degree in urban planning, public policy, public administration, nonprofit management, business, or a related field.
Experience with CDFIs, foundations, government, financial institutions, affordable housing, economic development, workforce development, neighborhood revitalization, or public-private partnerships.
Experience scaling or replicating place-based community-development initiatives across multiple geographies.
Experience with CRM systems, partnership dashboards, outcome measurement, and executive or board reporting.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a multi-year national partnerships strategy aligned with Urban Strategies’ broader strategic direction.
Build and maintain a qualified national partnership pipeline, identifying organizations and institutions whose capabilities, resources, networks, or investments can advance community outcomes.
Lead the full partnership lifecycle that includes prospecting, qualification, cultivation, opportunity design, internal alignment, negotiation, activation, stewardship, evaluation, renewal, and expansion.
Develop cross-sector partnerships with foundations, corporations, banks, CDFIs, government agencies, national intermediaries, universities, peer community-development organizations, and other aligned institutions.
Translate place-based Community Development work into partnership models that can be replicated or adapted across communities while remaining grounded in local needs and resident voice.
Create partnership proposals, scopes, MOUs, implementation plans, roles, deliverables, timelines, resource commitments, and measures of success in collaboration with appropriate internal stakeholders.
Identify opportunities that bring funding, capital, technical assistance, expertise, referrals, research, training, visibility, program collaboration, or other strategic resources to Urban Strategies and partner communities.
Coordinate closely with Executive leadership, Business Development, Grants, Finance, Communications, Program Evaluation/Data, Legal/Compliance, and executive leadership to ensure commitments are feasible and executable.
Support grant and resource-development opportunities connected to national partnerships, including funder cultivation, concept development, presentations, and proposal strategy.
Support national learning exchanges, peer networks, convenings, site visits, and technical-assistance collaborations that strengthen organizational practice and field visibility.
Represent Urban Strategies at national conferences, coalitions, philanthropic forums, governmental meetings, roundtables, and partner convenings.
Maintain detailed Customer Relationship Management system and partnership records, including relationship history, stage, strategic fit, next actions, expected value, commitments, outcomes, and renewal opportunities.
Provide executive-level reporting on partnership pipeline health, resources leveraged, implementation progress, strategic value, risks, outcomes, and future opportunities.
Develop repeatable partnership playbooks, due-diligence criteria, templates, activation processes, and accountability practices that enable responsible growth.
Lead assigned staff and/or cross-functional partnership teams, establishing clarity, accountability, collaboration, and measurable results.
Connect community needs, external trends, organizational priorities, and long-term opportunities.
Translate relationship opportunities into defined commitments, owners, milestones, and outcomes.
Ensure disciplined follow-through and measurable value from partnerships.
Adjust partnership strategies as community, funding, policy, and market conditions evolve.
Ensure partnerships respect local voice, culture, leadership, and shared ownership.
Approach communities and partners with credibility, responsiveness, humility, and mission focus.

Benefits

Remote work for eligible positions.
Medical and Dental is paid 95% by company and 5% by employee (individual or family).
Vision is covered 100% (individual or family).
401K matched contributions up to 4%.
Employee Assistance Program.
Vacation time is generous but varies depending on program and position.
9 Sick Days and 11 Holidays.
Every teammate gets long and short-term disability free.
Positions that require laptops, the company provides one.
Positions that require cellphone, company issues one.