Manager, Strategic Alliances (Corporate Partnerships)

First Book•Washington, DC

14h•Hybrid

About The Position

First Book is a leading nonprofit social enterprise and leader in philanthropic public-private sector partnerships focused on removing barriers to education for children in need. Through partnerships with national brands and organizations, First Book has distributed over 225 million books and educational resources to programs and schools serving kids in under-resourced communities. The Strategic Alliances Manager drives high-impact corporate partnerships that expand access to books and educational resources for children in need. As the primary relationship owner for an assigned portfolio — including national brands like Disney, KPMG, Netflix, Intel, Pizza Hut, and Kendra Scott — this role leads campaign execution, tracks engagement, reports impact, and identifies opportunities for growth, working cross-functionally to ensure every partnership delivers results aligned with First Book’s mission. This role is ideal for a partnership, fundraising, or account management professional who is eager to deepen their experience in corporate social responsibility and cause marketing within a mission-driven organization. The Manager serves as a key contributor on the Strategic Alliances team, helping steward existing relationships, execute campaigns, and identify opportunities for engagement and growth. This position offers meaningful exposure to partnership strategy, cross-functional collaboration, and portfolio development. Over time, the role offers opportunities for expanded responsibility based on demonstrated performance and organizational needs. The Manager collaborates extensively with colleagues across the organization to ensure partnership initiatives align with First Book’s mission and operational goals. This position reports directly to the Sr. Director of Strategic Alliances, Corporate Partnerships. The Manager of Strategic Alliances manages and supports relationships with corporate partners who fund and collaborate on programs that expand access to books and educational resources for children in need. This role serves as a primary point of contact for assigned partners, helping execute campaigns, track engagement, report impact, and identify opportunities for continued collaboration. The Manager works closely with internal teams to ensure partnerships are implemented effectively and aligned with organizational goals.

Requirements

Commitment to First Book’s mission of expanding educational access for children in need.
Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and operate effectively in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
Ability to collaborate effectively with internal stakeholders and manage competing priorities in a matrixed environment.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to use data to inform reporting, recommendations, and decision-making — not just describe results.
Clear, professional written and verbal communication skills, including partner-facing correspondence and executive-level reporting.
Strong project management and organizational skills with attention to detail.
Bachelor’s degree (BA/BS) in business administration, nonprofit management, marketing, communications, public relations, social impact, or a related field required.
Demonstrated ability to manage and retain corporate partner, client, or donor relationships with a track record of measurable outcomes and identified growth opportunities.
Proven ability to lead partnership campaigns and initiatives across cross-functional teams, including timelines, budgets, and deliverables.
Experience developing partner reports, summaries, or presentations using standardized templates and verified data.
Experience with Salesforce or a comparable Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, with a track record of accurate, timely data entry and pipeline reporting.
Background in corporate partnerships, strategic alliances, account management, fundraising, or cause-marketing environments.
Familiarity with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), philanthropic giving, or cause-marketing trends and how they shape corporate engagement strategy.

Responsibilities

Retain and grow an assigned corporate partner portfolio — meeting established retention targets and identifying a defined number of qualified expansion opportunities each quarter.
Lead partnership campaigns and initiatives, delivering projects on time, within budget, and in alignment with documented scopes and cross-functional timelines.
Maintain accurate Salesforce records by entering partner activities within required timeframes (generally within 48 hours) and completing weekly pipeline updates.
Develop and submit data-driven partner impact reports by required deadlines, ensuring accuracy and use of standardized reporting templates.
Coordinate cross-functional deliverables according to agreed timelines and ensure internal stakeholders receive required materials or updates within established service levels.
Produce quarterly summaries highlighting philanthropic, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and cause-marketing trends and identify potential impacts or opportunities for the partner portfolio.
Conduct monthly reviews of partner business developments and document recommendations for renewals, expansions, or engagement adjustments.
Perform other duties as assigned, consistent with the scope and classification of this position.