Manager Strategic Alliances

First Book • Washington, DC

7d • $62,000 - $68,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

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.

Requirements

• 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 multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and appropriately escalate strategic risks or issues.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to engage stakeholders professionally.
• Ability to analyze philanthropic, CSR, and cause-marketing trends and translate insights into actionable recommendations.
• Experience coordinating with internal stakeholders across departments to meet service-level agreements and project timelines.

Responsibilities

• 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 workstreams, 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.

Benefits

• Eligibility for medical and dental insurance coverage, in accordance with plan terms.
• Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage, subject to plan provisions.
• Paid vacation leave, accrued in accordance with organizational policy.
• Paid sick leave, provided in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.
• Up to twelve (12) paid holidays annually, subject to organizational schedule and business needs.
• Eligibility to participate in the organization’s 401(k) retirement plan, including employer matching contributions, in accordance with plan documents.
• Eligibility for an employer-provided parking stipend, subject to program guidelines and business needs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level