Partner Enablement Manager

Foundant + smartsimple

7h•Hybrid

About The Position

This role is centered around managing and nurturing relationships with active and prospective partners across GivingData, CommunitySuite, GLM, and SLM. The Partner Enablement Manager will serve as the primary point of contact, conduct discovery conversations, align partners to focus areas, host regular check-ins, and identify and onboard new partners. A key aspect of the role involves working with partners to understand Foundant's value propositions and represent them effectively to prospective clients, tracking partner-sourced pipeline and closed deals. Additionally, the manager will design and coordinate training plans, manage access to resources, and ensure partners can confidently demonstrate platform functionality. The role also includes managing a bench of vetted independent contractors for implementation support when internal capacity is exceeded, ensuring they are properly enabled and aligned with Foundant standards. Collaborative project support is crucial, facilitating kickoffs, establishing timelines, and serving as an escalation point for partner or contractor issues. Finally, the position requires tracking and reporting on key partner program metrics, maintaining a documented partner registry, and continuously refining the partner program based on data and feedback.

Requirements

3–5 years of experience in partner management, channel partnerships, client success, or relationship management roles
Familiarity with the nonprofit, philanthropy, community foundation, or grants management sector
Demonstrated ability to build trusted, long-term relationships with external partners and internal stakeholders
Customer-first mindset — you make decisions based on what is best for the client and partner, not just internal convenience
Comfort operating with ambiguity and building processes where none previously existed
Strong project coordination skills with the ability to manage multiple partner relationships and active engagements simultaneously
Excellent communication and facilitation skills across different audiences — from individual contractors to executive stakeholders
Analytical mindset with experience tracking and reporting on KPIs

Nice To Haves

Experience working with or in a consulting or professional services environment
Background in SaaS implementation, partner enablement, or learning & development
Experience building or standardizing programs across multiple teams or products
Existing relationships in the philanthropy/grants management consulting ecosystem

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary point of contact for all active partners
Conduct discovery conversations with potential partners to understand their expertise, client base, and strategic goals
Align each partner to one or more focus areas: Vendor Selection, Implementation Assistance, Specialized Support, or Implementation Lead
Host regular check-ins and quarterly business reviews with partners and internal leadership
Identify and onboard new partners with the skills our clients need — particularly in fund accounting, implementation, and grants management consulting
Equip partners to represent Foundant products in vendor selection conversations, including demo capabilities and competitive positioning
Track and report on partner-sourced pipeline and closed deals
Identify opportunities to deepen partner engagement and expand their role in generating new business
Design customized training plans for each partner based on their focus area and product line
Coordinate with the Senior Manager of Learning & Enablement and subject matter experts to deliver 1:1 training sessions
Manage partner access to training materials, webinars, Knowledge Base articles, sandbox environments, etc
Ensure partners can confidently demonstrate platform functionality and represent our value propositions
Identify, vet, and onboard individual contractors with implementation expertise across GivingData, CommunitySuite, GLM, and SLM
Maintain an up-to-date roster of available contractors, their skills, availability, and product certifications
Coordinate with the Implementation team to deploy contractors on projects as needed
Ensure contractors are properly enabled and aligned to Foundant standards before engaging with clients
Facilitate project kickoffs between partners, contractors, and Foundant Implementation Project Managers
Establish timelines, deliverables, and communication cadences for joint projects
Serve as an escalation point for partner or contractor issues on active projects
Collect client satisfaction feedback and case studies from completed partner-led engagements
Track and report on key partner program metrics: partner-sourced leads, deals closed, client satisfaction (CSAT), project success rates, and partner satisfaction
Maintain a documented partner registry with partner profiles, focus areas, and engagement history
Report program performance and ROI to leadership on a regular cadence
Continuously refine partner program structure and resources based on data and feedback