Sr. Manager, Partnerships & Programs

Who We Are: KABOOM!•Bethesda, MD

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Sr. Partnerships & Programs Leader is a passionate, organized, and racial equity-focused member of KABOOM!'s Play Operations team, responsible for sitting at the intersection of external relationships and internal program infrastructure. This role exists to ensure that as KABOOM! scales its partnerships, programs, and national influence, the systems, and partner experiences that underpin our work scale with integrity, equity, and consistency. The Sr. Partnerships & Programs Leader owns the programmatic overlay for KABOOM!'s challenge grant work while simultaneously managing relationships with partners. They ensure that every partner — from a community-based partner, donors, strategic partners to national peer organization partner — is engaged thoughtfully, supported effectively, and connected to KABOOM!'s mission in a way that produces real outcomes for kids. The Sr. Partnerships & Programs Leader leads the programmatic architecture that underpins KABOOM!’s partner-driven playspace initiatives — defining the criteria, systems, and quality standards that guide how partners are engaged and supported — while also stewarding relationships and leading management of these initiatives. Serving as a key external representative of KABOOM!, this role regularly engages partners through meetings, conferences, and sector convenings, helping advance KABOOM!’s mission, credibility, and impact. Beyond the grant lifecycle, this role also cultivates and manages KABOOM!'s relationships with strategic partners and national peer nonprofit organizations — partners like YMCAs, Boys & Girls Clubs, and other mission-aligned networks whose reach and community infrastructure can amplify KABOOM!'s impact at scale. Internally, this role is a cross-functional connector — working across Finance, subject matter experts, and KABOOM! teams to keep programs aligned, resourced, and moving. They also drive program quality over time, piloting new approaches, documenting lessons learned, and continuously improving the systems and playbooks that underpin how KABOOM! delivers on its mission.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, public administration, urban planning, social work, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
5-7 years of experience in grant program management, community partnership development, or a related nonprofit or public-sector role.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent programs and partner relationships with a high level of organization, follow-through, and attention to detail.
Experience managing or supporting national or multi-organizational partnerships, including relationship stewardship and mutual value creation.
Experience operating in complex, cross functional environments where influence, systems design, and partnership stewardship were central to success.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience with professional outreach, grant documentation, and stakeholder correspondence.
Experience reviewing grant applications, conducting partner due diligence, or similar evaluation work.
Comfort working with legal agreements and cross-functional teams, including finance and operations stakeholders.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and comfort learning new data management tools (e.g., Salesforce, Box, mySidewalk, HandsOn Connect).
Ability to travel regionally and nationally up to >50% of the time, including site visits, partner meetings, and organizational events.
Valid driver's license and ability to work a flexible schedule when needed to accommodate partner time zones and project deadlines.
Ability to work in a hybrid environment; some in-person presence may be required based on organizational and partner needs.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with community-based organizations in under-resourced communities on capital projects, infrastructure, or place-based initiatives.
Familiarity with playspace design, community development, or built-environment equity issues and the funding landscape that supports them.
Experience managing national peer nonprofit relationships, coalition partnerships, or sector-level collaboration.
Knowledge of grant lifecycle management from outreach through close-out, including final reporting and compliance tracking.
Experience coordinating technical assistance programs or managing subject matter expert consultants.
Bilingual proficiency (written and spoken) is a plus.

Responsibilities

Support the design of program plans, timelines, and budgets — including custom scopes and program objectives — in coordination with internal teams to implement holistic solutions to end playspace inequity.
Develop and implement program criteria, application, screening, and implementation processes to help drive initiative delivery.
Lead implementation of pilot projects in support of organizational innovation priorities, evaluate pilots, and draft standard operating procedures following pilot completion.
Manage strategic programs across assigned areas, ensuring alignment with KABOOM! goals and the needs of project partners.
Lead thoughtful collaboration with partners to ensure successful implementation of their program plans, including playspace mapping, community mobilization, and evaluation sharing.
Develop and lead partnership level strategies for KABOOM!’s national peer nonprofit relationships, defining how each individual partnership can most effectively advance playspace equity, deepen community reach, and deliver shared outcomes aligned with KABOOM!’s mission.
Own a portfolio of national peer nonprofit partnerships, tailoring partnership models, goals, and engagement approaches to each organization’s assets, reach, and community footprint while ensuring clarity of roles and mutual value.
Cultivate, steward, manage and grow KABOOM!'s relationships with national peer nonprofit organizations — including YMCAs, Boys & Girls Clubs, C&NN, NRPA, NYLC, and other mission-aligned networks — ensuring partnerships are strategically aligned, mutually valuable, and designed to generate measurable outcomes that are mission aligned and positioned for long-term impact.
Identify and pursue new national peer nonprofit partnerships that strengthen KABOOM!’s ecosystem approach, working in close collaboration with the VP of Strategic Partnerships & Play Innovation to align partnership development with organizational priorities.
Represent KABOOM! at sector convenings, peer organization events, and thought leadership forums, strengthening trust, alignment and advancing the organization’s, credibility, and influence within the broader playspace equity ecosystem, as a strategic, reliable partner.
Oversee coaching and technical assistance for program participants — through webinars, newsletters, and one-on-one support — coordinating subject matter experts to ensure projects produce the greatest impact and are completed on schedule.
Direct strong inclusion of program consultants when applicable, including overseeing the development of RFPs, managing an equitable hiring process, onboarding, and ongoing check-in calls.
Document partner progress periodically throughout the grant period, tracking milestones and maintaining accurate records through receipt and review of final grant reports.
Stay current on local government priorities, funding environments, playspace policy, and equity issues across assigned areas, applying that knowledge to strengthen partner outreach and program design.
Attend site visits, groundbreakings, community build events, and installations, representing KABOOM! and supporting Community Partner teams through key project milestones.
Contribute to knowledge management and continuous improvement by documenting lessons learned, updating program playbooks, and sharing process insights with the broader Programs & Partnerships team following each grant cycle.
Serve as an externally facing representative of KABOOM!, regularly engaging partners, peer organizations, and sector leaders through in person meetings, conferences, site visits, and convenings.
Represent KABOOM!’s programs, values, and approach with clarity and credibility, tailoring messaging to diverse audiences while advancing the organization’s mission and strategic priorities.
Participate in and contribute to thought leadership forums, panels, and learning communities that shape the future of playspace equity, community infrastructure, and partner driven solutions.
Support the cultivation of KABOOM!’s external voice by sharing program insights, lessons learned, and emerging practices with partners and the broader field.
Collaborate with senior leadership to identify opportunities for strategic visibility, sector influence, and cross organizational learning through external engagement.
Coordinate cross-team work in support of established organizational goals for the initiaitves and strategic partner commitments, facilitating collaboration and accountability across departments.
Serve as a key connector between external partners and internal teams, ensuring program needs are clearly communicated and effectively resourced.
Collaborate with internal teams to train and amplify programs to relevant stakeholders, ensuring program offerings align with diverse stakeholder needs.