Partnerships Manager

The Partnership Manager is responsible for executing the engagement strategy to expand school-based partnerships, securing new opportunities through proposals and RFPs, and driving direct outreach to school districts. This role involves identifying and connecting with key district decision-makers, generating new partnerships, and developing high-quality proposals that align with district needs and SBS services. The ideal candidate will be proactive, results-driven, and skilled in relationship-building, research, and sales outreach.

Key Responsibilities

District Engagement & Partnership Development:

• Develop and execute a proactive engagement strategy to expand SBS partnerships with school districts, charter schools, and educational organizations.
• Identify and connect with key stakeholders, including special education directors, district administrators, and procurement officials.
• Conduct cold calling, emailing, and in-person visits to introduce SBS services and generate new partnerships.
• Schedule and conduct meetings, presentations, and drop-in visits to build relationships and explore potential service agreements.
• Maintain and track engagement efforts in Salesforce to ensure effective follow-up and pipeline management.

Proposal & RFP Management:

• Identify and monitor relevant RFPs, RFIs, and contract opportunities for SBS services.
• Lead the proposal development process, including researching, writing, editing, and submitting high-quality responses.
• Collaborate with internal teams to gather necessary data, pricing, and support materials for proposals.
• Ensure all proposals align with district requirements, compliance standards, and SBS capabilities.
• Maintain in Salesforce documentation of past proposals, responses, and outcomes for continuous improvement.

Sales & Market Expansion:

• Actively prospect and qualify new opportunities outside of RFPs by researching district needs and potential service gaps.
• Develop and maintain a strong pipeline of potential school district clients.
• Work with leadership to refine sales strategies, messaging, and value propositions to drive new district contracts.
• Assist in negotiating and securing new service agreements with districts.

Marketing & Event Strategy:

• Assist in developing marketing materials, presentations, and content to support engagement efforts.
• Contribute to SBS event strategy by coordinating participation in conferences, trade shows, and district meetings to promote services and generate leads.
• Work closely with leadership to develop targeted messaging that highlights SBS strengths, differentiators, and service offerings.

Qualifications & Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Communications, Education, Public Relations, or a related field.
• 3-5 years of experience in business development, sales, relationship management, grant writing, or proposal coordination, preferably in education or healthcare.
• Proven ability to prospect, cold call, and engage new clients through direct outreach and networking.
• Strong research and writing skills with experience drafting professional proposals.
• Ability to communicate effectively with school district leaders and stakeholders.
• Experience with CRM systems (Salesforce preferred) and proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects.
• Knowledge of school-based services, special education, or ABA therapy is a plus.