Partnerships Manager, Chicago

Job title: Partnerships Manager, Chicago
Functional Team: Partnerships
Job type: Full-time
FLSA Classification: Exempt
Location: Hybrid in Chicago (IL)
Desired start date: April 1st, 2025
Direct Supervisor: Associate Director of Partnerships

Who We Are

COOP is building a diverse movement of upwardly mobile first-generation college grads overcoming underemployment through digital skills and peer connections. We want to reignite our nation’s promise of upward mobility for those who strive to achieve a brighter future for themselves and their families—to ensure the American Dream is a reality for all. We connect un-/underemployed first-gen college graduates to one another—within cohorts and across “generations” of cohorts. By growing their peer professional networks, members of our community achieve upward economic mobility by building the skills and connections they need for the careers they deserve.

Our intervention for underemployed graduates has produced compelling wage outcomes for thousands of first-generation and low-income grads in New York, California, Illinois, and Florida.

Within 12 months of program completion, three in four COOP alumni are fully employed.

Learn more about COOP Careers’ here:

• https://coopcareers.org/mission
• https://coopcareers.org/impact

Our Workplace

COOP is an alumni-led organization where we bring our authentic selves to work every day. Over 60% of our staff members have been program participants which translates into a workplace that is mission-driven with deep connections to our community. Rooted in the core values that comprise our three pillars of Head, Heart, and Hustle, we approach our work with empathy, curiosity, and a shared sense of purpose.

Our teams span across NYC, Bay Area, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami. We come together virtually each month to create space for collective learning and professional development, and regionally in-person each month to build connections. We approach our shared mission of overcoming underemployment with resourcefulness and optimism while bringing fun to the challenge.

What You Will Do

COOP Careers is hiring a Partnerships Manager to build and strengthen relationships with employer partners in Chicago & Miami. The Partnerships Manager is a highly influential role with opportunities for growth, leadership, and innovation. This person will manage and spearhead partnerships with employers and corporations, design creative and strategic engagement opportunities and develop and manage partner relationships. They will ensure that COOP prioritizes partnerships in alignment with its mission, vision and values. Strong communication, relationship-building, and organizational skills are essential for success, along with a passion for driving impactful collaborations.

Responsibilities

Partner Management - 30%

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with hiring teams and leaders at partner companies, positioning COOP as a key talent pipeline for their hiring needs, while ensuring high-quality outcomes through successful employment placements and engaged corporate advocates
• Keep partners consistently engaged by scheduling meetings at the start of each semester to align on goals and opportunities
• Gather job opportunities from employer partners and share them with the COOP community, identifying and referring qualified candidates from the COOP alumni network
• Oversee all communications with employer partners, ensuring a responsive, high-quality service experience
• Collaborate with the marketing team to promote partner events and highlight the successes of both partners and COOP alumni

Partner Prospecting- 30%

• Develop and nurture relationships with Chicago & Miami-based employers to enhance engagement and create job opportunities for active cohorts and alumni
• Proactively seek out and bring new partners into the pipeline, effectively promoting COOP’s mission and value
• Lead introductory calls with potential partners and guide them through the partnership lifecycle
• Create and implement a targeted market strategy to reach potential partners in Chicago and Miami
• Attend industry events to network and establish connections with key industry leaders

Event Management - 30%

• Plan, coordinate, and execute employer engagement programs, including volunteer opportunities, mentorships, mock interviews, and technical workshops for COOP fellows during training and as alumni
• Manage fellow participation and collaborate with the Program Team to ensure full engagement in the opportunities
• Develop and distribute event surveys to gather feedback for ongoing improvement and to better meet employer goals

Administration - 10%

• Maintain accurate record of partnerships and opportunities pipeline in Salesforce and create ad hoc reports for stakeholders
• Track and maintain records of KPIs for each managed partner account, including but not limited to the number of COOPers hired, the number of attendees at each partner event, and other data points of interest to each partner

Who We Need

Required Qualifications:

• 2-3 years of professional work experience required with 1-2 years in sales, account management, or customer success
• While this role is based out of Chicago, candidates must have the ability to travel to Miami once per quarter
• Ability to work outside of normal business hours as needed, this role will require you to be on-site for partner events
• Strong relationship-building skills with the ability to engage key stakeholders and navigate complex corporate structures
• Excellent organizational, multitasking, and project management skills with a focus on follow-through and customer service
• Effective communicator across interpersonal, verbal, public speaking, and written formats
• Comfortable with learning new technologies and self-teaching solutions to challenges

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred but not required
• Experience or familiarity with Salesforce or other CRM systems is a plus

Who You Are

• Mission Driven & Equity Mindset - Demonstrates understanding of and commitment to the mission; brings an equity mindset to work
• Adaptability -Willingness to work outside of defined job description to establish new processes or find a solution to new challenges
• Collaboration - Works cooperatively and respectfully with others
• Data Mindset - Able to read and extract insights from a range of data
• Initiative & Results Driven - Recognizes issues and takes action to make or advance decision-making processes, delivering quality results
• Workload Management - Breaks down a work task/project into process steps and executes them effectively, adjusting course as needed

What We Offer You
COOP Careers believes it is mission-critical to hire, retain, and motivate highly qualified, passionate, dedicated professionals and is committed to providing a fair and comprehensive compensation package, which includes:

• Base Annual Salary: $60,000 - $65,000 (commensurate with experience)
• A generous and flexible vacation policy, including holidays and office closures for Wellness Weeks the last week of December and first week of July
• 100% employer-funded comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for you (80% employer-funded coverage for dependents)
• Flexible spending account benefits (healthcare, dependent care, and commuter)
• 401(K) retirement plan and 4% employer match - eligibility to participate after one year of service

Hybrid Working Policy
COOP’s hybrid workplace strikes a thoughtful balance between at-home flexibility and in-person chemistry. Regular shared experience in person (structured and spontaneous) will enhance collaboration, strengthen existing relationships, and forge new ones within and across teams. Intentional, casual, and joyful moments together will infuse our culture with the sense of community that makes COOP unique and powerful and will collectively push us toward our shared purpose.

Currently, all COOP team members are working remotely and attending a once-a-month in-person coworking and team-building day at our co-located space in lower Manhattan (Civic Hall, 124 E 14th St, New York, NY 10003) for NYC team members and in San Francisco (Swissnex, San Francisco Pier 17, The Embarcadero Suite 800, San Francisco, CA 94111) for Bay Area team members or a mutually convenient coworking location for our Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami team members.

Residency Policy
All employees must reside within commuting distance (approximately two hours) of a COOP Program site located in the following cities: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Bay Area, and within the states of CA, CT, FL, IL, IN, NJ or NY.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
COOP provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. We seek to build a diverse staff representative of the communities we serve. All qualified applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

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