Strategic Partnerships Manager Jobs in California

Position Overview

The Managing Director, Strategic Partnerships will lead City Year Bay Area’s strategy for building, stewarding, and growing high-impact external partnerships that advance the site’s mission, deepen community investment, and expand opportunities for students, AmeriCorps members, staff, alumni, and partners across the Bay Area.

Job Description

Minimum Qualifications

• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in strategic partnerships, fundraising, business development, external engagement, corporate relations, community affairs, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience managing senior-level external relationships and translating organizational priorities into partnership strategies, proposals, communications, and stewardship plans.
• Experience working cross-functionally with senior leaders and internal teams to manage complex projects, relationships, events, or initiatives.
• Authorized documentation to work in the United States of America.
• Criminal background history clearance to work with school-age children, depending on position requirements.

Responsibilities

The Managing Director of strategic Partnerships will perform the following roles and responsibilities as described below:

Strategic Partnership Development, External Engagement & Executive Communications

• Develop and lead a comprehensive strategic partnerships plan that strengthens relationships with corporations, foundations, civic leaders, community organizations, alumni, school partners, and other external stakeholders while identifying and managing high-value opportunities that advance City Year Bay Area’s strategic priorities, revenue and engagement goals, and visibility for impact.
• Build and manage a comprehensive project plan for a $16M, four-year investment to expand City Year Bay Area’s work in Eastside San José, coordinating internal teams, external partners, timelines, deliverables, reporting, and decision points to ensure strong execution and alignment with sitewide priorities.
• Represent City Year Bay Area in external meetings, partner convenings, community events, and other forums with credibility, professionalism, and a strong understanding of the organization’s mission, model, and impact.
• Prepare executive briefings, talking points, partner profiles, meeting materials, stewardship updates, and other communications that equip the Executive Director and senior leaders to advance strategic relationships.
• Translate City Year Bay Area’s impact, program model, and strategic priorities into compelling narratives for funders, corporate partners, public officials, school partners, and community stakeholders.
• Monitor local partnership trends, community needs, education and workforce development priorities, and philanthropic opportunities to inform proactive partnership strategy.

Revenue, Stewardship & Partnership Portfolio Management

• Partner with the Executive Director, Development team, and site leadership to support corporate, philanthropic, and community investment strategies that help City Year Bay Area reach its $2.7M private revenue goal, including cultivation, proposal development, sponsorship opportunities, stewardship touchpoints, and renewal planning.
• Manage a portfolio of strategic partnership relationships, ensuring each relationship has clear goals, defined next steps, strong documentation, and consistent follow-through.
• Develop metrics, dashboards, briefings, and reporting tools to evaluate partnership health, return on engagement, stakeholder satisfaction, and alignment with City Year Bay Area priorities.

Cross-Functional Partnership Strategy & Internal Alignment

• Work closely with the Chief of Staff to ensure partnership strategy is aligned with sitewide priorities, executive communications, board engagement, staff capacity, and cross-departmental planning.
• Collaborate with Development, Impact, People & Operations, Recruitment, Marketing & Communications, and national teams to design well-coordinated, mission-aligned, and operationally feasible partner experiences, supported by clear internal systems and communication routines that keep teams aligned on commitments, opportunities, deliverables, deadlines, and decision points.

Leadership, Collaboration & Learning

• Lead project teams, consultants, or staff as assigned, setting clear expectations, managing performance, and fostering an environment of belonging, collaboration, accountability, and inclusion.
• Role model a growth mindset and commitment to City Year’s culture and values as a senior leader within a youth-serving organization.
• Perform additional responsibilities as assigned by the Executive Director to advance City Year Bay Area’s mission and strategic priorities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, business, public policy, education, communications, external affairs, or a related field, or comparable professional experience.
• Experience in a nonprofit, education, youth development, workforce development, national service, corporate social responsibility, foundation, or public-private partnership setting.
• Demonstrated success developing or managing strategic partnerships that support revenue generation, volunteer engagement, thought leadership, events, community engagement, or multi-year initiatives, including experience contributing to strategies that help secure major annual funding priorities such as an approximately $1.5M challenge match and an approximately $3M sitewide private revenue target.
• Experience working with executive leaders, board members, corporate partners, public officials, school districts, philanthropic partners, or community coalitions.
• Comfort using CRM,(Salesforce) project management, presentation, and collaboration tools to track relationships, analyze engagement, and manage follow-through.
• City Year, AmeriCorps, or national service experience is a plus.

Competencies

In order to succeed in this role, an applicant must have the following competencies:

• Strategic Thinking: Identifies multiple pathways to address complex and nebulous problems; anticipates barriers and opportunities; develops plans to address them.
• Collaboration: Connects with stakeholders to identify shared interests; partners with others to incorporate different perspectives toward a common goal.
• Understanding & Building Connection: Considers perspectives of others and cultivates relationships to strengthen interpersonal bonds with colleagues and external stakeholders.
• Decision-Making: Uses appropriate context and data to make sensible and timely decisions; displays sound judgment when faced with opportunities/challenges.
• Project Management: Organizes, prioritizes, tracks, and manages workflow and resources into becoming a cohesive unit; fosters belonging, collaboration, and inclusion.

Technical & Functional Skills

• Ability to develop partnership strategies, cultivation plans, stakeholder briefings, stewardship materials, proposals, reports, and executive communications.
• Proficiency using CRM, (Salesforce) project management, and collaboration tools to track stakeholder engagement, commitments, deadlines, and follow-up actions.
• Strong public speaking, facilitation, writing, and presentation skills for senior-level internal and external audiences.
• Ability to use data and relationship insights to evaluate partnership effectiveness and inform strategic decisions.

Physical requirements

• Ability to sit for extended periods and occasionally stand or walk.
• Manual dexterity for typing, writing, and handling standard office equipment.
• Visual acuity to read screens and printed materials.
• Hearing ability to participate in conversations and respond to phone or video calls.
• Occasional lifting or carrying of items up to 10–20 pounds, such as event or office materials.
Ability to communicate clearly in person, by phone, by video conference, and in writing.

Working Conditions

• Operates in a professional office setting, partner meeting spaces, school partner environments, and community event settings using standard office equipment. ·
• Requires regular travel throughout the Bay Area for partner meetings, school visits, volunteer engagement opportunities, community convenings, and City Year events. ·
• Typical schedule is Monday–Friday during standard business hours, with occasional early morning, evening, or weekend commitments based on partner meetings and events. ·
• Noise level is generally moderate and may vary during community, school, or partner events. ·
Must have reliable internet access for remote or flexible work arrangements, as applicable.

Compensation

• Compensation: $125,000 - $130,000 Annually Commensurate with Experience and Location

Benefits