Associate Director – Strategic Partnerships

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Colorado, +4 more states.

📋 Description

• Play a pivotal role in establishing and expanding a network of partnerships with corporations and foundations to develop Fellowships supported by Watson Institute.

• Craft and design engaging, persuasive, customized, and visually appealing impact updates for Watson Institute’s key prospects and partners. These updates may encompass decks, emails, Alumni and Fellow highlights, Fellow profiles, and more.

• Lead and participate in meetings with prospects and partners, including thorough preparation, discussion points during the meeting, meticulous note-taking, timely and comprehensive follow-ups, and collaboration with relevant team members on action items.

• Complex Stakeholder Mapping and Engagement: Strategically coordinate and engage with a diverse array of stakeholders across each corporate and foundation partner.

• Create persuasive concept notes, decks, and grant applications for prospects and partners, illustrating both business impact (for the partner) and community impact (for the Fellows and their communities) in a strategic and nuanced manner.

• Design impactful points of ‘business connectivity’ that foster connections across various teams and business objectives within each corporate/foundation prospect and partner. These points may include alignment with corporate strategies, impact and business goals; employee engagement; compelling communications content; brand amplification; supply chain connections; among others to enhance the Fellowship's impact.

• Collaborate closely with Watson Institute’s VP of Strategic Partnerships, CEO, and other leadership team members to ensure successful outcomes across all partnerships.

• Work alongside Watson Institute’s Design Team on monitoring, evaluation, and learning processes and analyses to ensure that impact metrics align with partner expectations.

• Act as the Strategic Partnerships Lead for special projects that are vital to Watson Institute’s corporate partnership strategy and growth. Examples include conducting landscape analyses for partners aiming to expand their Fellowship into new markets and developing thought pieces/reports on current trends in corporate and community impact.

⛳️ Requirements

• Eager to join a team that upholds exceptionally high standards for quality and excellence, understanding that demonstrating excellence in partnership building is essential for scaling impact and achieving significant results.

• Possess an exceptional attention to detail. You enjoy focusing on the nuances of words, style, formatting, and talking points to produce the most compelling outcomes possible.

• Detail Oriented: You are diligent and possess outstanding organizational skills. You excel at identifying errors or inconsistencies in writing and external communications. You take pride in delivering accurate work on time. You have a talent for project management and a passion for work plans and checklists. You are quick to spot any missed steps and are the first to notice typos or formatting issues.

• Intentional: Your approach to work involves creating order and planning ahead. You think methodically and excel at establishing efficient processes.

• Results-Driven: You possess a strong desire to grow and are ready to roll up your sleeves and contribute. You have a proactive attitude and a commitment to addressing various challenges, regardless of their complexity. When you take on a task, you see it through to completion.

• High Integrity: You will be faced with making sensitive and crucial judgment calls, and you are recognized for your integrity, taking that reputation seriously. You consistently choose to make the right decision over the easy one. You understand the sensitivity of certain information and ensure its protection. You are comfortable escalating issues and standing firm when it aligns with the organization's mission.

• Systems-minded: Proven experience in developing and implementing systems. You are adept at designing, testing, refining, and efficiently managing processes and systems that involve inputs from multiple individuals and require consistent and accurate functionality.

• Communication Style: Inspired by a story from Watson Institute’s early days, ‘Come to the Window’ embodies our communication principles including:

• Obligation to Dissent: If you disagree with a decision or direction taken by the organization, you are encouraged to raise this issue because true leadership values dissent as necessary.

• Disagree and Commit: Complementing the Obligation to Dissent, there are instances when we must Disagree and Commit. After addressing all concerns and criticisms, all involved must commit to the agreed course of action.

• No Drama: We focus on purpose and avoid getting caught up in the drama of backroom discussions, hearsay, and unnecessary distractions that do not prioritize impact.

• Go to the Source: Our culture values direct, honest, and frequent communication. We expect team members to address concerns by speaking up, maintaining open communication, and taking issues directly to the relevant individuals.

🏝️ Benefits

• Competitive base salary commensurate with experience: $80,000.00-$95,000.00.

• Annual Happiness Fund that increases with tenure and seniority.

• Unlimited vacation policy (3 weeks of required vacation time annually).

• Healthcare benefits through Thatch (ICHRA provider), allowing employees to allocate this amount towards their preferred medical plans, with options to include vision and dental plans.

• Automatic 3% contribution to your retirement account.