National Director, Corporate Partnerships & Cause Marketing

The National Director, Corporate Partnerships & Cause Marketing is instrumental to the success of the American Diabetes Association’s impact and revenue growth strategy. In this highly visible and strategic role, you will act as ADA’s point person for ensuring healthy and productive relationships with funders that drive mission and revenue success.

The Director will be responsible for securing, growing and stewarding a portfolio of national corporate prospects and partners generating up to $5 million in revenue. Demonstrating an innovative and results-oriented approach, the Director will develop relationships with new and existing national corporate partners while serving as a key internal leader for cross-functional collaboration that supports a solutions-oriented approach to creating and delivering our strategic commitments.

The Director will identify, cultivate, secure and manage partnerships across consumer brands, retail, financial services, technology, food and beverage, wellness, and other mission aligned sectors and national brands. These partnerships will encompass cause marketing campaigns, commercial co-ventures, product promotions, sponsorships and peer-to-peer programs on a national and multi-regional level that drive revenue and brand awareness for the ADA.

The Director will also collaborate closely with field fundraising teams to help identify, cultivate, and advance corporate partnership opportunities, providing strategic leadership and coaching to scale high-potential relationships into multi-regional and national partnerships that drive increased revenue and impact.

The ideal candidate must have a proven track record of success in sales and account management in mission aligned sectors, cause marketing, corporate partnerships, or nonprofit fundraising, with demonstrated success securing and growing high-value relationships. Must have the ability to coach others, multi-task, meet deadlines and achieve results in a team environment. Furthermore, the ability to manage and oversee projects to successful completion is mandatory.

Responsibilities

While the candidate may have a background in a variety of fields or sectors, they will have a deep understanding of developing and executing strategic partnerships, impact programs, and cause marketing campaigns, with five or more years of corresponding experience. The Director will lead a portfolio of large partnerships and complex program and campaign deliverables, with responsibility for optimizing outcomes and partner satisfaction. This will involve coordinating, implementing, advising and actively linking key stakeholders and role-based counterparts across the organization to ensure that major projects, programs, and campaigns are properly designed, that strategies align with ADA’s and our partners’ goals, and that the quality of collaborative programs reflects ADA’s commitment to being a preferred partner and a global leader in the diabetes community. To do this, you will:

• Support the Vice President of Corporate Partnerships & Cause Marketing and co-lead customized complex negotiation with potential and existing strategic partners.
• Develop relationships to drive collective movement; build meaningful rapport and connections with people of different philosophies, backgrounds, and cultures.
• Through direct and team member efforts, build and expand pipeline of new business prospects, leverage network of supporters as well as cold outreach efforts.
• Work with field fundraisers to coach, consult, and grow relationships into multi-regional and national partnerships.
• Develop strategies and business plans and execute against metrics and milestones to drive growth and revenue through cross functional planning and strong focus on relationship management.
• Create presentations, marketing communications plans and structured agendas for partners. Review their campaign elements, press releases, marketing collateral and other campaign resources. Direct the teams and partners on how to utilize available resources to create an effective partnership.
• Orchestrate internal launch meetings for new partner support projects, bringing together subject matter experts from across the organization and clarify the role of each in supporting the success of the project. Ensure key internal stakeholders can understand partner priorities and support effective communication with partners.
• Develop, communicate, and manage a partnership plan that reflects partner objectives, meets organizational economic and mission goals, reflects solution-oriented strategies, and meets or exceeds operational expectations.
• Steer partnership program or campaign development to optimize relationships and help companies maximize their fundraising and marketing efforts. Research, create and implement a strategic plan for each partner within assigned portfolio utilizing knowledge of historical data, cause marketing/business best practices, industry trends as well as analysis affecting company’s business. Ensure company’s internal business objectives for philanthropy are met as well as their fundraising goal.
• Build and deepen relationships with partner executives and other points of contact to identify opportunities for improvement and build alignment throughout the partnership. Requires a high degree of interfacing with individuals at various levels within a company including key executives and other stakeholders.
• Oversee the design of evaluation tools specific to the partnership that will ensure regular qualitative and quantitative inputs on key facets of the partner program or campaign and able to accurately reflect early risks signs.
• Create, manage, and monitor revenue/expense budgets for companies within portfolio. Involves checks and balances and monthly review to ensure accurate coding of both revenue and expenses.
• Maintain accurate data in Salesforce donor management system (CRM) for current and prospective partners.
• Appropriately assess risk when business decisions are made, demonstrating particular consideration for the ADA's reputation and positioning as a preferred partner.
• Apply sound judgment regarding personal behavior, conduct and business practices, and escalating, managing and reporting issues with transparency.
• Some travel as needed to solidify partnerships and support project and organizational goals.

Qualifications

You are a leader with demonstrated success in developing and growing long-term, high-value partner relationships that benefit both parties. You have a knowledge of the priorities of the organization, a proactive and entrepreneurial mindset, and a demonstrated ability to rally colleagues to drive results. You are a thoughtful and adept communicator, especially with influencing and problem resolution with partners and clients.

In addition, your professional skillset includes:

• Bachelor’s degree is required.
• 5+ years of relevant experience in partnership development and account management, with preference for experience managing corporate and cause marketing partner accounts in a not-for-profit setting.
• Solid business acumen and experience establishing and building strong partner relationships.
• Executive presence to work comfortably and credibly in the highest levels of our organization. as well as with direct connection to partner organizations globally.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Ability to quickly synthesize complex ideas, align them with business priorities, and devise actionable strategies to accomplish goals.
• Ability to navigate ambiguous situations and to drive to clarity, with a mindset of building repeatable processes for the future.
• Data driven and results oriented.
• Able to synthesize complex processes into actionable results.
• High Emotional IQ and ability to manage and drive success with multiple stakeholders of different titles, levels, and competing priorities.
• Excellent organizational and relational strengths with strong attention to detail.
• The ability to identify critical headlines, goals, challenges and opportunities in a relationship and a project.
• Demonstrated ability to be a self-starter, problem solver and a goal-oriented team leader/player.
• Positive, transparent, and engaging personality with a natural skill for developing professional relationships.
• Prior experience building relationships and navigating within a large, complex, matrixed organization.

Why Work Here
The American Diabetes Association ® (ADA) offers a rewarding career working for one of the premier voluntary health organizations in the world supporting people living with diabetes and/or obesity. Our employees consistently say that our mission, culture, work-life balance, and total rewards package are what they like most about working at the ADA. benefits and our culture:

• Industry competitive base pay. Base offers are determined by several factors including but not limited to your relevant work experience, education, certifications, location, internal pay equity, etc.
• A culture of recognition including new hire welcome announcements, service anniversary awards, referral bonuses, monthly All Employee Assembly, appreciation awards
• Generous Paid Time Off, including holidays, vacation days, personal days and sick days
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), disability & life insurance, pet insurance, and retirement savings
• Guided by our mission, we provide full diabetes supply coverage through our medical benefits program
• A company focus on offering mental health programs and work/life balance with most of our employees working remote
• Joining our dedicated team affords the gratification of knowing beyond a doubt that you will impact the lives and well-being of millions

About the Organization
The American Diabetes Association ® (ADA) is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization fighting to end diabetes and helping people living with diabetes thrive. Since 1940, we have driven discovery and research to prevent, manage, treat, and ultimately cure diabetes. We advocate for policy changes and improved access to quality care for all people living with diabetes and/or obesity. Through the Obesity Association, a division of the ADA, we are also working to reduce the prevalence of obesity—a leading risk factor for type 2 diabetes.