Director of Corporate Accounts

The Organization

At Thrive Scholars, we provide high-achieving, diverse, and underrepresented students, including students of color from under-resourced communities, the opportunities they need to thrive at top colleges and in meaningful careers.

Our comprehensive and data-driven program model focuses on the key inflection points that can be the difference between graduating from any college and graduating from a top college with the grades, degree, career skills, and network needed to thrive in any career. Thrive Scholars originated in Los Angeles as South Central Scholars (“SCS”) twenty years ago. Over this time, the organization has refined its program model and, in the last five years, has focused on expanding nationally; reaching more high-achieving underrepresented students, growing the number of Scholars we serve; and deepening our program impact. Looking ahead, Thrive Scholars is embarking on a new strategic plan which will include launching new program offerings and continued organizational growth. Thrive Scholars has approximately 85 permanent employees and 170 summer employees.

The Opportunity: 

At Thrive Scholars, we see corporate partners as the key to our ability to deliver on our mission and ensure that our Scholars can successfully enter and grow within competitive careers. Simultaneously, partners value their relationship with Thrive Scholars, as they recognize the role our organization plays in preparing highly talented, underrepresented students to succeed within their companies and industry. As our Director of Corporate Accounts, you will play a critical role in stewarding, growing, and sustaining our existing corporate partnerships; including employers in the areas of STEM, finance, consulting, and law; unlocking key career opportunities for our Scholars, and supporting partners in investing in a diverse pipeline of future industry leaders. 

In addition to honing and implementing our corporate partnership strategies in collaboration with members of our program teams, you will work to ensure that we track and exceed our current partner satisfaction goals and our revenue and employment growth goals. As a team player who contributes to our broader department goals, your collaborative nature, attention to detail, and experience managing complex relationships will help us retain and grow sustainable revenue and employment opportunities within the target industries.

This role is ideal for someone who is motivated by exceeding partner expectations, is entrepreneurial, seeks to build a model corporate partnership program, and is passionate about unlocking opportunities for highly talented, underrepresented young people. The position also provides a significant opportunity to collaborate cross-functionally. You will partner internally to manage and upsell existing partners and identify new ways to strengthen relationships. You will be based in a major market, and report to the Managing Director of Corporate Partnerships and Foundations.

Key Responsibilities:

Partner Management 50%

GOAL: Manage an assigned portfolio of partners, with a focus on partner satisfaction, growth, and renewal. 

• Serve as the main point of contact with partners’ leadership and understand partner priorities. 

• Manage all aspects of partner communication strategies and provide responsive and high-quality customer service. 

• Successfully meet revenue and expand multi-year commitments within existing partner base. 

• Partner with Thrive’s Talent Acquisition and Career Development staff colleagues to support Scholar recruitment for partner job opportunities, as part of the broader partnership strategy, using a scholar-centered approach.

• Develop and implement formal stewardship plans for each corporate partner to ensure a positive experience for all corporate stakeholders, ultimately retaining the relationship for the long term.

• Achieve 95%+ renewal rate of corporate sponsorships. 

• Identify opportunities and secure commitments to expand current partnerships.

 

Partner Engagement 30% 

GOAL: Manage the engagement and fulfillment of corporate partners in assigned portfolios.

• Work with partners to ensure a positive Scholar-centered experience. 

• Manage the  onboarding process with corporate partners and program staff. 

• Work with partners to expand knowledge and preparation to support growth and employee engagement.

• Manage partners’ engagement in programmatic activities to deepen the connection between corporate partners, our organization and our Scholars. 

• Track and manage partnership activation timelines and ensure efficient execution.

• Collaborate with Career and Mentorship teams on partner activations including workshops, webinars, conferences, recruiting events, and mentorship programs.

Administration 20%

GOAL: Ensure strong data and communications infrastructure to support national industry-focused corporate partnership program.

• Accurately project on anticipated revenue from corporate partners to support the department's objective to correctly anticipate and receive financial commitments in a given fiscal year.

• Manage all data records for corporate partners in Salesforce, including revenue pipeline and forecast.

• Manage/track sales process/activity for current partners.

• Contribute to the development team and overall organizational team efforts.

• Assist in development operations initiatives, including Salesforce data review and analysis, gift processing, and donor acknowledgments.

• Collaborate on development annual planning. 

• Support local fundraising events and cultivation/stewardship of key decision-makers.

Qualifications and Experience:
There are innumerable ways to learn, grow and excel professionally. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. The qualifications and experiences listed below are intended as a guide; we do not expect candidates to check every box.  If you believe you can meet the expectations and responsibilities of this position, we want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. 

• Commitment to Thrive Scholars’ mission

• Minimum of 3 years in strategic partnership management or transferrable skills and experiences in human resources, corporate recruitment, or revenue generation

• Minimum of 3 years in managing corporate-focused partnerships, with preference of experience in STEM, finance, consulting or legal industries preferred

• Expertise in and passion around issues related to college access, college success, workforce development, and diversity, equity, and inclusion in the corporate settings

• Track record of success meeting and exceeding sales quotas

• Ability to work independently while being an integral and collaborative member of a larger team

• High level of professionalism and excellent judgment in communication and in handling sensitive information

• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information into a simple and understandable form; strong ability to develop effective written pitch documents, including presentation decks that frame data in a compelling, audience-centered narrative

• Ability to navigate complex organizations 

• A highly organized individual who can take initiative and prioritize short-term and long-term needs in a fast-paced environment involving multiple projects and stakeholders

• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to track and manage multiple projects simultaneously 

• Experience using fundraising or sales databases (knowledge of Salesforce preferred)

Compensation and Benefits:

Thrive Scholars offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including high-quality health, dental, and disability insurance, three weeks of paid vacation (four weeks after two years of employment), generous professional development funding, and access to an employer-matched retirement plan. This is a full-time, exempt position.

Travel Expectations: 

This role can be based anywhere in the United States, with a strong preference for major markets. This position will require between 15-25% travel.

Thrive Scholars provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status. Knowing their importance to the success of our work, Thrive Scholars is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we aspire to build a diverse staff team and community. We strongly encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

For more information, please visit thrivescholars.org Apply