The Role
Leads and develops the Partnerships team, drives partnership strategy, manages a portfolio of strategic relationships, evaluates opportunities, negotiates mutually beneficial outcomes, and contributes to Education Operations leadership. The role also develops team talent, translates organizational priorities into action, brings market insights into strategy, and helps improve partnership capabilities for educators and the organization.
Summary Generated by Built In
Empowered is a community of social entrepreneur teachers, bringing the experiential, individualized, self-discovery teaching methodology to life in their classrooms. Their work leads to transformative learning experiences for their students. At scale, the Empowered community is a cultural movement driving bottom-up change throughout the key institution of education.
Empowered is part of the Stand Together philanthropic community.
Empowered is seeking a Senior Partnerships Manager to develop talent, advance strategy, and lead high-value relationships that strengthen our Partnerships capability and create value for educators, partners, and the organization.
In this role, you will lead and develop a high-performing Partnerships team, drive execution of an established vision and strategy, and build the knowledge needed to evolve the capability over time. You will manage your own portfolio of partnerships and contribute to other partnership opportunities where your experience and perspective can add value. As a member of Education Operations leadership, you will contribute beyond Partnerships by bringing external knowledge, challenging assumptions, and helping translate organizational priorities into action.
This role is based in Wichita, Kansas.
How You Will Contribute
- Develop individual team members through coaching, feedback, apprenticeship, and stretch opportunities that strengthen judgment, strategic thinking, and ownership.
- Build a high-performing Partnerships team by aligning talent to where individuals can create the most value, setting clear expectations and decision rights, and holding a high bar for contribution.
- Drive execution of the Partnerships vision, strategy, and priorities while building the business and market knowledge needed to evolve the capability and improve results.
- Translate organizational priorities into focused partnership strategies, using data, experimentation, and learning to prioritize where Partnerships can create the greatest value.
- Personally manage a portfolio of strategic partnerships and contribute to other partnership opportunities where your experience and perspective can add value.
- Develop partnerships grounded in clear mutual value and organizational priorities.
- Evaluate opportunities and make sound decisions about when to advance, deprioritize, or decline them.
- Bring knowledge from partners and the market back into Empowered to inform strategy, products, and new opportunities.
- Serve as an active member of Education Operations leadership, contributing to the success of the broader business unit—not only Partnerships.
- Bring a clear point of view, challenge assumptions, and help turn ambiguity into priorities and action.
- Identify opportunities for Education Operations capabilities to work together to create greater value for educators.
Develop Talent & Drive Strategy
Develop & Advance Strategic Partnerships
Contribute to Education Operations Leadership
What You Will Bring
- 3+ years of experience developing talent, with a track record of strengthening the judgment, capabilities, and independence of direct reports.
- 2+ years of experience in partnerships, business development, external relations, or a similar relationship-driven function.
- Strong strategic judgment, with experience translating organizational priorities into strategy, decisions, and results.
- Experience building and managing complex relationships, influencing senior stakeholders, and negotiating toward mutually beneficial outcomes.
- Ability to operate effectively in ambiguity, exercise sound judgment, collaborate across teams, and move work forward.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders across teams and levels of an organization.
- Enthusiasm to contribute to Stand Together's vision and principled approach to solving problems, and a commitment to stewarding our culture, which champions values including transformation and innovation, entrepreneurialism, humility, and respect.
Standout Candidates Will Bring
- Experience with Principle Based Management (PBM), including applying concepts such as decision rights, comparative advantage, opportunity cost, and knowledge seeking.
- Experience building or evolving a partnerships capability, portfolio, or strategy.
- Experience working in education or a mission-driven organization.
What We Offer
- Competitive benefits: Enjoy a 6% 401(k) match with immediate vesting, flexible time off, comprehensive health and dental plans, plus wellness and mental health support through Peloton and Talkspace.
- A meaningful career: Join a passionate community of over 1,400 employees dedicated to improving lives and driving innovative solutions to complex social challenges.
- Commitment to growth: Thrive in a non-hierarchical environment that empowers employees to discover, develop, and apply their unique talents.
- Competitive compensation: Our approach rewards the value you create through competitive salaries and bonus opportunities, allowing you to share in the success you help drive.
Our Values: Working for an organization within the Stand Together philanthropic community is different from many other places. The culture is deeply rooted in Principle Based Management® (PBM®), a framework guided by the principles that drive human progress, such as dignity, openness, and bottom-up empowerment. PBM® empowers employees to be entrepreneurial, to innovate, and to continually drive transformation.
We believe diversity fuels creativity, broadens knowledge, and helps drive success. That is why we’re proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and strive to treat all employees and applicants with honesty, dignity, and respect.
Skills Required
- 3+ years of experience developing talent, including strengthening the judgment, capabilities, and independence of direct reports
- 2+ years of experience in partnerships, business development, external relations, or a similar relationship-driven function
- Experience translating organizational priorities into strategy, decisions, and results
- Experience building complex relationships, influencing senior stakeholders, and negotiating mutually beneficial outcomes
- Ability to operate effectively in ambiguity, exercise sound judgment, collaborate across teams, and move work forward
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders across teams and organizational levels
- Enthusiasm for Stand Together's vision and principled approach, with commitment to its organizational values
- Experience with Principle Based Management, including decision rights, comparative advantage, opportunity cost, and knowledge seeking
- Experience building or evolving a partnerships capability, portfolio, or strategy
- Experience working in education or a mission-driven organization
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The Company
What We Do
Stand Together is a philanthropic community that partners with America's boldest changemakers to tackle the root causes of the country's biggest problems. By providing funding, a unique network, and a proven management playbook, they empower nonprofit leaders, educators, and activists to drive lasting solutions in areas like education, economic opportunity, and community development, ultimately helping people realize their full potential and live lives of meaning.
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