Strategic Partnerships Manager

About the Organization 

With love and respect, YouthBuild partners with opportunity youth to build the skillsets and mindsets that lead to lifelong learning, livelihood, and leadership. At more than 275 YouthBuild programs across the United States and around the world, students reclaim their education, gain job skills, and become leaders in their communities. To date, YouthBuild has partnered with more than 180,000 young people to dedicate over 50 million hours of service benefitting urban, rural, and tribal communities. YouthBuild strives to create a world where all young people are seen for their potential, and power to transform themselves and their communities.  

YouthBuild Global, located in Roxbury, MA, is the support center for the YouthBuild movement. It strengthens YouthBuild programs through technical assistance, leadership development, innovative program enhancements, and advocacy. For more information about the YouthBuild movement, visit YouthBuild.org. 

Job Summary 

The Manager, Strategic Partners is an essential part of the YouthBuild Global team and leads efforts to advance the organization’s mission by integrating workforce development, skilled training, and certification as critical components of YouthBuild Global’s programmatic offerings. This administrative and managerial position is on the Strategic Partnerships team and collaborates often with the development team and the program-facing departments. This position reports to the Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships and is expected to travel 25% of the time.  

YouthBuild Global (YBG) proudly partners with companies and nonprofit organizations to train, educate, mentor, and hire YouthBuild students and alumni. Our partners provide students and graduates with essential technical know-how, skills training, access to networks, internship and job opportunities, resources, and inspiration. Through these collaborations, our partners often gain access to a pipeline of talent, industry experts and innovations, and positive employee and customer engagement. In this role, you will have primary accountability to steward new and manage existing partnerships in the US and internationally. You will lead the relationship with employer partners in several industries including hospitality, maintenance, education, retail, and healthcare. You will lead partnerships in support of establishing pilots and implementing new initiatives for YouthBuild Global and new partners. 
 
The YouthBuild team operates across ten countries and multiple initiatives and is dedicated to linking YouthBuild graduates to livelihood opportunities in the rapidly changing labor market of the 21st century. 
 

Essential Duties/Responsibilities  

Strategic Partnerships (60%): 

• Serve as the primary point of contact for established and emerging domestic and international corporate and employment partners. Partners will include but aren’t limited to Hyatt, Burlington, Target, JPMC, TJX, and Penn Foster. 

• Serve as a point of contact for YouthBuild affiliate staff engaged as a participating site with a corporate partner and collaborate on career pathways work including co-designing curriculum (using existing resources or via creating new ones), hosting meetings, monitoring engagement activities, tracking and reporting data, and providing technical assistance. 

• Develop and implement plans to introduce new partners to the YB network in collaboration with other YB teams. 

• Coordinate with YB departments to ensure successful launch and implementation, including linking partners with existing training and career development initiatives, setting appropriate expectations with private sector partners, and documenting all activities in Salesforce and other platforms to support outcomes reporting. 

• Support the Strategic Partnerships team in managing relationships with relevant industry partners, including trade associations, unions, government agencies, educational organizations, advocacy groups, and others. 

• Collaborate cross-functionally with internal teams to prioritize partner activity that supports our strategic objectives, including improving program design, supporting financial development, supporting pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship pathways, and promoting equitable workforce systems. 

• Lead the creation, refinement, and sharing of tools and resources (e.g. guides, training materials, fundraising materials, etc.) related to YouthBuild hiring partnerships in coordination with YBG staff and the same for SOPs related to how the Strategic Partnerships team works with other YouthBuild Global departments. 

• Engage with YouthBuild program staff to compile and analyze program data to identify overall trends in success, areas for growth, outcomes, and program progress. Support the development of timely impact reports for both internal and external stakeholders. 

Administrative (20%):  

• Coordinate with YBG staff to create, refine, and share tools and resources (e.g. guides, training materials, fundraising materials, etc.) related to YouthBuild hiring partnerships. 

• Work with the Data and Impact team to utilize tools and systems for gathering student placements/opportunities; improve tools/trackers as needed; review and report results. 

• Provide technical assistance to the field of affiliated programs by attending meetings as needed, responding to field inquiries, and providing program support for those needing interventions to correct issues. 

• Lead industry sector training sessions with YouthBuild programs covering topics such as Engaging with Employers, Roles of Trade Associations, Understanding Industry Credentials, etc. 

Organizational Strategy (20%): 

• Support the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) with administrative requests.  

• Ensure that YB programs are acting in accordance with our Credentialing Partners’ requirements and recommendations through formal and informal audits, and evaluations.  

• Attends all required internal meetings and collaborates cross-departmentally to support the mission of YouthBuild Global  

Other Duties/Responsibilities 

• Collaborate with the Marketing and Communications Department to maximize and publicize partnership successes, opportunities, stories, results, best practices, etc. to internal and external audiences. 

• Support the Development Team with content, reporting, managing multiple grants and contracts to ensure goals are met through positive communication, cross-departmental collaboration, and the development of realistic expectations. 

• Occasional travel to industry-relevant conferences, partner meetings, program visits, or other events. 

• Serve on self-selected internal YouthBuild Global committees and cross-departmental project teams. 

• Other duties as assigned. 

Education & Experience Required 

• A strong desire to provide a positive social impact for opportunity youth/NEET (youth not engaged in employment or education) youth by working with employers to grow available and sustainable job opportunities 

• Associate's degree and a minimum of two years' experience in partnership-building and business development, or similar role, or equivalent. Work experience may substitute formal education 

• Experience working with nonprofit organizations - knowledge of corporate social responsibility programs, employer-nonprofit partnerships, and nonprofit service delivery is preferred 

• Experience collaborating across various departments, sites, and with internal and external stakeholders 

• Preference for candidates with experience in any of the following industries: customer service, hospitality, culinary, retail, education, healthcare, or IT. 

Skills & Knowledge Required 

The ideal candidate exercises good judgment, works well with a team, and has knowledge of the opportunity youth population; Has demonstrated strong relationship management, effective decision-making, presentation, verbal communication, and business writing skills; Has strong business acumen and ability to convey information with a professional approach to a wide variety of stakeholders; Is entrepreneurial, resourceful, and committed to YouthBuild Global’s mission and the YouthBuild movement; And, has technical skills including MS Office Suite software, database management, project management, and budget management. 

Physical Effort Required 

Candidates should be able to travel, up to 10% of the time, and infrequently be able to push, pull, and carry items weighing < 25 lbs.  

Non-Discrimination Statement 

At YouthBuild Global we appreciate the value and richness of different perspectives and experiences. We constantly strive to be a more diverse and inclusive workplace. We work to make you feel welcomed and engaged as a valued member of the team. We provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. In addition, YouthBuild Global will provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities. 

This is a Grade 4 position with a salary range of $65,000–$74,000. We are committed to attracting world-class talent by offering a comprehensive and competitive benefits package, including: 

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance 

• A 401(k) plan with an employer match 

• Generous paid holidays 

Access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for well-being support.

This role is eligible for working in person/Hybrid in Roxbury, MA or remotely in ME, NH, NY, DC, MD, NC, SC, GA, FL, WI, PA, TX, CA.