Director of Partnerships- REMOTE

POSITION: Director of Partnerships

REPORTS TO: COO

ABOUT KESEM:

We are a nationwide community, driven by passionate college student leaders, that supports children through and beyond their parent’s cancer with innovative, fun-filled programs that foster a lasting community.

ABOUT THE POSITION:

The Director of Partnerships plays a vital role in expanding Kesem's reach and strengthening our support network within the cancer community and beyond. This individual will focus on cultivating meaningful partnerships, enhancing Kesem’s visibility, understanding partner needs, and generating revenue for Kesem's programming. Reporting to the COO, the Director of Partnerships will collaborate closely with the national brand, fundraising, and operations teams to align Kesem with strategic partners who amplify our mission, build lasting connections, and secure sustainable funding.

KESEM’S VALUES

The Director of Partnerships must uphold and build a culture that continues to support and strengthen the following behaviors to help us realize our vision:

• Continuous Learning - We operate with curiosity and a willingness to try new things, and we see our successes and setbacks as opportunities for growth.
• Accountability - We are individually and collectively responsible for advancing our mission.
• Resilience - We empower and support each other through challenges while fostering a spirit of joy and hopefulness.
• Empathy - We seek to understand and appreciate other perspectives and experiences.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES

Partnership Development & Strategy (70%)

• Identify and cultivate partnerships within the cancer support community and related sectors that raise awareness of Kesem to increase enrollment of children across our program portfolio.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive partnership acquisition strategy, focusing on both new and existing relationships, to support program expansion, participant recruitment, and sources of revenue.
• Perform market research to understand unmet needs within the cancer support community related to supporting the family and children of cancer patients.
• Assess the opportunity to develop and deploy new or tailored Kesem programs at or in partnership with cancer support organizations (such as hospitals, cancer treatment centers, etc).
• Working in partnership with Kesem’s operations team, design and build programs that allow partners and Kesem to support children impacted by a parent’s cancer.
• Pursue partnerships, sponsorships, collaborations, and in-kind contributions to support Kesem initiatives.
• Secure funding from corporate partners, cancer community organizations, treatment centers, foundations, and philanthropists.
• Develop and implement a sustainable pipeline of partnership and sponsorship opportunities

Community Engagement, External Relations, & Brand Awareness (20%)

• Serve as Kesem’s ambassador to external organizations and associations. Create and manage Kesem’s external relations strategy for building awareness via industry associations, conferences, collaborations, and cancer community events. Recruit and manage volunteers to help represent Kesem at external events.
• Build relationships with key community stakeholders, media outlets, and influencers to build awareness and enrollment, to leverage our partners’ communities, and to enhance perception of Kesem’s value as a partner of choice in the cancer community space.
• In collaboration with Kesem’s marketing strategy, support the design and execution of brand recognition campaigns, establishing Kesem’s visibility, leadership, and trust within the cancer support ecosystem.
• Facilitate workshops, webinars, and other events to share Kesem’s impact and mission with prospective partners and funders.

Administrative & General (10%)

• Maintain accurate partnership data in Salesforce, ensuring streamlined communication and reporting on partnership activities.
• Regularly report on partnership outcomes, funding progress, and engagement metrics to the Leadership Team.
• Participate in departmental and organization-wide meetings, contributing insights and updates on partnership activities.
• Support the development of resources and materials to aid in partnership cultivation and stewardship.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's Degree preferred.
• Minimum of 7-9 years of experience in partnership development, community engagement, or business development, with a track record of building sustainable partnerships and securing funding.
• Demonstrated success in managing partnerships within the nonprofit, healthcare, or cancer support sectors is highly desirable.
• Strong relationship-building skills and ability to develop trust with partners, funders, and community leaders.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with proficiency in delivering presentations and preparing compelling reports and proposals.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects with a high degree of organization and attention to detail.
• Entrepreneurial and adaptable, comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with evolving needs.
• Proficient with Salesforce, Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and other tools for project management and reporting.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• The role is a full-time position, with responsibilities that require at least 40 hours per week with frequent nights and weekends.
• It is expected that the Director of Partnerships will be available for all staff calls, team meetings, and project meetings.
• Travel may include staff meetings, national fundraising events, community-based events, donor meetings, alumni meet-ups and other engagements. On average, the Director of Partnerships should expect to travel 10-20 times per year, all within the United States, as well as be external-facing 50% of the time.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION STATEMENT

Kesem’s mission of supporting children through and beyond a parent’s cancer, and our vision of ensuring that every child impacted by a parent’s cancer is never alone, can only be realized through an ongoing, steadfast commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in every part of our organization. To that end, Kesem makes the following commitments:

• To continually expand the communities we support and work with - our camper families, volunteers, staff, alumni, partners, donors, and boards - with attention to engaging communities we are not currently reaching.
• To strive for equity in delivering a transformative, fun, and empowering community that recognizes and embraces our differences.
• To aspire to create shared spaces that are safe for every member of the Kesem community to feel valued and respected.
• Kesem will engage in continued meaningful learning in order to better support our mission and our growing Kesem community.

Kesem is an Equal Opportunity Employer.