Strategic Partnerships Lead - NJ/Philadelphia

Requirement: Resides in either Philadelphia; Camden or Newark, NJ

About Us

Our country's education and workforce systems are inequitable, failing to meet the needs of our country's most marginalized citizens. Historically, workforce education has led to low-wage jobs disconnected from ongoing higher education, which has created significant barriers for career advancement. At the same time, traditional higher education has increasingly become unaffordable for Americans from lower-income backgrounds while also lacking direct connection to the labor market. The consequences of these systemic failures are dire. Despite increases in national high school graduation and college enrollment rates, systemic racism and inequity mean that college persistence continues to be low, particularly for people that are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC).

At Propel America, we believe a better system should and can exist. We believe high school graduates shouldn't have to choose between forestalling income and accruing significant debt while pursuing a traditional college degree or forestalling education and mobility for low-wage, entry-level work with few opportunities for advancement. Propel is building that better system, a ‘third way' solution that allows young adults from low-income backgrounds to access an affordable and efficient pathway to a good job that serves as a springboard to a choice-filled life. 

By working backwards from the needs of established employer partners, Propel America:

• Supports young adults (18 to 26 years old), particularly those from low-income backgrounds, to prepare for living wage jobs
• Partners with training and higher education organizations to offer workforce credentials that allow students (or “fellows,” as we call them) to earn college credits
• Provides wraparound coaching and professional skill development to ensure fellows have what they need to be successful in their job interview, on the first day of work, and a plan for ongoing education and career advancement.

The Opportunity

Your primary objective is to nurture and expand Propel's brand and pipeline of essential partnerships across Philadelphia and as possible, New Jersey. Propel has built a solid foundation in Philadelphia and yet there is tremendous potential in the region for additional brand awareness, philanthropy, public funding, and additional partnership development. Propel is seeking place-based (Philadelphia or northern New Jersey) capacity building support. Over the next 6-8 months, you will be responsible for establishing relationships with current and potential stakeholders, stewarding those relationships, and building champions for our brand. Those relationships will range from civic and political leaders who can be connectors and enablers for our organization to foundations and individuals who can financially support our model. As needed, you will work with our Client Services team to help source employers and training institutions that could become impact partners. 

You are a great fit for this role if you have helped grow and expand awareness, raise money and increase impact of an organization in the Philadelphia/northern New Jersey region. You get excited about building workforce opportunities for Philadelphia and New Jersey youth. You thrive when engaging directly with others, making connections, fostering and developing relationships, and building awareness of critical solutions (like Propel). You are skilled at identifying and building collaborative opportunities across sectors.

The Strategic Partnerships contract role will work closely with local staff, national client services and development staff, providing critical capacity building support to help achieve regional goals. Role responsibilities will include:

Secure Financial Support

Propel goal by February 2025: Raise over $1M in regional financial supporty + public funding

• Expand local revenue generating and fundraising activities to support existing program operations and regional growth. 
  • Identify regional funding opportunities through local connections, including, but not limited to public funding opportunities via relationships with city, regional, and state government staff and philanthropic opportunities via relationships with regional foundations, corporations, and individuals
  • Represent Propel at convenings and trainings hosted by potential philanthropic, public or corporate funders
• Lead local engagement on fundraising efforts, stewarding and engaging long-time funders, identifying and enlisting new ones
• Leverage local context and expertise, help the External Affairs team to prioritize opportunities for the greatest return on investment of time and resources

New Partner Development

Propel goal by February 2025: Secure new employer and (if needed), local training partner

• Support Client Services and Program teams in sourcing additional employer and training partners in the Philadelphia and New Jersey region that are able to support and scale Propel's model
  • As needed, conduct due diligence to assess and document partners' needs & non-negotiables - providing adequate background for their contracting and onboarding process. 

Building Awareness of Brand & Impact

Propel goal by February 2025: thought leadership in workforce development ecosystem, regular press and public-facing presentations

• Understand and engage in the education-to-workforce ecosystem, ensuring Propel America is positioned as a key contributor, key partner, and thought-leader
  • Establish and/or grow relationships with workforce boards, regional coalitions and initiatives, K12, political and community leaders, especially those focused on the healthcare sector to increase interest from- and position Propel as a solution for- young people and employers, alike
  • Source opportunities for Propel to present and share impact in public-facing forums, expanding reach, driving influence and fostering champions of our model
  • Serve as a local presence that advances ecosystem collaboration and communicates vision, impact, results, and learning

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in partnership and/or business development, fundraising, sales or consulting with a strong record of results
• Experience leading in Philadelphia's education-to-workforce ecosystem and navigating the complex, dynamic, and nuanced set of policy, research, and stakeholders
• Strong customer service orientation with the ability to understand the needs and motivations of others, particularly when long-term relationships are essential to success
• Comfort in developing deep and influential relationships, directly managing wide range of stakeholders and being the external representative to these relationships
• Experiencing identifying and building potential champions of mission-driven work
• Strong communication, delivery, and presentation skills
• Strong values-alignment and equity orientation to advancing a job-first higher education approach for our fellows
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills

Compensation

This is designed to be a 6-8 month contract, approximately 20h/wk. If hired for this position, the hourly range is between $100-$200/hr commensurate with experience. 

Interested in applying?

Please submit your application here. 

Propel America is an equal-opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. 

We encourage candidates from historically underrepresented backgrounds to apply.