Vice President of Partnership Acquisitions

New York, NY, usa

Vice President of Partner Acquisitions

The Fifteen Percent Pledge is a racial equity and economic justice non-profit organization addressing the inequities that exist throughout the American consumer economy and working towards closing the racial wealth gap. In recognition that Black people in the U.S. comprise nearly 15% of the population, the Fifteen Percent Pledge calls on major retailers and corporations to commit a minimum of 15% of their shelf space and sales revenue to Black-owned brands. In 2022, the Pledge was the recipient of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Company of the Year Award.

Since its launch in 2020, 29 major companies (called “Pledge-takers”) including Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Sephora, West Elm, Ulta Beauty, Gap, and Rent the Runway have committed to the Pledge through contractual agreements to support Black entrepreneurs, in addition to internal efforts to support diversity, equity and inclusion across their organizations.

As we enter our third year, we’re looking to hire a Vice President of Partner Acquisitions to drive efforts to activate the full ecosystem of retailers to take the Pledge. He/She will be responsible for developing and executing a strategy to onboard new Pledge-takers (with a focus on the largest retailers and corporations) as well as growing existing relationships with retailers.  Additionally, he/she will manage the accounts team, which currently oversees existing Pledge-taker partnerships and deliverables.

Responsibilities:

  • Build a Pledge-taker pipeline by engaging with key prospects and partners as well as collecting information about prospective retailer's business data and philanthropic priorities
  • Develop and align the 15PP executive team on the unique business case to onboard new retailers across all sectors (e.g., grocers, general merchandise chains) and verticals to take the Pledge; collaborate with the 15PP executive team to build alignment and commitment on key partnership goals
  • Create opportunities with prospective Pledge-takers to discuss how they can take the Pledge and serve as the primary point of contact
  • Prepare and deliver compelling pitch materials to facilitate these conversations
  • Systematize and manage the process of onboarding new Pledge-takers through contractual agreements on all aspects of the partnership with Fifteen Percent Pledge
  • Launch impact tracking tools to measure progress and opportunities for growth; provide support where needed
  • Manage the Accounts team as they deepen partnerships with current Pledge-takers through quarterly meetings (at minimum) and new initiatives that derive from these partnerships
  • Foster positive Pledge-taker experiences by driving excitement, alignment, and impact
  • Partner with the VP, of Growth and Development – Black Brands to identify opportunities to activate Pledge-takers in support of Black entrepreneurs
  • Serve as the Pledge’s expert on all things related to the retail landscape, including current events, latest research, market trends, and new initiatives

Requirements:

  • At least 10+ years of experience in partnership development or strategic partnership role; either corporate and/or nonprofit experience preferred
  • 5+ years of experience leading others in complex growth environments
  • Must have impeccable soft skills to work with external partners with varying leadership styles and personalities; you are someone who can quickly connect and build community with anyone
  • Must be a deeply analytical and structured thinker with the ability to identify and assess new business opportunities
  • Must have a good sense of what incentivizes people on a personal and organizational level and know how to align our goals with their needs
  • Can quickly synthesize complex ideas, align them with the business priorities, and devise actionable strategies to accomplish goals
  • Extremely motivated and inspired by the Pledge’s mission and vision
  • Data-driven and results-oriented
  • An opportunist who can identify quick winning opportunities that are in line with the business strategy
  • High resourcefulness with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, start-up environment
  • Superior project management skills, including organization and detail orientation and ability to manage multiple concurrent tasks efficiently
  • Target-driven and passionate about sales and target achievements
  • Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills
  • Excellent written/verbal communications and presentation skills

Salary and Benefits:

  • Full-time position offered at $185,000- $195,000 annually, plus benefits

How to Apply:

Please send a resume, cover letter, and desired salary to jobs@15pp.org

Kindly put “VP of Partner Acquisitions” in the subject line and kindly let us know how you heard of this opportunity. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

Fifteen Percent Pledge welcomes diversity in all its forms and believes that its mission can only be achieved when diversity is leveraged across all areas, including race, gender, gender expression, age, nationality, and life experience. Fifteen Percent Pledge is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and strongly encourages applications from individuals of all backgrounds. Fifteen Percent Pledge provides equal opportunity for all applicants and employees.

 

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