Corporate Partnerships Manager

Does the opportunity to devote your talents to a cause much greater than yourself excite you? Can you turn a first conversation into a trusted partnership, and a trusted partnership into meaningful growth and impact? The Arbor Day Foundation is a place where you can do work that matters with people who care. As we say at the Foundation: life is short, love where you work.     

As one of the world's largest conservation organizations, the Arbor Day Foundation inspires people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. We help people understand and use trees as a solution to global issues (like air quality, water quality, climate change, deforestation, poverty, and hunger) that are critical to survival.     

Join the Arbor Day Foundation as aCorporate Partnerships Managerand help turn ambitious corporate goals into meaningful, measurable impact. You’ll build and grow strategic partnerships that drive revenue and advance our mission, connecting with decision-makers to understand their priorities and develop solutions that create shared value. 

From reforestation and disaster recovery to carbon, water, biodiversity, urban forestry, and employee engagement, you’ll bring together the right opportunities to help partners achieve their goals while creating lasting impact. 

Your Support System:   

• You’ll report to Director, Corporate Partnerships  
• You’ll work closely with Sales and Service teams, Product, Science & GIS, Mission Delivery, Marketing, Finance, Legal, and other teams across the Foundation. 

How we work:    

• Location: Hybrid in Lincoln, Nebraska preferred; open to U.S.-based remote candidates. 
• Hybrid Schedule: Lincoln-based team members work in office Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, with optional remote work Wednesday and Friday. 
• Travel: 3-4 times per quarter, 20-30% for meetings, training, and Foundation events. Must have the ability to travel domestically and internationally. 

What you’ll do:    

Build new business and create partnership pipeline 

• Proactively identify and develop new corporate partnership opportunities through targeted outreach, referrals, networking, conferences, territory development, existing relationships, and other business development activities. 

• Research prospective partners to understand their business, sustainability and climate commitments, priorities, and potential opportunities for partnership. 

• Identify and connect with the right stakeholders and decision-makers, creating momentum from initial outreach through discovery and agreement. 

Lead consultative discovery 

• Conduct thoughtful discovery conversations to understand a prospective partner’s goals, priorities, challenges, decision-making process, and partnership interests. 

• Listen first and recommend second, developing a clear understanding of what the organization is trying to accomplish before proposing a solution. 

• Build credibility across multiple stakeholders and translate customer needs into opportunities across the Arbor Day Foundation’s portfolio. 

Develop strategic solutions 

• Create customized partnership recommendations that connect partner objectives with the Foundation’s programs, products, and environmental solutions. 

• Look across the full portfolio to identify the right solution, or combination of solutions, rather than approaching every customer with the same offering. 

• Bring together internal subject-matter experts across Product, Science & GIS, Mission Delivery, Marketing, Technology, Finance, Legal, and other teams to develop solutions that are credible and executable. 

• Develop and present proposals, presentations, and partnership materials tailored to prospective and existing partners. 

Advance and close opportunities 

• Own opportunities throughout the partnership lifecycle, from prospecting and discovery through solution development, proposal, negotiation, and agreement execution. 

• Confidently present ideas and recommendations to customer decision-makers while navigating multiple stakeholders, priorities, and potentially complex decision processes. 

• Negotiate partnership terms and agreements within established Foundation guidelines and contribute to partnership, revenue, and growth goals. 

Build relationships that grow 

• Develop trusted, long-term relationships with corporate partners and understand both their objectives and the Foundation’s capabilities. 

• Identify opportunities to expand relationships through renewals, additional solutions, referrals, and deeper engagement. 

• Partner closely with Partner Relationship Managers, Misson Delivery, and fellow Corporate Partnerships team members to support successful execution and uncover opportunities for continued growth. 

Manage your business 

• Maintain accurate prospect, contact, opportunity, activity, and agreement information within the CRM. 

• Monitor pipeline health and use CRM and reporting tools to support forecasting, prioritization, planning, and decision-making. 

• Share customer feedback, market insights, and emerging opportunities with internal teams. 

• Represent the Arbor Day Foundation at partner meetings, conferences, webinars, industry events, and stage + networking opportunities. 

What you'll bring:      

• Passion for the Foundation’s mission, nature, environmental stewardship, and people  
• A demonstrated track record of creating and advancing revenue-generating opportunities through consultative B2B sales, business development, strategic partnerships, fundraising, account development, or comparable work. 
• Experience in corporate sustainability, climate solutions, environmental services, CSR/ESG, corporate partnerships, employee engagement, community impact, philanthropy, or other mission-driven work is valuable -but not required. 
• Experience proactively building pipeline and creating new opportunities, not solely relying on inbound leads or an established portfolio. 
• Strong consultative discovery skills with the ability to understand customer goals, challenges, priorities, and decision-making processes before recommending a solution. 
• Experience building credibility and relationships across multiple stakeholders and decision-makers, particularly within complex, Fortune 500 organizations. 
• The ability to translate customer needs into customized solutions rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. 
• Experience presenting ideas, recommendations, proposals, or solutions and advancing opportunities toward a decision or agreement. 
• Strong relationship-building, listening, communication, presentation, negotiation, and influencing skills. 
• A highly motivated, self-directed approach with the initiative, resilience, and persistence to create momentum and determine the next best action. 
• The ability to collaborate across teams, bring the right subject-matter experts into the conversation, and coordinate work without direct authority. 
• Experience using CRM systems to manage relationships, opportunities, pipeline activity, and forecasting. 
• Strong organization and follow-through with the ability to manage multiple opportunities and priorities. 

What success looks like: 

• Build partnerships that grow over time, generating sustainable revenue and meaningful environmental impact. 
• Open new doors and expand our reach with organizations and decision-makers we aren’t engaging today. 
• Create a healthy pipeline of qualified opportunities through proactive prospecting and relationship development. 
• Turn discovery into strategic solutions that connect partner priorities with the right Arbor Day Foundation offerings. 
• Advance complex opportunities from prospect to partnership, creating momentum across multiple stakeholders and through the decision process. 

Love Where You Work: Your Benefits & Perks    

We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, financial security, and overall well-being. Highlights include:   

Health & Insurance   

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage – Multiple plan options, including PPO and HDHP.   

• Company-Paid Life Insurance – $15,000 basic coverage, plus voluntary options.   

• Short- & Long-Term Disability – Fully covered by the company.   

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Free, confidential counseling and resources for you and your family.   

• Supplemental Insurance Options – Accident, Critical Illness (includes infertility coverage), and Hospital Indemnity plans available for additional protection.   

Financial Wellness   

• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Immediate eligibility with company match up to 5%; full vesting after 5 years.   

• Flexible Spending Accounts & Health Savings Account – Pre-tax savings for healthcare and dependent care expenses.   

Time Off & Leave   

• Paid Holidays – Eight paid holidays, one floating holiday, and an annual “Unplug Time” during the holidays.   

• Parental Leave – 12 weeks paid for birthing parents; 2 weeks paid for non-birthing parents. Also including for adoptions.    

• Paid Time Off – Vacation, sick leave, volunteer time off   

Learning & Growth   

• Professional Development – Access to LinkedIn Learning and tuition reimbursement.   

• Annual Learning Goal – Encouraged to spend 40+ hours on development.   

Wellness & Perks   

• HealthJoy App – Included with health plan for easy care navigation.   

• Wellness & Recognition – Incentives, recognition gifts awarded for work anniversaries & birthdays   

• Exclusive Discounts & Free Admission – Tree Adventure, Arbor Lodge State Historical Park, golf and more.   

How to apply: 

We’re excited you’re considering growing your career with us. After you apply, we aim to follow up within two weeks - and you’ll hear from us either way.   

Our hiring process typically includes:   

1. Recruiter conversation (phone)    

1. Hiring manager interview (in-person/virtual)  

1. On-site interview with team members and leadership   

You’ll be kept informed at every step. To begin, submit your application with a resume and responses to the application questions. Every application is reviewed by a real person - we do not use AI to select applicants.   

The Arbor Day Foundation is an equal opportunity employer   

The Arbor Day Foundation is committed to equal employment opportunities. We will not discriminate against Team Members or applicants for employment on any legally recognized basis [“protected class”] including, but not limited to: veteran status, uniform servicemember status, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, age, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, physical or mental disability, genetic information or any other protected class under federal, state, or local law.    

We participate in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm your authorization to work in the U.S.  If you need reasonable accommodation to complete your application or participate in the interview process, please contact us at 402-474-5655.