The Manager, Strategic Partnerships, plays a pivotal role in growing and nurturing NAW’s community of affiliate members and strategic partners. As part of the Strategic Partnerships team within the Corporate Relations division, you'll operate in a fast-paced environment working with B2B software companies and consulting firms in the wholesale distribution space. Your focus will be on shaping meaningful industry relationships between forward-thinking solution providers and distribution leaders, ensuring they thrive within the NAW ecosystem.

We are looking for a highly-organized, outgoing professional who thrives on juggling tasks, building relationships and keeping things running smoothly.  As Manager, Strategic Partnerships, you'll play a key role in bringing affiliate members into the NAW community and making sure they feel seen, supported and successful.  You'll manage everything from prospecting and onboarding to renewals and sponsorship fulfillment.  

What You'll Be Doing

Affiliate Membership – Development & Onboarding

• Prospect & Outreach: Identify and research prospective affiliate members using tools like ZoomInfo and LinkedIn. Conduct outreach campaigns and schedule introductory calls or meetings with decision-makers.
• Pipeline Management: Maintain accurate data in Salesforce for all leads and interactions. Track prospect engagement, schedule follow-up touchpoints, and ensure no opportunity falls through the cracks.
• Proposal & Onboarding Prep: Assist in creating customized membership proposals and partnership agreements for new affiliate members. Coordinate the proposal review process, and guide prospects through the sign-up and invoicing steps.
• New Member Onboarding: Manage the onboarding process for each new affiliate member. Track membership payments and promptly send welcome communications/packages once payment is received.
• Data & Platform Updates: Update member information in Salesforce. Register new affiliate members for all relevant NAW platforms, newsletters, and publications to ensure they immediately start receiving value.
• Content Collection & Executive Summary: Work with new affiliates to collect thought leadership content (e.g. articles, case studies, or insights) for NAW publications or the website. Draft concise executive summaries or member highlight posts that showcase the new partner’s value to the NAW community.

Affiliate Membership – Renewals & Engagement

• Member Relationship Management:  Build strong relationships with existing affiliate members.  Check in, gather feedback and keep them engaged. 
• Drive Renewal  Success: Manage timelines, prepare proposals and invoices, and personalize outreach.
• Content & Profile Updates: Work with renewing members to update their profiles, logos, or any featured content on NAW platforms. Ensure the affiliate’s information and contributions stay fresh and relevant, reinforcing their visibility in the NAW community.

Sponsor Fulfillment

• Sponsorship Coordination: Support the planning and fulfillment of sponsor commitments across NAW and MDM properties, including events, advertising, and research.
• Data Management: Maintain organized records of sponsor details, logos, signage needs, speaking slots, and other entitlements. Work closely with event coordinators to make sure sponsor logos appear in event materials, sponsor representatives are registered and welcomed, and any exhibit or presentation logistics are handled professionally.
• Sponsor Relationship Support: Serve as central point of contact for sponsors before, during, and after engagement. Provide friendly assistance to sponsors on-site (or virtually), making sure they have everything they need and addressing any issues quickly. Gather sponsor feedback and share insights on how to enhance sponsor experiences in the future.

Fundraising Support 

• Strategic Outreach Assistance: Collaborate with the SVP of Strategic Partnerships on fundraising initiatives including the NAW Litigation and Policy Fund. Help develop and execute outreach strategies to engage potential donors and sponsors who are passionate about advancing NAW’s legal and policy advocacy efforts.
• Research & Targeting: Research prospective companies and individuals who might contribute to the fund. Prepare background briefs or talking points for use in outreach.
• Campaign Coordination: Track fundraising campaign activities and timelines. Coordinate communications such as drafting personalized emails, scheduling meetings or calls with high-potential donors, and sending follow-up information.
• Record-Keeping: Maintain confidential records of donor interactions and contributions in Salesforce or other systems. Ensure timely acknowledgment of donations and assist in preparing impact reports or updates.

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to craft compelling outreach emails, professional proposals, and concise executive summaries. Comfortable speaking with external partners and industry executives by phone or video call, with a friendly and confident demeanor.
• Outstanding organizational and project management abilities. Capable of juggling multiple projects, events, and deadlines without missing a beat. Detail-oriented when it comes to data entry, follow-ups, and record-keeping.
• Strong analytical skills to measure retention success and provide actionable insights.
• A customer-focused attitude with a proven track record of delivering exceptional value to members.
• Ability to work with creativity and flexibility in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to create new processes and demonstrate sound judgment.
• A high degree of personal initiative.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent work experience required, concentration in sales, communications, marketing operations, preferrable.
• 3+ years of experience in business development, strategic partnerships, sales support, or association membership roles, required.

Other Requirements

• Experience working with C-suite executives and understanding their needs in the context of partnerships.
• Experience collaborating closely with senior leadership teams, particularly in a partnership or membership-driven organization.

• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) for creating documents, reports, and presentations; Experience using research and outreach tools like ZoomInfo and LinkedIn to identify and engage prospects. Familiarity with Salesforce (or similar CRM) for managing contacts and pipeline.

• Understanding or direct experience in working with a trade or membership association, preferrable.
• Knowledge of the distribution industry, preferrable.

Work Environment: The position is based at NAW’s headquarters office in Washington, DC, near Metro Center. NAW is currently offering a hybrid work model. Employees are required to be in the office Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and upon request for mandatory meetings or events. Employees are provided the opportunity to work remotely on Monday and Friday. The hybrid work model is subject to change. NAW’s DC HQ office provides a standard office environment.

Travel: Up to 15%

Salary:  Experience level and other factors will determine the final salary level, with a starting base salary range of $65,000–$70,000/year. In addition, as part of your incentive compensation you will  receive 3% commission on new and renewing affiliated member sales, (approximately $15,000/year based on current book of business).

How To Apply

Please send resume and cover letter to [email protected].

Principals only; no agencies; no phone calls, please. Candidates selected to participate in an interview will be contacted by Human Resources.