Partnership Manager

About Classical KING

Classical KING is the Pacific Northwest listener-supported classical music service, dedicated to strengthening our community through music, arts, and creative connection. As a nonprofit public radio station, we partner closely with the region’s cultural and community organizations and serve audiences on FM, online, and across digital platforms.

Mission, Vision, and Values

Our Mission

Classical KING will actively grow, diversify, and enrich the love of classical music in our community.

Our Vision

Expand our diverse community of listeners, performers, and supporters who understand and benefit from the powerful impact of classical music and the arts in our region.

Our Values

• Classical music should be accessible to all.
• The arts are a critical component of every vibrant city.
• K-12 arts education is necessary to develop creativity, innovation, and lifelong appreciation of the arts.
• Fiscally responsible planning is necessary to achieve our vision. Classical KING is an equal opportunity employer.

Position Summary

The Partnership Manager provides comprehensive oversight of Classical KING’s partnerships and engagement initiatives. This includes managing program sponsorship announcements and maintaining a portfolio that generates approximately $300,000 annually. The role manages long-standing arts and community partners, supports prospective business supporters, and guides them through FCC standards and processes and Classical KING program sponsorship policies.

This is a relationship-centered position that requires exceptional customer service, strong communication skills, and the ability to engage confidently in revenue conversations. The position is hands-on and includes regular in-person meetings with clients and community partners, especially within the arts sector. The manager also provides internal administrative support for partnership visibility, ensuring partnership deliverables are documented, tracked, and carried out consistently.

The role requires dependable administrative execution and close collaboration across internal teams and external vendors to ensure partnership support content is delivered accurately and aligns with the station’s sound and brand. This role reports to the Chief Content and Engagement Officer.

Key Responsibilities

Client Stewardship, Sales, and Care

• Maintain and renew Classical KING’s partnership portfolio, focusing on existing cultural and community accounts. Cultivating and maintaining excellent relationships with existing partners is the highest priority of this role.
• Provide excellent customer service, with clear, timely, and professional communication.
• Conduct regular in-person meetings and virtual meetings with clients and prospective supporters to strengthen relationships, understand needs, and communicate value.
• Guide clients through rates, schedules, creative guidelines, production requirements, and audience information.
• Support annual revenue goals through renewals and mission-aligned new business.
• Engage confidently in revenue conversations and represent Classical KING with warmth and professionalism.
• Deliver thoughtful and consistent follow-up that supports long-term relationships.
• Explore new partnership opportunities that align with the station’s mission and format.
• Actively meet with organizations and attend relevant events when needed to support relationship-building and community presence.
• Identify organizations that may help expand Classical KING’s reach and share findings with the Chief Engagement and Content Officer.
• Maintain an understanding of the regional arts and nonprofit landscape to support relationship-building.

Contracting, Scheduling, and Coordination

• Prepare and process contracts; coordinate invoicing and documentation with Finance and Advancement.
• Enter and manage schedules and production instructions in Marketron and related systems.
• Monitor pacing and deadlines to ensure messages air accurately and on time
• Maintain current knowledge of available inventory and rate structures.

Programming Alignment

The role requires a strong understanding of Classical KING’s program clocks, partnership support message load limits, and tone expectations, and works closely with the Program Director to manage pacing, placement, and production timing. The manager is responsible for ensuring that all messages meet Classical KING’s brand standards and internal policies and fully comply with FCC guidelines, with particular care given to maintaining the integrity of the classical format and the listener experience.

Project Management for Partnerships

• Maintain detailed internal documentation of all partnership commitments. Track all deadlines and deliverables to keep Programming, Engagement, and Advancement aligned through each partnership.
• Review and approve partner related images and messaging across on-air, digital, social, newsletters, and other platforms.
• Oversee partnership campaign coordination and ensure all agreed-upon deliverables are fulfilled accurately and on time. Partners can range from major sports organizations to local arts institutions. Serve as the central point of coordination for materials needed by partners or vendors, tracking requests and routing assets to internal teams.
• Ensure all partnership copy, creative assets, and messaging meet Classical KING’s standards for accuracy, tone, and brand alignment.
• Maintain clear boundaries between paid underwriting deliverables and partnership visibility, ensuring consistent internal understanding.
• Plan and execute all partnership activations.
• Review all partnership campaigns and support strategic planning for future campaigns. Update internal documentation with results, identify any missed or delayed deliverables, and recommend workflow improvements.

Operational Responsibilities

The role is also responsible for maintaining accurate records of partnership and underwriting communication using CRM or moves-management tools, assisting with billing follow-up and payment tracking in accordance with established procedures, and supporting required operational messaging such as weekly EAS test schedules and public meeting notices. The manager will prepare internal reports and forecasts to support budgeting and planning and will use Nielsen and Scarborough research to help articulate the value of business support activity and inform both Advancement and Programming.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated excellence in customer service, including in-person communication and client stewardship.
• Experience conducting in-person meetings, presentations, or outreach with community or arts organizations.
• Strong background in account management, client relations, arts administration, or nonprofit administration.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines with clarity.
• Comfort using tracking systems; Marketron or public radio traffic system experience is helpful but not required.
• Familiarity with classical music, arts organizations, or public media is helpful but not required.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across departments while also managing tasks independently.

Compensation and Work Environment

• Full-time, exempt position.
• Salary range: $75,000–$82,000 annually.
• Hybrid work environment with regular on-site time for client meetings, coordination, and team engagement.
• Benefits include health, dental, vision, retirement contributions, paid time off, and professional development opportunities.

Application Process

Candidates are invited to apply by emailing one PDF document that includes a cover letter, resume and list of three references to: HR@king.org