Director of Strategic Corporate Partnerships

ABOUT SPECIAL OLYMPICS WASHINGTON

Special Olympics Washington (SOWA) provides year-round sports training, competition, health, leadership, and inclusion opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the state. Through the power of sport, we create communities where everyone is included, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Strategic Corporate Partnerships is responsible for developing and growing Special Olympics Washington's corporate revenue portfolio through the creation, expansion, and stewardship of strategic corporate partnerships.

This position serves as the organization's lead business development professional for the corporate sector, identifying new opportunities, cultivating relationships with business leaders, and designing partnerships that create meaningful value for both corporate partners and Special Olympics Washington. The Director will build long-term relationships that generate sustainable revenue, increase community engagement, and advance the organization's mission through sponsorships, philanthropy, employee engagement, workplace giving, matching gifts, cause marketing, volunteerism, and other strategic partnership opportunities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Corporate Partnerships & Business Development

• Develop and execute a comprehensive corporate partnership strategy that drives sustainable revenue growth, community engagement, and mission impact.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, negotiate, and steward corporate partnerships that align with SOWA's strategic priorities and organizational goals.
• Build and manage a robust pipeline of prospective corporate partners, sponsors, foundations, and business leaders.
• Create customized partnership opportunities that align corporate objectives with Special Olympics Washington's mission and programs.
• Develop and secure sponsorship agreements, cause marketing campaigns, philanthropic investments, workplace giving partnerships, and employee engagement opportunities.
• Expand and deepen existing corporate relationships through multi-year agreements and increased levels of support.
• Build and maintain relationships with professional sports organizations, industry leaders, and strategic community partners.
• Represent SOWA throughout the corporate community and serve as a visible ambassador for the organization.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Programs, and Development teams to maximize partnership activation, visibility, and impact.

Corporate Revenue Strategy & Partnership Growth

• Lead the development and execution of corporate revenue strategies that leverage sponsorships, philanthropy, grants, workplace giving, matching gifts, employee engagement, volunteerism, peer-to-peer fundraising, and cause marketing opportunities.
• Oversee the implementation and optimization of Double the Donation to increase matching gift participation and revenue.
• Develop strategies that encourage employee giving, workplace campaigns, volunteer grants, and team fundraising initiatives among corporate partners.
• Identify and pursue corporate grant opportunities, foundation relationships, and philanthropic investments that support organizational priorities.
• Collaborate with corporate partners to create meaningful employee engagement experiences that strengthen relationships and increase support.
• Analyze partnership performance and identify opportunities to increase revenue, engagement, and long-term partner value.
• Monitor emerging trends in corporate philanthropy, employee engagement, and sponsorship activation to inform strategy and growth.

Corporate Engagement, Sponsorship Activation & Event Leadership

• Directly supervise, mentor, and support the Special Events Manager, providing leadership, coaching, accountability, and professional development.
• Provide strategic oversight of the organization's event sponsorship and corporate engagement efforts.
• Partner with the Special Events Manager to maximize sponsorship revenue, corporate participation, and fundraising outcomes across SOWA's event portfolio.
• Develop strategies that increase corporate participation in Polar Plunge, Gold Gala, Law Enforcement Torch Run fundraising initiatives, and other fundraising campaigns.
• Ensure sponsors and corporate partners receive meaningful engagement, recognition, stewardship, and return on investment.
• Collaborate with Development and Marketing leadership to align events with broader donor acquisition, stewardship, and revenue-generation strategies.
• Evaluate sponsorship performance, event revenue, and partnership outcomes to drive continuous improvement and growth.

GOALS & PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Success in this position will be measured by the ability to:

• Generate a minimum of $800,000 annually in corporate revenue through sponsorships, corporate philanthropy, grants, workplace giving, matching gifts, and strategic partnerships.
• Increase corporate revenue by 5%–15% annually while ensuring corporate partnerships contribute approximately 20% of total organizational revenue.
• Secure and steward 3–5 multi-year corporate partnership agreements annually.
• Maintain a corporate partner retention rate of 66% or greater.
• Cultivate and secure 8–12 new corporate partnerships annually.
• Conduct 10–12 meaningful corporate stewardship meetings, engagement activities, or touchpoints each quarter.
• Develop and execute sponsorship strategies that increase event sponsorship revenue by 15% annually.
• Secure presenting sponsorships averaging $50,000 or more for signature fundraising events.
• Secure 3–5 regional or state-level sponsors annually for Winter Games, Spring Games, and other key organizational initiatives.
• Secure 3–5 new event sponsors annually for each major fundraising event.
• Submit 15–20 corporate grant proposals annually and achieve a minimum 30% funding success rate.
• Generate at least $250,000 annually in corporate grant revenue.
• Establish 3–5 new corporate foundation relationships annually.
• Successfully implement and grow Double the Donation participation, matching gift revenue, and workplace giving opportunities.
• Coordinate and support 8–10 employee engagement activations annually, including volunteer projects, workplace giving campaigns, fundraising initiatives, and mission engagement experiences.
• Increase corporate peer-to-peer fundraising participation and revenue annually.
• Increase the number of active corporate fundraising teams participating in Polar Plunge and other SOWA campaigns and events.
• Develop and execute at least one new cause-marketing partnership annually that aligns with SOWA's mission and revenue goals.
• Collaborate with Development and Marketing teams to execute at least two corporate matching or challenge campaigns annually.
• Establish and maintain five or more diversity, equity, inclusion, and mission-aligned community partnerships annually.
• Maintain 100% Salesforce data accuracy and ensure timely stewardship, reporting, forecasting, and documentation of corporate partnerships and sponsorship activities.
• Successfully supervise and support the Special Events Manager in achieving event fundraising, sponsorship, and participation goals.
• Build and maintain a robust pipeline of corporate prospects and strategic partnership opportunities that support long-term revenue sustainability and mission impact.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of five years of experience in strategic partnerships, corporate fundraising, sponsorship development, nonprofit development, or related fields.
• Demonstrated success securing and growing high-value partnerships, sponsorships, philanthropic investments, or business relationships.
• Proven ability to identify opportunities, develop strategic partnership concepts, and move prospects through a relationship and sales cycle.
• Experience negotiating complex agreements and managing executive-level relationships.
• Strong understanding of corporate sponsorships, partnership activation, and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
• Experience supervising staff and managing cross-functional projects and initiatives.
• Experience implementing or managing matching gift platforms such as Double the Donation preferred.
• Strong analytical, project management, and organizational skills.
• Proficiency with Salesforce or comparable CRM platforms.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in all aspects of partnership development and community engagement.

WORK SCHEDULE & TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

This position requires a high level of community engagement and will occasionally involve travel throughout Washington State to support local programs, fundraising events, and partner relationships. Occasional overnight travel may be necessary.

Weekend and evening work will be required at various times throughout the year, particularly during key fundraising events and community outreach activities. Special Olympics Washington offers a flexible work schedule to accommodate these seasonal demands and support work-life balance.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Salary: $75,000 – $90,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications
• Health insurance and 403(b) retirement plan
• Generous paid time off
• Hybrid work flexibility
• Professional development opportunities

How to Apply

Submit your resume and cover letter to sowa@sowa.org. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. No calls, please.

Special Olympics Washington is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to building an inclusive workplace that reflects the diversity of the athletes, families, volunteers, and communities we serve.

• Health insurance and 403(b) retirement plan
• Generous paid time off
• Hybrid work flexibility
• Professional development opportunities