Director, Corporate Relations and Business Development

Main Campus - Boston, MA
R05458

Located in the heart of Boston, Simmons University embodies the benefits of a small university in the nation's best college town. Simmons has a cherished history of visionary thinking and social responsibility and a mission that has remained constant for over a century: to provide transformative learning that links passion with lifelong purpose.

Today, Simmons serves nearly 2,000 students in a women-centered undergraduate program and nearly 5,000 students in coeducational graduate programs. Simmons recently achieved university designation and embarked on an academic redesign to create four interdisciplinary colleges. Given the richness and complexity of its offerings, Simmons obtained formal approval and became Simmons University effective September 1, 2018.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, and under the direction of the Executive Director, Simmons Leadership Conference, the Director of Corporate Relations and Business Development (Director) will be responsible for managing significant levels of sponsorship for the Simmons Leadership Conferences.

For more than 100 years, a Simmons education has integrated professional preparation, intellectual exploration, and community orientation. For the past 39 years, Simmons has sponsored the Simmons Leadership Conference, considered to the be premier women's leadership conference in the worked, attracting over 3400 middle and senior level women from companies and organizations across the country and around the globe. For more information on the Simmons' Leadership Conference, please visit the website: Simmons Leadership Conference.

Essential Responsibilities:

Business Development

• Design, implement and manage a strategic and proactive development plan focusing on sustaining and increasing corporate sponsorships and participation for the University's Leadership Conferences;
• Identify, cultivate and close corporate sponsorships through extensive prospect research and networking initiatives;
• Maximize existing corporate relationships to become multi-year financial contracts at the top two levels;
• Network and establish partnerships with key stakeholders and organizations that have like missions and support the advancement and women leaders;
• Drive attendance, ticket and table sales to organizations and sponsors;
• Maintain strong knowledge of industry trends and competitor service products;
• Cultivate relationships with internal networks such as Advancement, Sponsor Research, Marketing and Communications;
• Participate and engage in networking events to build upon existing relationships as well as foster new relationships for potential future sponsorship activity and/or referrals;
• Be innovative about potential revenue generating opportunities with sponsors beyond the conference, i.e. Executive Education, training, workshops, etc.

Sponsor / Client Stewardship

• Develop and market pre-conference workshops, seminars, coaching and receptions to enhance revenue generation opportunities;
• Collaborate with Executive Director to manage sponsor operations, logistics, both pre-conference and post-conference.

Conference Operations

• Collaborate with Executive Director to manage sponsor operations, logistics, both pre-conference and post-conference;
• Prepare and manage annual budget and revenue tracking financial details;
• Engage with and management of social media.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required;
• Minimum of 5-7 years of direct professional experience in corporate fundraising, sales/marketing and/or development, preferably within a non-profit or corporate environment;
• Demonstrated success in the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies and techniques;
• Entrepreneurial spirit, driven and willing to take initiative;
• Excellent interpersonal, collaborate and organizational skills;
• Affinity for the mission of Simmons University;
• Marketing experience is a plus but not required;
• Demonstrated ability to develop and foster relationships with vendors and corporate partners;
• Demonstrated experience and success in developing proposals and collateral foundation and corporate prospects;
• Highly organized and effective project management skills;
• Demonstrated strategic thinking with the ability to make sound judgements and decisions;
• Advanced written and verbal communication skills;
• Demonstrated desire and capacity to work collaboratively with colleagues and consultants, as well as volunteers;
• Attention to detail, high productivity and concern for accuracy and excellence.

Instructions to Applicants: Please submit a resume and cover letter in the Resume/CV section of your application.

Simmons is committed to inclusive excellence in all aspects of an individual's community experience. As a University committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, Simmons encourages applications from all under-represented groups. Simmons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to continuing to develop a more diverse faculty, staff, student body and curriculum.


To apply, visit https://simmons.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Simmons-Careers/job/Main-Campus---Boston-MA/Director--Corporate-Relations-and-Business-Development_R05458

Located in Bostons historic Fenway area, Simmons College is a small, private, non-sectarian College which has educated students for enriching careers and purposeful lives since 1899. Working at Simmons means joining a collaborative, diverse and mission-driven community of educators and professionals.

We prepare students to be leaders for themselves, their communities and the world. Our faculty and staff members lead by example - sharing a commitment to excellence and putting the students first.