Associate Director of Corporate Partnerships

Book Harvest—an award-winning nonprofit dedicated to providing books for every child, support for every parent, and literacy for every community—is seeking an Associate Director of Corporate Partnerships to join our External Relations Team. 

This is a full-time, exempt position based in North Carolina.

Salary and Benefits: The salary range for this position is $70,000 to $84,500, commensurate with experience. Book Harvest employs an experience-based pay model with predefined salary ranges and annual opportunities for salary growth. Salaries are determined exclusively by years of relevant experience. Book Harvest does not inquire about prior earnings nor negotiate salary offers as part of our commitment to pay equity. 

Benefits include 100% employer-sponsored, silver-level health care and short-term disability insurance, elective dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) with a 3% contribution, generous PTO, paid family leave, professional development funds, a flexible work schedule, a purposeful workplace culture, and more. 

Our Process:  We will begin by reviewing all submitted materials. All candidates should submit a resume and a cover letter addressed to the hiring manager, Connor Kirkpatrick, National Director of Advancement. Selected candidates will be invited to an initial phone interview, followed by a first-round interview. Finalists will then be asked to complete a work sample and participate in a final interview. 

Priority Deadline: February 18th, 2026. Applications received after this date are not guaranteed a review.  

Position Overview

The Associate Director of Corporate Partnerships is a strategic leader responsible for developing, managing, and growing corporate relationships to support Book Harvest’s mission and revenue goals. This role will strategically scale Book Harvest’s corporate revenue portfolio, securing 13-15% of Book Harvest’s overall revenue annually ($1.4M+ in 2026) by architecting corporate partnerships, high-level sponsorships, and strategic engagements, ensuring corporate partners have meaningful opportunities to invest in Book Harvest’s work at scale.

Reporting to the National Director of Advancement and operating as a key member of the External Relations team, this position will drive organizational corporate giving strategies, cultivate and lead new corporate partnerships with executive-level business leaders, and oversee sponsorships for key Book Harvest initiatives. The Associate Director will lead cross-functional collaborations with the Volunteer Manager to provide exceptional volunteer experiences for corporate professionals and design innovative cause-marketing campaigns to deepen corporate investment and organizational visibility.

This is a hybrid position based in North Carolina, with approximately 30-50% of work in the office and in the community, including attending meetings and engaging with corporate partners. A portion of the time will be spent traveling across North Carolina and beyond to meet with corporate partners. Some evening and weekend work is required for attending events. 

Responsibilities

The responsibilities for this position include, but are not limited to:

Corporate Strategy & Partnership Development

• Design and lead a comprehensive and multi-year corporate engagement strategy to achieve revenue targets, identifying new opportunities for growth locally, regionally, and nationally.  
• Independently manage and grow a robust portfolio of corporate partners and prospects, overseeing the full lifecycle of identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and high-level stewardship. 
• Strategically create and present sophisticated corporate proposals, partnership agreements, and impact reports that align corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals with Book Harvest’s mission.
• Build meaningful relationships with business leaders across North Carolina and beyond, representing Book Harvest in external engagements and forging new partnerships with prospective corporate partners.
• Oversee and drive corporate sponsorship sales for major organizational events, managing the benefits fulfillment process.
• Lead the development of innovative giving models, including employee giving programs, matching gifts, and cause-marketing campaigns.

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Fundraising Operations

• Lead cross-functional efforts with the Volunteer Manager to design and oversee high-impact corporate volunteer days, ensuring they serve as strategic entry points for deeper financial investment.
• Serve as a Liaison between the C-Suite, the National Director of Advancement, and corporate partners, facilitating opportunities for meaningful partnership development.
• Direct the tracking and analysis of the corporate revenue pipeline within the CRM (Virtuous), utilizing data to provide strategic recommendations for future growth.
• Manage complex project timelines for corporate activations, ensuring all internal stakeholders are aligned and external deadlines are met with high fidelity.
• Contribute to departmental planning, providing insight to market trends and corporate landscape shifts to ensure Book Harvest remains a partner of choice.

General Administration

• Actively contribute to a collaborative, mission-driven culture through staff, departmental, and supervisory meetings.
• Contribute to a strong, inclusive culture by actively supporting DEBI initiatives.
• Engage in ongoing professional development, participating in annual learning opportunities.

Role Specific Qualifications:

• 8+ years of relevant experience, ideally in corporate fundraising, corporate social responsibility, sales, or business development, with a proven track record of building high-impact partnerships and/or securing corporate gifts and sponsorships.
• Demonstrated success in building long-term corporate partnerships and securing high-value sponsorships (five- to seven-figure engagements preferred).
• Experience developing corporate engagement strategies, including employee giving, matching gifts, and cause-marketing campaigns.
• Strongly preferred: knowledge of the corporate landscape and emerging trends in corporate social responsibility programs in the Triangle Region, across North Carolina, and nationally.
• Strong experience in prospecting, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling proposals and external-facing materials.
• Proficiency in Google Suite, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and experience with CRM systems (e.g., Virtuous, Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge).
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, meet deadlines, and drive fundraising results.
• Strong relationship-building and listening skills, and the ability to engage C-suite executives and corporate leaders.
• Passion for literacy, education, and social impact, with a commitment to Book Harvest’s mission.

Core Competencies (L3):

• Integrity: Models exemplary ethical leadership and transparency, building unwavering trust and accountability across their area of influence.
• Emotional Intelligence: Navigates complex dynamics with exceptional self-awareness, influencing effectively and building powerful alliances through grace and professionalism.
• Self-Development: Strategically pursues significant development opportunities for self and team, actively coaching and mentoring others' growth.
• DEBI: Champions and actively drives DEBI initiatives, shaping an inclusive and equitable environment through systemic improvements and influential practices.
• Communication: Articulates complex ideas and strategic rationale with clarity and conviction, influencing critical outcomes with diverse audiences.
• Teamwork: Orchestrates highly collaborative success across departments, proactively identifying and resolving high-stakes inter-team conflicts to build consensus.
• Time and Project Management: Leads and strategically manages complex projects, anticipating systemic risks and consistently ensuring impactful, high-quality, and timely completion.
• Decision-Making: Makes critical, high-impact decisions with significant departmental or cross-functional implications, justifying strategic choices with confidence.
• Agility: Leads and champions adaptation to significant organizational shifts, proactively identifying innovation opportunities and driving continuous improvement.
• Strategic Thinking: Masterfully connects departmental activities to broader organizational goals, translating complex insights into actionable long-term plans.